A27/25 Helm Thread: What Does Your A27/25 Helm Look Like?

[JT48348]

This is the A27/25 Helm Thread where we can see what your helm station looks like. Post a photo of your helm station here, not to be confused with the A27 Radar Thread or choosing what type of specific brand electronics suite. This thread is only about helm organization and layout: where to mount the gear, switches, and layout.

I'm looking ahead at how to organize my helm since I have free reign for new electronics, engine panel, etc. I'd be interested to hear your lessons learned and what you might add or change from your setup. Do I mount electronics high (from the ceiling) or low from the helm countertop? I like the idea of an uncluttered countertop, but I want to see what you have.

Right now I have a large binacle compass, vhf, stereo, and a gps unit I may reuse. I plugged all my extra holes in the dash and will mount the new engine panel, running light switches, etc on the dash in the old spot. I'm coming up with a list of switches that need to be accessible from the helm, as well as the gauges needed on the engine panel or in the vincity. Send your lists!

What do you have?

[Beta Don]

. . . . or, option #5, nav instruments, depth instruments and other things you need to look at every few seconds right in front of you and then radios and other things you seldom ever need to look at up high against the overhead so they don't clutter up space on the dash needed for more important things

I had the stereo, the VHF, the wiper controls, the horn button, the searchlight controls and an analog 100 amp ammeter (which showed the alternator output) arranged in a long, wide 2 1/2" high 'cabinet' hung directly above the helm. The GPS, both depth finders, the autopilot, the bow thruster control and the engine gauges right in front of me. The old, trusty compass which I never looked at was on the centerline, forward near the opening center window. If both GPS's bit the dust, I could still use it to make a course, but it was a ways away from everything else so it (hopefully) wasn't affected by all the electronics
,
Don

[JT48348]

Photos are required for this thread

Here's a couple off current A27 listings. I can see a few things I'd change. Someone did a very nice helm refit a while ago and I can't seem to find the photo.

[changer]

IMG_0558.JPG

'85 A27 FC Keeper

[JT48348]

Thanks Changer! What switches do you have at your helm there?

[Binford]

Reading the switch labels, it appears to be: Wipers, VHF/Plotter, Running Lights, Anchor Lights, Search Light, Compass Light. To the right is a horn button and below the switch panel is a bilge pump switch. Clean setup.

[JT48348]

You have better eyes than I do. Thanks

[TorreyWP]

Bare bones A27 helm:

Nissan engine panel with gauges, fuel gauge, bilge pump control, wiper and lights on panel. Horn under shift and throttle controls, tabs to the left of the wheel. Old (but accurate to gps) "digital" depth and speed units to the left. A stereo and vhf behind the locking box under fancy depth and speed units.

I use a cellular iPad air with Navionics chart app when venturing out on the Great Lakes, allows me to have current charts with cool stuff like weather overlays and NOAA/USCG alerts. Also it props up nicely between the Nissan gauges and the dash board.

No crazy guy with hole saw yet!

[mboatworks]

Just dry-fitting the new helm now... Going to use individual rocker switches along the bottom, and a single digital display for the GPS, Radar, and engine gauges. (And I can not take credit for this woodwork, way beyond by skills)

[JT48348]

This is a very clever idea. I was actually thinking of something very similar made of coosa board and sculpted then painted

Any chance you could make a paper pattern of the pieces?

[changer]

Yes good eyes... labels are as Binder stated. I also have Victron 12v battery management indicator and diesel fuel gauge.

best, changer

[TorreyWP]

Marc, that helm is really slick! I second JT, if its at all possible for you to share some measurements. Please post pictures of the final install, its going to look great.

The helm in these boats is such a blank canvas, really interesting to see how others are customizing.

Torrey

[DesertAlbin736]

So far all the helm stations shown in this thread are A27's. This is our A25 helm, being modeled by the lovely Starfleet Admiral, taken during our 2015 Erie Canal cruise. Besides the standard Yanmar engine panel, we have a Garmin 240 grayscale screen fish/depth finder and our Garmin GPSmap76Cx handheld GPS clipped into a RAM mounting bracket & wired into our 12V electrical system (so it doesn't have to run off the AA batteries). It's also loaded with Bluechart software, so we have electronic nautical charts of all US & Canadian coastal waters. Since it has such a small screen we also rely on paper charts. One thing I really like about the A25 helm station is the chart table shelf next to the helm. One can easily have a folded full size chart or a smaller chart atlas at one's fingertips at all times. Our antiquated Uniden VHF is mounted on the outboard side wall of the pilothouse below the window and is not visible in these photos. That radio is on my upgrade list for this year, since not only is it not DSC capable, it doesn't even get weather NOAA channels. Also not shown is a Ritchie B51 bracket mounted compass that was installed last year to the left of where the GPS is.

DSCN2486 (1280x960).jpg

This photo gives a better view of the built in chart table/dashboard.

DSCN2992 (1280x960).jpg

The white square seen on the lower part of the dashboard just to the left of the wheel is the old Raymarine GPS that came with the boat. It was a simple digital read out & kept losing signal constantly. These pictures were taken before my electrical system upgrade project. I removed that old GPS and the space is now occupied by this digital voltmeter that was an option that came with the new solar panel voltage controller. This meter gives continous readouts of hi, low, and actual voltage plus cumulative amp hours of house and start banks plus output voltage and amperage of the 20 watt solar panel (which can be switched on or off).

51ZmYN+nHfL._SX425_.jpg

[JT48348]

The helm in these boats is such a blank canvas, really interesting to see how others are customizing.

I agree this really opens up possibilities for a refit

[JT48348]

I'm leaning towards something that looks like this. Everything on the horizontal flat dash or the bulkhead behind wheel. Then stereo, VHF, radar/chart plotter overhead