Nothing makes a long stint in the wheelhouse more miserable than a crappy, uncomfortable helm chair. It doesn’t matter if you are hauling gear back or making a long run. Had one of those helm chairs once, going from Kodiak to Prince Rupert to sell a load of fish. We were short-handed only three of us aboard which meant long wheel turns. 

NorSap's newest helm chair is set to be released in December 2016. Imtra photo.Long wheel turns translated into a very, very sore back and hips. Wish we had a helm chair like the one that NorSap, the Norwegian manufacturer of seating for the marine market, will be introducing in December at the International WorkBoat Show when it teams up with the Imtra Corp. in New Bedford, Mass. 

The chair has yet to be given a model name but it’s a chair that’s designed for someone to sit in for 8 to 12 hour shifts and has an ergonomic range that can fit 90 percent of the body shapes.

To do that takes more than one or two adjustments. Chair height and footrest adjustments aren’t enough by themselves. The NorSap helm chair adds to those adjustments, adjustments for seat depth and height, seat angle, backrest angle, armrest height and head support.

Since NorSap focuses on modular construction there will be the option of having arm rests with controls and touch-screen interfaces. Of course, the chair will have built-in wire runs to accommodate all its features. The helm chair can also be built to slide on a deck rail, allowing it to go in and out of a console and swivel 360 degrees.

The chair will be built with either leather or high-resistant fabric. You’ll have a choice of either gas-assist components or an electric version. So check it out come this December.