Do you need two sets of controls on a liveaboard?

[El Dorado]

I haven't found a discussion on this one yet. Does anyone have preference or knowledge on if two sets of electronics are needed?

I mean without controls and a captains chair in the cockpit, the helm area can even be used as a dining area (top picture). Then you only have one set of controls on the flybridge area, but is that a dealmaker for an ocean going liveaboard?

 

[mvweebles]

I lived on a Uniflite 42 ACMY that didn't have a lower helm station. Was fine by me as all I did is use it for local cruising and the fly bridge was by far the best place to be. nice to have the extra space in the saloon.

But if distance cruising is your main intention, you really need a decent helm station protected from the elements. Getting up/down to fly bridge in a seaway can be difficult (impossible?) in tough seas.

I mean this in a kind and supportive way, but that type of question strikes me as coming from someone without a ton of hands on experience with the type of cruising you're contemplating ("open ocean"). You might want to dial back your aspirations a bit. I know it's tempting to say "if it can cross an ocean, it can get me anywhere I want to go." Heck, that's Nordhavn's marketing scheme in a nutshell. But it's an expensive way to go and not always fruitful.

If I missed the mark, my apologies.

Peter