By Capt. Ryan Drygas:
An early morning departure from Key West Harbor puts the motor vessel Reel Time, a 45-foot Sea Hunter, right in the middle of 8- to 10-foot seas. The owner of the boat has been running sea trials for the last few days and has been comfortable running the boat throughout the trip, but has not yet handled seas of this magnitude.
The owner made a decision to pass the helm to Paul Myrtetus, a member of the Sea Hunter team, and told him to start heading north. Myrtetus has been a part of several sea trials and is comfortable running vessels in all types of conditions. After setting his course, Myrtetus began picking up speed and cutting through the swells.
Usually, Myrtetus would be standing at the helm with his back resting on the edge of the seat. However, with the design and hydraulic integration of the Llebroc helm chair, he was more than comfortable running the course while remaining seated. In fact, Paul turned around to see the rest of the crew sitting down, as well. Anyone familiar with running in rough seas will tell you it was an unusual sight.
Rough seas make for a rough ride, and the lack of a quality seat can cause back injuries quite easily from bottoming out in a chair. The 45-foot Sea Hunter was fitted with Llebroc chairs, and the reasoning is quite obvious. Not only was everyone sitting down while running through 8- to 10-foot seas, they were laughing together, joking and enjoying watching wave after wave crashing over the decks and splashing against the window.
After four days and 800 miles on the water, the sea trial was complete. Not only was the owner more than satisfied with his new boat, he was also injury free and has another sea story under his belt. Time after time, Llebroc has stood the test and passed with flying colors. Myrtetus is convinced Llebroc is the industry leader in seating and has helped return clients re-outfit their boats to Llebroc chairs.
As a former member of the Coast Guard, I can personally recall stories of running in rough seas and bottoming out in helm chairs. The static and dynamic forces that affect the boat and the people inside are tremendous. Not only can they damage your vessel, but they can also have a lasting effect on your body. The equipment with which you outfit your boat determines the performance of your vessel as well as the enjoyment of your voyage. When looking for a comfortable ride, choose comfort, choose durability, choose Llebroc.