Weather Decks
Boat Deck
Sea Lion's teak boat deck holds three sea kayaks, a 17-foot Boston Whaler and a 12-foot AB RIB. She also has storage for life jackets, and kayak and diving equipment; and she has a steering station port side aft to facilitate docking.
View forward across the Boat Deck toward ladderway up to flying bridge and access along the portside of the pilot house past the portside door into the pilot house and forward to the Portuguese bridge and the fore deck. On the left, the raised hatch cover on the ladderway up from the aft deck is visible, then the aft control station and then the two storage boxes. On the right, in the foreground is the cover on the outboard on the AB RIB, then the base of the Marquipt 2.500 pound deck crane, then the 17-foot Boston Whaler Montauck.
A covered pedestal (note latch protruding from top forward edge) is visible just aft of the two long storage boxes on the port side of the boat deck. This pedestal contains the aft control station, very useful for backing the boat or docking portside-to.
Humpy and Leo launched in the Whaler and in pursuit of a Coho. When this picture was taken, the Silvers were jumping all around the boat. The salmon served for dinner that evening wasn't two hours out of the water when it came out of the oven.
Flying Bridge
The flying bridge sits atop the pilot house under a permanently mounted hard top (see "Companionways" photo below). Detachable isinglass curtains are suspended from the edges of the hard top. These zip together to form a weatherproof enclosure. On inclement days, so enclosed, the flying bridge is the boat's solarium. On sunny days, the isinglass curtains are rolled up and the flying bridge is the boat's penthouse patio. Many books have been read up here, many naps have been taken, many whales have been observed and even a few sunset cocktails have been enjoyed watching from this aerie as the day's passing lights the sky on fire.
The built-in settee with storage lockers beneath is a very comfortable perch. The settee is six feet long along the starboard side. The command chairs can be rotated to the rear so that a convivial social space is created.
The command console has a detachable cover which further secures it from the elements when it is not in use.
The ostensible purpose of the flying bridge is to provide a control station at maximum elevation on the boat for enhanced visibility when maneuvering.
Indeed, the flying bridge has two command chairs, a command console with a screen on which one of the three screens in the pilot house can be relayed, as well as engine and helm controls and the bow and stern thruster controls. At each corner, there is a wing station with both bow and stern thruster controls and engine and helm controls (see far end of bridge counter in photo above).
Companionways
A companionway runs from the aft deck down each side of the salon. The starboardside companionway ends at a ladderway that ascends to the starboard entry to the pilot house and on to the Portuguese bridge. The portside companionway, visible in the photograph to the right, ends at the doorway into the on-deck head just forward of a mid-ships boarding gate.
Fore Deck
The fore deck is a work deck. It contains the anchor winch, a warping winch and the eight-man life raft.
It is separated from the forward pilot house bulkhead (see windows in picture) by a Portuguese bridge.
The anchor winch, with 700 feet of 3/4 inch stainless steel chain and cable allows Sea Lion to anchor in depths few yachts can hold. The winch is hydraulic and is contained in a heavy stainless steel housing mounted on the deck. There is no chain locker on Sea Lion so no water or mud from the anchor rode ever gets to the interior of the boat.
The anchor, a 350-pound stainless steel Fulford, completes the ground tackle. It is shown in the picture to the right resting on the bow roller with its stock protruding to aft, attached to the chain coming out of the anchor winch.
Leo checking the set of the anchor in 200 feet of water in Stag Bay, Chichagoff Island.
Aft Deck
Sea Lion's entire aft deck is covered. The boat deck extends out over it, providing permanent shelter from the direct sunlight and any inclement weather. If the isinglass curtains are up, as shown in the photo below, the aft deck becomes a dining solarium. The aft deck is spacious, approximately 19 x 13 feet. It has storage lockers and a service counter on the forward bulkhead and a service counter and a sink on the transom. The entire deck can be enclosed with isinglass windscreens, as shown.
The Aft Deck has a permanent dining table that seats eight. Even on cooler days, with the isinglass curtains down, it is a cozy place for lunch. On a warm day, with the curtains stowed, it is the obligatory setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A ladderway (upper center in photo above) leads up to the boat deck and next to it on the right is the main entry into the salon. To left of the ladderway is the portside companionway.
Just to the right of the salon entry, in the counter, is a door with a large silver latch (just over the top of the end chair at the table). The counter top above this door lifts up and the door opens revealing a service ladderway down into the engine room one deck below.
Sea Lion has a trolling valve to slow the boat down below idle speed (1.5 to 2 knots is good salmon-trolling speed). She also has detachable down-riggers on each quarter (the black mount on the rail in the photo to the right) and rod holders (the slanted silver piped capped off on the railing) for salmon trolling right from the back deck. She has a detachable electric trap hauler (silver arm and pulley in photo) for bringing in the shrimp and crab pots.
Seafood processing on the aft deck. The crabs (one-third bigger than the measuring tool!) and the salmon are on the counter next to the sink on the transom.
Swim Platform
In the "cruise" position, Sea Lion's swim platform is a long, narrow deck attached to her stern. Its top surface sits a full two feet above the water, making it difficult for most swimmers and impossible for some to get back aboard after a swim, and making it a circus act to get in and out of Sea Lion's kayaks. A custom-designed, push-button, hydraulic, articulating step was installed in the swim platform as part of the re-fit. With the hydraulic step deployed, the surface of the step is only about four inches above the water. It greatly facilitates recovery of a man- overboard, but its primary function is to make boarding the tenders and kayaks, and re-boarding swimmers, safe and easy.
Swim step deployed. When the button is pushed the cut-out portion of the swim platform rolls over creating a lower, center section with a built-in step-down (solid shelf with stainless locking bolt in photo). This puts the "floor" of the center section only a few inches above the water, enabling safe, easy embarking and dis-embarking from Sea Lion's kayaks and tenders. One of the kayaks is shown ready for boarding at the swim step with an outrigger (greatly appreciated by guests with uncertain balance) attached.