Bob, The layout of the new 41 is in direct response to feedback from PDQ 34 customers - or potential customers. Bob Poirier has told me they've received countless requests from people who want a walk-around queen bed. As I understand it, this was pretty much the starting point for the new design. Unfortunately, boats are sold at boat shows and many people judge them as they would a condo! As for the inside helm station - I can say on the 34, it works just fine. We have just completed a trip down the East Coast from New Hampshire to Florida and I can attest to the workably and comfort of the inside helm. When it's rough, cold and/or raining it's a great place to be. Visibility is fine, but when the weather is nice, there's no substitute for the unobstructed 3600 view from above. On our recent 24-day, 1400-mile trip, I'd say we were about 70/30% up/down. I'll be posting photos and commentary on our most recent adventures on the SnoDogLog website in a few days. All-in-all, it was a great trip, no major problems. Average fuel consumption was just over 4 gal/hour, cruising speed was 15-16 knots whenever possible. (I can't think of any other boat with this much comfort that can match this performance.) Henry aboard Sno' Dog in Jacksonville, FL www.geocities.com/snodoglog PS: Galley arrangement is just fine. Although it's down, it has the openness of a galley-up layout. My wife likes to cook and has found it entirely workable. It's true, there may not be room for me down there at the same time, but that's fine by me! In a message dated 10/29/2006 11:39:48 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, deering@ak.net writes: Georgs, I haven't looked at any PDQ's yet (being in Alaska), but the photos look interesting. The 41 looks like a beautiful boat, but considering the layout I have to say that I don't quite get who this is marketed to. The master berth on the main deck is puzzling. When I go out on my boat the goal isn't to lounge in a big bedroom (I can do that at home)... it's to DO things. A berth is just a place to sleep in between doing fun stuff. At first I though the cabin layout was intended to accommodate mobility-impaired people, a smart design strategy given our aging population, but since the head and dressing area are still down in the hulls that shoots down that theory. I have to assume that this obsession with huge master cabins (Lagoon 42 as well) is intended to appease some spouses who have no interest in sleeping in some dark little hole... and if that's the price that must be paid to get permission to acquire a boat, so be it. One of the other prices to be paid for that on-deck master cabin is that the aft deck is almost nonexistent. Probably OK for people who just cruise, but if the boat is to be a platform to play off of, like catch a fish or pull a crab pot for instance, then this boat isn't really a contender. It also forces the galley down. Given a choice I'd rather have the galley up so the cook(s) are up in the action (and the sleepers aren't). From the photos, the galley looks pretty tight for two cooks. Up here where beautiful weather is the exception, most boats' fly bridges either are abandoned or are enclosed and used as the main helm. I'd probably lean toward the latter though it would give this boat a very top-heavy appearance. I'm also curious about the interior helm position. I notice that the 32's have that aft location too. I can see the advantage is that you're part of the crowd with everyone around the settee, and the passengers have great visibility forward, but how's the visibility for the pilot sitting so far back? I can't tell from the photos but it seems as if he's kind of removed from what's coming forward. How does that work for you folks with the 32's? Another new boat on the near horizon with a more traditional layout is the Maine Cat 38 - I'm looking forward to seeing how that shapes up. Bob Deering Juneau, Alaska