Adding a cockpit helm station
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- Donator '09
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Adding a cockpit helm station
Another day, another project . . .
One of the things I really liked about my Maxcat was the 2nd station in the cockpit. Made it super easy to handle things when trolling and docking, especially when I was running the boat alone. The LaConner has its only helm station in the pilothouse and given that I'll also be doing a lot of towing and making up to dead-in-water boats with a side tie having a set of controls outside is something I really wanted to add to the boat.
Problem was, there was no good place on the backside of the house to put one because the doorway and the sliding door took up almost every sq inch of space on the aft bulkhead. The door isn't shown in this pic (not re-installed yet) but it sits to the left of the doorway when it is slid open.
So I'm scratching the old noggin' trying to come up with a place to add steering and throttle/shift and I notice that the door leaves about 4 inches of aft bulkhead showing over on the far left side when the door is open, just enough room to get some cables past it.
I started playing around with some cardboard to see if I could come up with a way to accomplish the goal and I mocked up a mini-helm that had a slot cut into the backside of it wide enough to let the door open all the way.
The great thing about aluminum is you can quickly build any kind of wild idea that pops into the brain.
So I started making hard parts. Just cut up 3/16 plate to size with my radial arm saw and did the cut-outs with a jig saw. Sanded up all the edges with a random orbit sander. Its just like working with really hard thin plywood.
Then you stick everything together with a hot melt glue gun (otherwise known as a mig welder). Notice how the cabin door can slide behind the helm? Sexy, huh? The little hole you see in the cabin bulkhead about halfway to the floor is where the control cables will feed thru to the forward helm station.
Just about done, I need to run the cables and hydraulic hose. I'm using the old helm pump and control that I removed from the main station inside to keep costs down. I'll get a new, smaller steering wheel so's I don't bash my knuckles on the back edge of the cabin.
Not bad work for a day on which I also had to meet with my tax accountant . . .
One of the things I really liked about my Maxcat was the 2nd station in the cockpit. Made it super easy to handle things when trolling and docking, especially when I was running the boat alone. The LaConner has its only helm station in the pilothouse and given that I'll also be doing a lot of towing and making up to dead-in-water boats with a side tie having a set of controls outside is something I really wanted to add to the boat.
Problem was, there was no good place on the backside of the house to put one because the doorway and the sliding door took up almost every sq inch of space on the aft bulkhead. The door isn't shown in this pic (not re-installed yet) but it sits to the left of the doorway when it is slid open.
So I'm scratching the old noggin' trying to come up with a place to add steering and throttle/shift and I notice that the door leaves about 4 inches of aft bulkhead showing over on the far left side when the door is open, just enough room to get some cables past it.
I started playing around with some cardboard to see if I could come up with a way to accomplish the goal and I mocked up a mini-helm that had a slot cut into the backside of it wide enough to let the door open all the way.
The great thing about aluminum is you can quickly build any kind of wild idea that pops into the brain.
So I started making hard parts. Just cut up 3/16 plate to size with my radial arm saw and did the cut-outs with a jig saw. Sanded up all the edges with a random orbit sander. Its just like working with really hard thin plywood.
Then you stick everything together with a hot melt glue gun (otherwise known as a mig welder). Notice how the cabin door can slide behind the helm? Sexy, huh? The little hole you see in the cabin bulkhead about halfway to the floor is where the control cables will feed thru to the forward helm station.
Just about done, I need to run the cables and hydraulic hose. I'm using the old helm pump and control that I removed from the main station inside to keep costs down. I'll get a new, smaller steering wheel so's I don't bash my knuckles on the back edge of the cabin.
Not bad work for a day on which I also had to meet with my tax accountant . . .
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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- welder
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Nice work Chaps , that will work reel well.
Lester,
PacificV2325, Honda BF225
2386
PacificV2325, Honda BF225
2386
Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
I would have just used the card board. The helm is shinier then the whole boat.
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
That boat gets better and better everyday.
"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right."
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Its amazing how quickly all the shiny mods & add-ons will get the crusty oxidized look. I'd say in a year a person won't be able to tell what was old and what was new.21ftcc wrote:I would have just used the card board. The helm is shinier then the whole boat.
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Excellent work Chaps. I always love seeing your work. You are a man who knows what he wants and has the skills to attain it............... Hope that did not come out too fortune cookie.
Lucky numbers 3,17,23,27,41
Mark
Lucky numbers 3,17,23,27,41
Mark
Mark
2325 WA PACIFICSKIFF
2325 WA PACIFICSKIFF
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Projects, gotta love 'em. Pics make them so much better.
what a rig!
what a rig!
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Mark, thats nice but everyone including myself knows I'm a crazed, obsessive lunatic with too much time on my hands . . .mojomizer wrote:Excellent work Chaps. I always love seeing your work. You are a man who knows what he wants and has the skills to attain it............... Hope that did not come out too fortune cookie.
Mark
Oh well, I'll give you guys a break, gotta go on a road trip this week, the boat will have to wait. Its almost ready for its big debut. Hopefully it doesn't do what my last project did . . .
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Nice work Chaps,
Did you have any issues welding to the existing structure? What prep did you have to do before welding? Is there anything that you have to watch out for welding on the boat with the electronics on board?
Jim
Did you have any issues welding to the existing structure? What prep did you have to do before welding? Is there anything that you have to watch out for welding on the boat with the electronics on board?
Jim
Jim
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Jim,
I built it as a bolt-on piece so there is no direct welding to the existing boat in this case but generally abrading through oxidation and crud to white metal with sanding discs in the immediate area you wish to weld to is all that is necessary. A quick wipe down with an evaporative solvent like lacquer thinner is also recommended to eliminate any oily contamination. I don't believe there are any issues between welding and electronic components, particularly if they are turned off.
I built it as a bolt-on piece so there is no direct welding to the existing boat in this case but generally abrading through oxidation and crud to white metal with sanding discs in the immediate area you wish to weld to is all that is necessary. A quick wipe down with an evaporative solvent like lacquer thinner is also recommended to eliminate any oily contamination. I don't believe there are any issues between welding and electronic components, particularly if they are turned off.
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Chaps is some what right to make sure electronics are shut off. However it would be even better to have a main shut off switch, or unplug the battery. I've seen people weld to a bucket on an excavator and have the computer fry only to find out that the machine would only swing one way and didn't stop. Turning the machine off was the only way to stop it.
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
When I weld on a vehicle I always try to disconnect the Battery and connect my ground clamp as close to the work as possible . We had a guy in the shop ARC the bearings [ALL OF THEM ] on the crank shaft of a SUPERIOR IN LINE 12 cylinder and cost abunch-O-money to fix.
Lester,
PacificV2325, Honda BF225
2386
PacificV2325, Honda BF225
2386
Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Welder,
Did the guy that arc'ed the bearing do something really dumb to cause this? It does not seem that a battery ground would effect this to me. Did he have his welder grounded to the motor or something?
I just noticed the funny part of your boat picture -- Double parked across two handicap spots.
Jim
Did the guy that arc'ed the bearing do something really dumb to cause this? It does not seem that a battery ground would effect this to me. Did he have his welder grounded to the motor or something?
I just noticed the funny part of your boat picture -- Double parked across two handicap spots.
Jim
Jim
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
It's okay...he's from Texas. :shock:jrogers wrote:Welder,
I just noticed the funny part of your boat picture -- Double parked across two handicap spots.
Jim
Spending my kids inheritance with them, one adventure at a time.
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
I do not know if I would....Handycappers pack some big guns in Texas.
Have a great weekend.
Mark
Have a great weekend.
Mark
Mark
2325 WA PACIFICSKIFF
2325 WA PACIFICSKIFF
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
I know this is a little late, but did you ever finish the project. What mechanism do you use for adding the second controls to the outboard?
Thanks,
Dale
Thanks,
Dale
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Sure its finished!
The throttle & shift cables from the aft helm controller simply run up to and tie into the main control inside the cabin. From there a longer set run back to the engines.
The throttle & shift cables from the aft helm controller simply run up to and tie into the main control inside the cabin. From there a longer set run back to the engines.
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Hey Capt. where can i find a used 'LaConner Boat like that,, SWEET !!
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- Donator '09
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
I don't really know how many boats in this size range they built, probably not very many. A first time poster a couple of days ago was on here and said he had a 24 La Conner down in SoCal somewhere set up for diving but don't know anything more than that and he didn't put up any pics. I've seen big La Conner commercial fishboats around. There's been quite a few boat companies come & go up here and its surprising some of the things you see if you are paying attention. If you are looking for a used alloy boat just keep an eye on Seattle craigslist and the Seattle boat trader. Almost all these boats are customs and you'll rarely see the same thing twice.WCAMARANO wrote:Hey Capt. where can i find a used 'LaConner Boat like that,, SWEET !!
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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Re: Adding a cockpit helm station
Chaps, You have done some great work on that boat...keep the pics coming! See ya when you get back from your road trip. DW wants to go the tulip festival soon, maybe we can hook up when up your area! Capt PJ
2009 Raider 185 Pro Fisherman, 2005 90Yamaha, 2012 Yamaha9.9HT, 2008 EzLoader roller, 2004 Dodge TCD dually, 2005/2015 Lance1161