Hmmmm

3066 Views 27 Replies 10 Participants Last post by DeceiverBob, Jul 9, 2014

sj

Discussion Starter · Jul 8, 2014

6

Ran into a little bit of an issue when marking mounting holes to drill for driver and passenger seats before the carpet goes on. The boat cam factory with a fold down 3 person bench seat that was totally trash when I got it so I decided to redo it with individual seats for the driver and for the passenger. The seats I am replacing the bench seat with are much higher quality aka thicker padding so now those 2 seats sit up kind of high in relationship to where they will be mounted. The way the boat was manufactured the bench seat was already kind of high so the way I have redone it has made it even higher. Not sure what to do about it to lower them but not real happy with how high the driver and passenger seats will sit when done.

The bare structure + 3/4" plywood that is the lid to the once small live well / now dry storage underneath.

with the now dry storage lid open.

good look at how the whole structure is put together.

How seat will look when mounted. Carpet is thin so won't add anything to the height when installed.

It's purely a cosmetic thing but just not crazy about the looks of the seast sitting that high. Any ideas??

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DeceiverBob

· #2 · Jul 8, 2014

Unless you get a thinner seat I think you'll have to live with it. The only other option is to lower the structure which will be major surgery. I could tackle it if it was a wood, or fiberglass/composite structure But I've done zero work on tin boats.

saltyveins

· #3 · Jul 8, 2014

Will your knees easily clear the steering wheel? Will the steering wheel get in the way of the seat to open that hatch?

What is under that area where the seat sits, the two sides of that well?

If it's empty space your could cut it out an flower the seat and make the middle be the only part that opens. But that is a fairly major ordeal...I would think.

wetland man

· #4 · Jul 8, 2014

Get one of these made up:

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wild bill

· #5 · Jul 8, 2014

I can't open the pictures, but I do understand you're situation and it's a sticky one. Option 1. You could lower the top of the box by cutting the front vertical down about 2", I assume that would be enough. Then lower the piano hinge and top to fit. Option 2. lower just the seating area on both ends and leave the center original. I don't really see why you should have to flip the whole top and both seats to access the storage area. In fact, it might be easier with the ability to open the center while sitting....

sj

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 8, 2014 (Edited)

wetland man said:
Get one of these made up:

Already had a bench seat with a fold down back rest, got rid of it. That is not an option now anyways as I already have replacement seats bought.

sj

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 8, 2014 (Edited)

wild bill said:
lower just the seating area on both ends and leave the center original. I don't really see why you should have to flip the whole top and both seats to access the storage area. In fact, it might be easier with the ability to open the center while sitting....

This is what I would like to do but both seats extend out over the storage opening about an inch or more on both sides. Would love to be able to lower both seats and leave the center area in between like a slightly elevated center console. Would like to be able somehow to lower both seats at east 4" but not sure how other than taking the factory seat base completely out and building something else back in it's place. I imagine that would turn in to a project in itself.

carnivore

· #8 · Jul 8, 2014

One thing is for sure..that seat looks too high. Is the console screwed down? Maybe you can put spacers under it and raise it a little. .if your cables have some slack.

wild bill

· #9 · Jul 8, 2014

I think you could build a base for each seat, then drop it in a cut out on each end. The back of the new seat might be further back than the original seat in order for the front of the seat to be right. I believe something along these lines would work for ya. It would take a little re-modeling but look what's been done so far.

sj

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jul 8, 2014

carnivore said:
One thing is for sure..that seat looks too high. Is the console screwed down? Maybe you can put spacers under it and raise it a little. .if your cables have some slack.

The passenger side is fastened with screws to what used to be the larger livewell that runs along the left side. The livewell has been plugged and it has been turned into a storage area as well. The driver side console is fastened with screws to what used to be a rod box (back when the 5'6" pistol grip bass rods were popular)[laugh]. They could be raised some I imagine but they both have a flange built into them on the water side of them that sits on a small rail for more stability I guess that would have to be dealt with if raised.

hoyt

· #11 · Jul 8, 2014

carnivore said:
One thing is for sure..that seat looks too high. Is the console screwed down? Maybe you can put spacers under it and raise it a little. .if your cables have some slack.

This would be your simplest solution if as stated you had slack in your cables. Dropping the seats could be a good bit of work but if you want to love it, might be worth it while you have everything apart instead of later ripping up all your work. Definitely a tough decision.

sj

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 8, 2014

wild bill said:
I can't open the pictures,

If you can receive text I text you some photos.

wild bill

· #13 · Jul 8, 2014

Let me re-arrange some networks out here and I'll try it.

wild bill

· #14 · Jul 8, 2014

I'm up on iPad and iPhone but no texting

sj

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 8, 2014

I may tow it over to Robert at Long Beach Custom Aluminum Boats and see what he will charge me to take out the seating pedestal/livewell that came with the boat and put in a new one that is about 4-5 inches lower. He is only about 1.5-2 miles from my place. As a safety issue the seats sit so high in the boat that there is nothing to hold a person in the boat if you took a wave hard enough at the wrong angle. Like a bridge with no guard rails.

carnivore

· #16 · Jul 8, 2014

sj said:
As a safety issue the seats sit so high in the boat that there is nothing to hold a person in the boat if you took a wave hard enough at the wrong angle. Like a bridge with no guard rails.

I agree with this ......looks way too high in the pictures.

wild bill

· #17 · Jul 8, 2014

Sent you an email SJ

sj

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jul 8, 2014 (Edited)

2

wild bill said:
Sent you an email SJ

Got the email wild bill and height wise that is pretty much what I need to end up with in the way of finished seat height.

This

VS This

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petehalsted

· #19 · Jul 8, 2014

I think some one good with Metal work, could build the frame around just the live well portion. Hard to tell from the pics if the seat width gets into the live well area any, if not then you would be good.

This would give you an open area on either side of the live well, where you could build a frame for your seats, and would give you some open storage under the seats.

I like the idea of a raised center console, When I drive I generally do the gangster lean. But I am wondering, having a live well slightly above the seating position and that close, might lead to getting splashed with fishing bait water when running.

sj

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jul 8, 2014

That live well has already been eliminated pete. I took it completely out to get to the inlet and it has been sealed from the inside. It was very small and I basically turned it into a small dry storage area. If I have the seat structure remade I will eliminate it completely. The seats do hang over the livewell/storage compartment. That is why the full length plywood was added instead of just a smaller storage compartment lid.

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