I do have to reach through the wheel - however the wheel has a hirth clutch which can disengage it from the steering when the autopilot is driving. There are a couple of instrument heads on the bulkhead to look at when you are under the dodger, and a big chart plotter down below. If we are making a lot of course adjustments I use the wireless remote on the autopilot anyway. A worse problem is that I have to reach through or over the wheel to get to the throttle/shift - there was just no where else to put it.