Building Our Custom Helm Seat - Foam, Glass & Vacuum Bagging (MJ Sailing - Ep 364)
This week, we’re diving into a project that’s been quietly taking shape in the background: building our helm seat from scratch.
While it might seem like a small piece of the boat, it plays a major role in both comfort and functionality—so we wanted to get it just right. Inspired by the layout of the Max Cruise hull 16, but aiming for something much lighter, we decided to build ours entirely out of foam and fiberglass—no metal frame and no extra weight.
In this episode, we take you through the full process: from cutting and laminating Nida-core panels, to bonding and shaping the seat, and laying down multiple layers of glass using both vinyl-ester and polyester resin. You’ll even get a peek into one of our vacuum bagging sessions, complete with that oddly satisfying whoosh as the bag seals down tight.
While we were hoping to get the seat attached to the cabin top before releasing this video, we had a somewhat unexpected trip home. There was a memorial service to attend for a family member – so back to Michigan we went. And after a few days with family, bonding over old memories, the two of us took a side trip to Northern Michigan to relive some old memories of our own. We hope you enjoy!!
Thanks as always for being here and supporting us through each stage of this build. We love having a place like this where we can share not just the progress, but also the quiet moments and the why behind every decision. 💙
This week, we’re diving into a project that’s been quietly taking shape in the background: building our helm seat from scratch.
While it might seem like a small piece of the boat, it plays a major role in both comfort and functionality—so we wanted to get it just right. Inspired by the layout of the Max Cruise hull 16, but aiming for something much lighter, we decided to build ours entirely out of foam and fiberglass—no metal frame and no extra weight.
In this episode, we take you through the full process: from cutting and laminating Nida-core panels, to bonding and shaping the seat, and laying down multiple layers of glass using both vinyl-ester and polyester resin. You'll even get a peek into one of our vacuum bagging sessions, complete with that oddly satisfying whoosh as the bag seals down tight.
While we were hoping to get the seat attached to the cabin top before releasing this video, we had a somewhat unexpected trip home. There was a memorial service to attend for a family member - so back to Michigan we went. And after a few days with family, bonding over old memories, the two of us took a side trip to Northern Michigan to relive some old memories of our own. We hope you enjoy!!
Thanks as always for being here and supporting us through each stage of this build. We love having a place like this where we can share not just the progress, but also the quiet moments and the why behind every decision. 💙
Building Our Custom Helm Seat - Foam, Glass & Vacuum Bagging (MJ Sailing - Ep 364) Locations
- Kent Island (38.9373391,-76.3289941)
MJ Sailing
Sailing the world to see the world! We're a couple of high school sweethearts in our late 30's that have been on the move for 9 years; creating videos of the ups, the downs, our triumphs and our trials. After circumnavigating the North Atlantic in our last boat Serendipity, (1989 Sabre Targa 34), we took on a 2 year complete refit of our new boat Elements of Life - a custom aluminum 37' monohull. After sailing her to the Arctic, we sold her in 2020 to begin our newest project of building a 42 ft catamaran. Check out our website for more information, and support us by subscribing to our channel and liking our videos. Want to support the production of our videos? - Become part of our Patreon family and get videos before anyone else! - https://patreon.com/mjsailing - Make a donation through the PayPal link on our website - http://mjsailing.com - General inquires, please contact us at: [email protected]
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