A key ingredient to successful ownership of a modern cruising yacht is a detailed Owner’s Manual, and we thought a few samples from the FPB manual might be of interest.
While there are dozens of equipment manuals aboard, the Owners Manual presents the information in a different manner.
There are check lists, familiarization chapters (as with this one on the main helm layout), quick start refresher sections, maintenance, trouble shooting, and emergency chapters amongst others.
The goal is to simplify the learning curve for all crew members, and help refresh your memory when you have been away from the boat for a while.
We’ll make several of these chapters available over the next couple of months.
To download a PDF of the Main Helm Layout chapter click here. Note: this is a rough draft and there will be some typos.
Posted by Steve Dashew (November 2, 2010)
April 3rd, 2011 at 11:19 am
Hi Steve,
Wonderful boats and I would take one as is if I could. A few questions on the control layouts.
Is there a reason that the “pilot wheel” is one shape on the inside and a different one on the fly bridge?
If they serve the same function it would be nice if they looked alike.
Is there a reason that the blue covered toggle switch on the fly bridge is labeled “auto pilot-power steer” while the switch that appears to have the same function on the inside helm station is labeled “P.W.-Docking”?
While I haven’t read the whole manual the “auto pilot-power steer” label seems like a better label.
The most obtrusive control on both panels are the bow thruster joy sticks which will be used very seldom. Any reason these could not be double throw rocker switches for a lower profile?
Thanks for your efforts with the web site. I have learned a lot and have managed to incorporate some of your ideas on my much smaller and older boat.
Regards,
Daryl
April 3rd, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Hi Daryl:
The Pilot Wheel is not suited for life in the outdoors, otherwise we’d use two of them. PW docking is WH’s way of turning off the autopilot function. Otherwise, any time the pilot wheel is centered it steers to a compass course. The thruster controls have a on/off switch that activates the control handle. These are supplied by the thruster vendor and have a degree of water resistance that otherwise might not be available.