Helm Chair mounting

[Rickysa]

So I spent the last weekend mounting the helm chair (Pompanette 2000) using a 1/4" pre--drilled aluminum backing plate.

I was wanting to keep the mounting within the cabin (where the old chair had been mounted) because there seemed more bite for the mounting screws.

Well, we placed the chair on the pedestal, and even with the chair fully retracted I was a bow ornament.

Anny suggestions?

[Tommy]

Ricky, so do I understand that the chair, as mounted, is too close to the console and your knees are crowded; or the elevation of the chair is too high? As I remember, my stock bench seat was located aft pretty close to the bridge railing. It sounds like you may need to shift the whole works aft +/- 6", which would place the backing plate over the bulkhead area. You are a big man, so the backing plate will earn it's keep!

[Rickysa]

Tommy, actually it's both. The height is easy enough to fix with Mr. Sawzall, but the movement back towards the bridge rail is the challenge. Doing so would lead to the majority of the aft holes on the backing plate passing through the (relatively) thin fiberglass outside of the cabin. I wish I had taken pictures as I'm not doing a very good job of explaining, although I think everyone here is familiar enough with the makeup of the boats to get the general idea.

Thanks for the feedback! (and yep, this girlish figure I carry really wants things to be kinda beefy up there )

[bob lico]

i mounted my helm chair within 1/2" of the furthest point Aft. you cannot install any further toward transom because this is the step down to the solid overhang..remove ceiling in cabin and using a " slip jim" car door opening tool i push the aluminum backing plate back to the furthest point and attach helm chair from above with SS. screws.

[Tommy]

Hi Bob, I always appreciate your insight on all things Bertram because you analyze issues so thoroughly. I see here your counsel has to do with the cockpit fighting chair; however Ricky is inquiring about the bridge helm seat.

[bbtiller]

I had the same issue and resolved it this way:

Fit the largest piece of 3/4" frp board you can make fit under the helm deck. It should extend forward several inches beyond the pedastal base and same aft. It will extend aft over where the bulkhead ties into the deck framing. I thru bolted the front three pedastal base bolts through the base, deck, and frp board and used large fender washers. Because the area under the deck aft of the bulkhead is essentially unaccessible from below, for the aft three holes I used appropriate diameter/length wood screws that extended through the base, deck into the frp. It has not failed in 6 years of hauling my 215 lb fat ass 60 miles offshore and back. Pompanette ladder back helm chair.

[Rawleigh]

Rick: Can you talk to an aluminum guy about doing some kind of goose neck in the chair pedestal tube so the seat sits further back but uses the same mounting position?

[Rickysa]

Rawleigh, My only concern is placing weight off center of the pedestal, as I need all the support I can get....


Bradley, heading down this weekend, and I"ll look at that...seems like it would work.

[PeterPalmieri]

When you remove the headliner you should be able to get the backing plate further back underneath the fiberglass just forward of the cabin door. It’s tough getting a hold of the nut on the back but we were able to get back within a few inches of the brow. But maybe I’m not understanding your issue fully.

I found a picture, the back leg has a backing plate and was about as far back as were able to manage.
https://imgur.com/gallery/HTmNjrZ

[Rickysa]

When you remove the headliner you should be able to get the backing plate further back underneath the fiberglass just forward of the cabin door. It’s tough getting a hold of the nut on the back but we were able to get back within a few inches of the brow. But maybe I’m not understanding your issue fully.

Peter you are describing it perfectly, except for the point of having enough room ahead of the cabin door. In fact, my aft-most hole went through the cabin door framework. My hope was, after drilling and installing the pedestal, was that I could scoot the seat back far enough to get leg room between the seat and the helm....not even close. I'd have to mount over half of the pedestal through the fiberglass aft of the bulkhead/cabin frame of the door.

I don't think of the chair as overly large from a front-to-back dimension, in fact when I mounted the pedestal it looked ridiculously close to the helm itself. We are heading down tomorrow afternoon and I'll try to shoot some pics.

[PeterPalmieri]

Is it possible that a seat slide can get you a little extra space?

https://www.garelick.com/Low-Profile-Seat-Slide-75091

[Rickysa]

Is it possible that a seat slide can get you a little extra space?

It came with one, but it wasn't enough to make it work

[Tommy]

Ricky, where are you keeping the boat and will you be working on it Saturday? I plan to be down and would like to see your handiwork. I have your cell # ending in 1823 and will try to catch up with you.

[Rickysa]

Tommy, heading down today with a plan to haul on Fri at Jarrett Bay (leaking seal).

[bob lico]

the secret is that 8" space between edge of upholstered ceiling in the cabin and the fiberglass border around cabin can be used to move the seat back 9" because there is a air cavity between bridge floor and the fiberglass border in cabin for thru bolting and this is what i was describing in my original post by using a "slim jim" with backer and self locking nut to hold down chair mound on bridge and moving seat all the back to overhang a obvious advantage when using chair and pod to give adequate leg clearance to stand up turn around when backing into a slip. or lean back in seat using auto-pilot. very, very confutable with well padded chair.

[Rickysa]

From looking at these pics, could the folks that did the push the helm aft?

[Tommy]

Ricky, I compared your pics with others on-line and see nothing that makes me think the bridge on your boat is dissimilar from the stock setup.

[bob lico]

something is different i just cannot put my finger on it.the bridge has the correct shape but is set back somewhat.

[Yannis]

Bob,

The missing rear pilar is misleading you.

[Tommy]

I agree with Yannis.