Yachts with throttle up at binnacle level?

[A1Sailor]

In fact if you look closely they are behind the wheel if you are stood at the helm. But I do agree, it is probably unlikely that anyone will get their arm stuck, let alone broken. Mine is mounted on the side of the binnicle as well, so in theory the same could happen, but you just reach around the wheel.

Good point Ripster - I had interpreted Seajet's suggestion that they should be in front of the wheel; I now realise he meant abaft the wheel, between it and and the helmsbod.
On my M336, when standing at the wheel there wasn't any space between me and the wheel - too many pies!

 

[Spyro]

I'm amazed that anyone considers buying a boat based on where the throttle position is. Lots more things to worry about.
Can't you operate it with your foot?

 

[scottie]

Hmmm, lets be reasonable about this - it is a yacht, not something big with servo steering - the only way you could break an arm is by forcing the wheel round hard yourself! You'll only be standing on that side of the wheel for low speed, close quarters work, so I think it should be reasonably safe...

Simple scenario you put your arm through the spokes select reverse the wheel spins under load

I agree that few would do it on purpose but it is simple to do whilst concentrating on manuvering the boat

Anticipating likely accidents is the best prevention

 

[maby]

I'm amazed that anyone considers buying a boat based on where the throttle position is. Lots more things to worry about.
Can't you operate it with your foot?

There's precious little difference between one AWB and the next, so you select based on fine detail. My first criterion is "can I lay full length in the cockpit?", the second is "can I lay full length in the lounge?".

"Can I park it comfortably?" follows on close behind those two... Parking comfortably in our berth involves reversing in and operating with my foot implies standing on the aft side of the wheel. That, in turn, implies twisting to look over my shoulder if I am to be able to steer reliably and that is uncomfortable...

 

[Al Dickson]

There's a slight engagement delay on ours but no more than 2 seconds - I think these systems have various safety settings built into them so you can't go from full ahead to full astern in an instant ?

I have yet to break my arm but it probably depends where you put the controls and the shape of the binnacle I suppose. The way ours is set up it would be awkward to put your hand through the spokes and then up onto the levers ... but going for the glass of Chablis would be fraught with danger ;-)

 

[stuarta]

Looks like you caught East Loch Tarbert at it's best!

 

[Al Dickson]

Summer was on a Saturday this year ...

 

[Blue5]

Forget the H+S about broken arms, I don't buy into that but I assume the only reason the majority of boats dont have the controls at the helm is the added cost of getting them there.

Is that a fair assumption or is there another reason, its not a deal breaker but it is a pain to have to move away from the helm when you are docking to play with the throttle.

 

[maby]

Forget the H+S about broken arms, I don't buy into that but I assume the only reason the majority of boats dont have the controls at the helm is the added cost of getting them there.

Is that a fair assumption or is there another reason, its not a deal breaker but it is a pain to have to move away from the helm when you are docking to play with the throttle.

I must assume so, but it is an oversimplification - our current boat is a 33 foot Jeanneau just about a year old and costing under £100k - it has the throttle at the binnacle. We are looking at Jeanneaus and others costing over £200k and only Beneteau has the throttle at the binnacle.

 

[ProMariner]

Putting the throttle by your left foot is one of my pet hates. Like a car maker who puts the foot break in the passenger footwell, and the reverse gear in the glove compartment. It is because it is cheaper, than specifying a binnacle with control pod, and is also faster to run the cables to, but it does not make it right.

On the whole arm through the wheel thing, it could be a risk when reversing with too much way on, and would generally be considered bad practice, but I have yet to meet a sailor with a cast on from this. But I have seen lots of manoeuvres messed up because the helm had to take their eye off the ball to reach down to operate the engine controls, at a critical moment.

I also agree with others who have said, buy the boat which otherwise fits your needs the best, and get the throttle mod done by the dealer, or by a trusted mechanic. If you have a twin wheel arrangement, just get a mechanical gear/throttle fitted to the port wheel, and try to usually park port side to. (any berth, just go in forwards or backwards). It should come in at less than a grand.

This is not a silly modification, you are not just being picky, having a throttle in the wrong place (god bless the french with their unique sense of humour) will spoil your enjoyment of your boat, I know a sailing school SO35 which has had far more bits knocked off than expected, because of the silly throttle placement. Binnacle all the way. The wheel may give your wrist an occasional love tap, to remind you to be sensible, but that is usually the worst of it. For people with less hight, it makes it easier to reach around the wheel if the throttle control is a little higher or more offset.

 

[flawed_logic]

We're looking to upgrade from our 33i and we've hit an unexpected problem - the position of the throttle. Having fought with the throttle down at floor level on our previous boat, the fact that the SO33i has it mounted high on the binnacle pillar is an enormous relief - we have a finger berth into which we reverse, and I can step round the binnacle, facing in the direction of travel and able to retain full control at all times. I really don't want to go back to having to struggle with a throttle lever down at floor level.

We were intending to go for a larger Jeanneau - something in the mid-forty foot range - but they all have twin wheels with the throttle out of reach. Having trawled the web, the only current production model I can find with the throttle up high is the Beneteau Oceanis. Is there anything else I should be looking at?

Funny, that's exactly what i did this year, trade up from the 33i, which is a great boat for the money and the first time i had a throttle lever in the right place!
I've now gone back to "blind fine adjustment" at the critical docking stage.

 

[maby]

The French sense of humour is not unique - look at current Bavarias.

 

[Jamesuk]

We were intending to go for a larger Jeanneau - something in the mid-forty foot range - but they all have twin wheels with the throttle out of reach. Having trawled the web, the only current production model I can find with the throttle up high is the Beneteau Oceanis. Is there anything else I should be looking at?

If you want the throttle up at waist height then just ask them.

 

[maby]

If you want the throttle up at waist height then just ask them.

Have done and they are giving it some thought...

 

[flaming]

"Can I park it comfortably?" follows on close behind those two... Parking comfortably in our berth involves reversing in and operating with my foot implies standing on the aft side of the wheel. That, in turn, implies twisting to look over my shoulder if I am to be able to steer reliably and that is uncomfortable...

Top tip. Sit down. Throttle's always in reach then.

I almost always reverse park the Élan so we can load sails etc straight over the stern. The throttle is on the starboard side so I just sit facing sideways above it. Perfect control, perfect view, no dramas.

 

[Jamesuk]

Have done and they are giving it some thought...

Make sure they do a proper job, bottom line is that you have the cash they dont and hold them to every single detail otherwise you will be disapponted. They 'can do' but often choose 'not to'.

 

[Spyro]

There's precious little difference between one AWB and the next, so you select based on fine detail. My first criterion is "can I lay full length in the cockpit?", the second is "can I lay full length in the lounge?".

"Can I park it comfortably?" follows on close behind those two... Parking comfortably in our berth involves reversing in and operating with my foot implies standing on the aft side of the wheel. That, in turn, implies twisting to look over my shoulder if I am to be able to steer reliably and that is uncomfortable...

I can see your point but I also like to see what the front end is doing when I'm reversing. Being able to look forwards and backwards is a necessary part of berthing I don't find looking over my shoulder too much bother.

 

[maby]

I can see your point but I also like to see what the front end is doing when I'm reversing. Being able to look forwards and backwards is a necessary part of berthing I don't find looking over my shoulder too much bother.

The "front end" is ancient history - I reverse down the aisle, then do a hard right into the berth. Provided I can avoid clipping the boats on the other side of the aisle with the bows as I turn, I can then forget them - if I'm running parallel to the finger berth and not about to hit either it, or my neighbour's boat, I just need to stop in time before I hit the pontoon!

No, I want to face the stern with the wheel in front of me and the throttle close to hand - I always had terrible trouble parking our previous boat with the throttle down low - never thought twice about it in the 33i.

 

[Tranona]

I can see your point but I also like to see what the front end is doing when I'm reversing. Being able to look forwards and backwards is a necessary part of berthing I don't find looking over my shoulder too much bother.

Much easier to face aft and to one side of the wheel. The bow follows the stern and you don't need to keep looking at it. More important to concentrate on getting square on to the quay and not hitting it.

Support the need to have the engine controls on the binnacle. Never had any problem with conflict between wheel and controls, although accept it might be more difficult with a large wheel. The fashion/need(?) for twin wheels is what creates the problem of placing the engine controls in a sensible place unless you follow the Moody example. However, most of the AWBs have gone for wheels in places where there is nothing at the right height to mount the controls on.

 

[snowleopard]

Entirely see your point of view. I've sailed a couple with floor level controls but the worst ever was a Sonata with outboard where you had to face aft and lean over the transom to adjust throttle or gears - it made for exciting berthing!

Beware of having the control mounted where anyone passing can knock it out of gear or worse still to full ahead. If mounted on the wheel pedestal, can you easily reach round (not through) the wheel to get at it?

My present boat is nicely laid out where I can control both engines with one hand while steering with the other. Bliss.