Solid pilothouse design
 

Do any of you guys have a fiberglass house on you boat, much like Steve Syler's 23? I have been kicking the idea around of removing my console and T-Top assembly and having a solid pilot house made for it. There are a few guys in the Cape Cod area who can build them and make it look real sharp.

Just wondering if there are any pics out there.... would anyone be in the market for a nice console, T top and hard top????

-Hooper

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Hooper,
I knew I should have taken some pix of an SC I saw over July 4th weekend. We were at Crowe's Pasture in Dennis and at the mouth of Quivet Creek was a white 23' CC I/O with a pilot house (no name on boat). It was a great looking design with open sides that had curtains and a forward-facing windshield.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

I've seen some of these on center consoles in ME and they look sharp. I think you could put a "West Coast" windshield (the bottom is tilted in) on it to cut down on glare. You would still have room for a padded igloo forward of the house for a seat.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Scott and Block-

That's exactly what I had in mind, a house with a windshield rushed forward at the top, gives room for a plotter and radar. Then carry the aft section backwards to hang some canvas.... Block Island Guy, I hear what you're saying about the west coast style, there is a company called Black Lab Marine in Maine that builds boats out of metal and they have incorporated the west coast look into their center consoles, really look sharp!

I was hoping there might be a photo or two floating around for some design ideas, maybe someone will have one.

Scott, sounds like a great boat, wish I had seen it! Love Crowes Pasture too!!!

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Hooper,
Yeah, we do too. It's a great beach. We'll be down there this coming weekend, so if that SC shows up again I'll snap a few pix for you.

P.S. Black Lab Marine is a dealer for Pacific boats, they don't build them.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

You know, there was a guy on the Cape, Bob Reynolds, that built a nice commercial center console for a number of years in Chatham or Orleans called the FibFab. Some had small pilot houses for the commercial guys to go out beyond BB1 (?). He has since closed (they don't call it Taxachusetts for nothing). Bob now might be a dispatcher for the Orleans PD. You could call and see if he could build you a pilot house.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Block Island Guy-

It's funny you mention FibFab...

I ran into a guy yesterday who works for a local Fire Dept. Anyways he built his own house for his 19' Seaway and had Fib Fab glass it for him, too bad to hear they are closed up, I was going to look into that. But, I am sure if I look around there are probably plenty of good fiberglass guys on Cape.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Taxachusetts huh? I guess youse guys have to keep Ted in the sauce!

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Don't get me going on good ol' Teddy! [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

theres a boat company called maritime skiff that has a console with a windshield and top made together, dont know if they will sell one or not.the web site is mskiff.com

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

I was talking to Mr. Potter a couple of weeks ago. He told me he has a new mold for a enclosed pilot house that will fit the 23' SeaCraft. His original pilot house design was introduced on the Twin Vee boats.

You can get the info from Don Herman at HERMCO

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Now that's what I've been waiting to see.

This is a large pilothouse for a headboat. It was built with 3/4in Nidacore core.

http://www.rlsebring.com/images/dsc00016.gif

http://www.rlsebring.com/images/dsc00022.gif

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

I was batting around the pilothouse idea too, it would really be nice up here in the N.E. for fall & spring. I like the maritime skiff look.

http://www.mskiff.com/images/pioneer_at_speed.jpg

So I talked to the owner and he was a super nice guy.The pilothouse option is pretty pricey, but I got to the point where he was considering selling the raw plug out of the mold. The problem is that it is too wide, wouldn't have fit right.

Bill

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

This would be the setup to have. I was on this boat at the Providence show and the design of the full pilot house is nice. Too bad it's too large for an SC.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1.../voyager01.jpg

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Yeah, Maritime skiff makes some nice pilot houses. The problem is most are designed for an 8'6" beam. The 23 Seacraft's 8' beam does not leave much room for a pilot house while maintaining space to walk around.

Two Pilot house designs that i am very fond of our the pilot house on the Boston Whaler 27 Offshore (GO THUNDERPIG!) and the new Everglades pilot house.

I can't wait to see the Potter doghouse. I am sure it will look sweet.

Ed

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

I think I'll get some 3/4" marine ply this fall, measure it up and have at it.... If it turns out to look like a dog's breakfast instead of the doghouse I am hoping for, I'll start again. Nothing else to do in New Engalnd in the winter, 'cept shovel....

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Geeez, Don't use 3/4in marine ply. It's to heavy on the wallet and the boat.
3/8in is plenty.
If I was doing it, I'd use the 3/8in BC put it together temp. Take it apart and use the panel's as pattern's for Nidacore or if it had a bunch of curves 3/8in Divenacell.

I used 3/8in Divenacell here for the sides.

The Buck

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...s/fdb6eafe.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...s/fdb6eabe.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/bobby/Finish%20Work2.JPG

http://www.classicmako.com/bobby/Finish%20Work3.JPG

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Buck-

Thanks for the info on that, I mentioned the 3/4 because that's what was recommended to me, but I see your point, 3/8 might be better. I have never worked with the divenacell before, though I have seen it used before.

Any references available on how to work with this stuff????

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

None that I know of. It can be bought in the raw form or Scrimed. It can be bought with glass on both side's already. It can be heat formed around a mold. With a heatgun.
The pix's above were not heat formed, but here's some that are.

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...Inspodmold.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...es/Inspod1.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...es/Inspod3.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...es/Inspod4.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...es/Inspod5.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...ages/Helm2.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/bobby/Finish%20Work5.JPG

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

very nice looking job WH.!!

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

I getcha, that looks like it would be a great material for a house.... thanks for the tip! I'll do some looking into that.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

After you see the price of this stuff you will not think so.
http://www.boatbuildercentral.com/pr...IAB%20products

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Nice thread on pilot houses. The Maine Boat Building Show in March in Portland might be a source of good ideas and contacts, etc. Nice people, low key atmosphere, like no other boat show in the world (and I've been to a few).

Don't worry about Teddy. He's been scratched from a lot of the bars he used to frequent around Hyannisport.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

Hooper take a ride down 137 in Chatham and you'll see a 23 with the nicest looking dawg house I'ver seen its cut with some curves and it looks nice not all square and boxy. Nice curtains too keep ya nice and dry. I'm going to copy it hopefully this winter for my 20. Its built with a foam composite and weighs nothin' so I'm told. Nice old 23. Saw you at bass river this spring at the boat races but could'nt get your attention keep an eye out for the "Cheri Sue" this fall if you get out for the fall races. I'll try to get some pics of the dawg house its a beauty.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

My father lives right down the road from that guy on 137 in chatham. I will be going down there in the next week or so. I am picking up my first seacraft. A nice 23 inboard. I was going to try to talk to him and get an idea of the design to see if it would work on my inboard. I will try to snap some photos if it is alright with the owner. It is a nice looking design and as stated before not boxy at all. Goes good with the seacraft lines. I will try to post pics when/if i get them. I would have the old man try to get the pictures but he is in technology denile.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

try pacific pilothouses pacificpilothouse.com I called pricing is not bad and they have several styles all glass construction etc etc californian is about 4300 to the cape.

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

While the Pacific is not bad, to me it's still lacking. I understand that a part like I'm talking about can't be just pulled out of a mold. It has to be made in 2 pieces and bonded together.

http://pacificpilothouse.com/Images/...ore2_r1_c1.jpg


The lacking part is no roof overhang and no visor.

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...s/File0053.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...s/File0055.jpg

http://www.classicmako.com/projects/...s/File0056.jpg

Crow's Nest installed today. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...owsNest022.jpg

Re: Solid pilothouse design
 

I've looked at the pacific pilothouses up close at the boat shows and they have a lot to be desired IMHO. They all have an outside facing flange at the biottom of the pilot house to screw to the deck. This leaves about 100 exposed screw heads outside to get wet.... a stupid design. The inside of the pilot houses are very rough finished maybe even painted if I remember right. If you dont mind entry level fiberglass work then pacific piolthouse is your company.

strick