Several Commander owners have discovered the need to install a bow pulpit in order to manage the anchor, based upon their own cruising preferences and the type of water they encounter. Back when the Commanders were being designed and built, bow pulpits were not the rage they are today. A careful installation can be done to work with the beautiful lines of the Commander hull.
Warren Pateman has installed a nice system on his total restoration of BAMBI, and here is one such photo showing how the lines of the Commander hull are still quite impressive.
Here is an almost identical camera angle on Herb Brocks 38, showing the boat without the bow pulpit.
I guess I would prefer to see the boat in original condition, however, even on the Cumberland River handling a relatively light weight anchor, "lower back pain" can take on a total new meaning, when trying to toss or retrieve the anchor by hand, and I've often thought of some kind of system that would help me stay off the back surgery table!
Here (below) are a few photos of Bruce Martin's bow pulpit project, presently under way as we speak! These photos are a day or two old, and the work is progressing now. Bruce, please send updated photos when you can!
Bruce, as many may know, is the owner of the "most beautiful 427 motors ever" see this link for a photo. I think you can see from this attention to detail, Bruce is pretty demanding when it comes to quality work!
http://www.network54.com/Forum/424840/message/1121462811
Here are his progress photos:
Here's what he started with, and from the photos, it looks like the quality of work is most certainly up to Chris Craft standards.
Bruce intends to wrap the stainless steel rail around the pulpit, and we're looking forward to seeing this project completed, so we can log it in as an example of how to do this job right!
For your reading enjoyment, and for the record files!
Regards, Paul