Abstract: A water-faring vessel having a plurality of decks and a pilothouse movably mounted atop a deck and capable of being elevated above the deck and lowered onto the deck comprises a passageway which permits interior human passage between the pilothouse and at least one deck when the pilothouse is in an unelevated position atop the deck. The passageway also permits interior human passage between the pilothouse and at least one deck when the pilothouse is in an elevated position above the deck.