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Making it easier to come alongside in a yacht that is difficult to manoeuvre

What is the issue?
Yachts typically mount a combined engine throttle and gear leaver on the sidewall of the cockpit. This typically means that the final manoeuvres under power require the helmsman to duck up and down to make adjustments. Each time they will loose sight of all the objects around the vessel.

Why address this?
Those last few moments are critical. If the yacht is difficult to manoeuvre or in tight circumstances the constant ducking up and down is frustrating.

How to address this?
Make a throttle extension as presented in figures 1 & 2. All that is required is a length of plastic waste pipe with a diameter sufficient to go over the throttle and a wooden handle for comfort on the other end. Once the extension is set over the throttle it can be adjusted whilst standing up.

Contributor:
Michael Harpur, Yacht Obsession.