adding a seat to a forbidden area?

[prime winner]

hello everyone, Im the new guy. just bought a 14ft fiberglass boat that I would like to add a swivel seat, pedestal and base to the bow. the area where I would like to add the seat is not accessible under the deck (for bolts) so I would like to get some ideas on how to get this done. I would like to keep the cost at a minimum.

any and all ideas would be appreciated. thanks

[Ike]

Frankly I wouldn't put one there. On a 14 foot boat, if you put a pedestal seat up in the bow like that, you will significantly raise the center of gravity when someone sits in the seat and make the boat unstable. It will tend to raise the stern higher, maybe even out of the water also causing instability. Move it a few feet farther aft where the boat is wider and where you can anchor it better, and it sits lower in the boat.

[Fanie]

Hi Prime,

I know why you want your seat there, it is the right spot to fish from.

Firstly, what is in the cavity space there ? If there is space enough for the chair you can add an inspection lid that screws open to the side of the swivil chair. That would give you access to the inside. This could then also serve as a storage for seldom used stuff like spare rope and such. You have to mount the swivel with bolts and nuts with an in-hull base plate and washers.

[messabout]

A high seat on a little boat is a no,no. Take Ikes advice. Yes I know that it is being done all the time on small boats. The fact that it is being done does not make it safer.

[Fanie]

Messabout - The chair makes it safer. If it's not there, you have to stand on one foot and operate the trolling motor with the other. The swivel chair acts as a third leg.

In the 25 odd years of fishing this way, I have never and I have never seen anyone else fall off the swivel chair. Many guys have fallen off their boats, but not once while using the swivel chair. You don't sit on it while cruising somewhere, that's a big no-no. It's to give you a seat while fishing and operating the trolling motor.

If you're reall paranoid about it, adding a safety belt is really easy... he he... or how about some stays. That should keep you upright too



Bow riders are famous for popping people off and kill them when they land in front of the boat, so if the intent of the swivel chair is to ride around on, that is a really bad idea then.

[PortTacker]

If you can't access the underside of that deck through the locker - here's what I would do (shown as if the locker wasn't there for quick reference) - install a screw-in access port. Available at any marine supply and most RV dealerships too.


Be sure and get good backing plates underneath the deck and thru-bolt the seat.

[Fanie]

Good idea PortTacker ! Now why didn't I think of that first

[PortTacker]

Originally Posted by Fanie

Good idea PortTacker ! Now why didn't I think of that first

Yeah, but I couldn't figure out how a lid on the side of the chair would help any.

Prime - If the area is full of foam, just chip some out. It's a boat, it's not a space rocket. (or maybe it is - how big a motor ya got?)

[robherc]

Heck, couldn't you really skip all of the work trying to install an access port, and glass/epoxy the base of the chair to the deck...assuming, of course, that the chair is to be a permanent addition to the boat?

[prime winner]

Originally Posted by Ike

Frankly I wouldn't put one there. On a 14 foot boat, if you put a pedestal seat up in the bow like that, you will significantly raise the center of gravity when someone sits in the seat and make the boat unstable. It will tend to raise the stern higher, maybe even out of the water also causing instability. Move it a few feet farther aft where the boat is wider and where you can anchor it better, and it sits lower in the boat.

I see your point, however, I was thinking of a short pedestal, maybe 7"-13", with the seating area maybe 11"-17". I'm not looking for a tall pedestal seat.

[prime winner]

Originally Posted by PortTacker

If you can't access the underside of that deck through the locker ......... install a screw-in access port.

not a bad idea, but I would like to stay away from breaking into the area since it is currently not accessible. maybe not accessible for a reason ?

[prime winner]

how about putting the seat on the lid?

[robherc]

I'd be leery of mounting the seat to the lid...then you make it a lot harder to access whatever's underneath the lid...AND that wouldn't make for a very stable/safe seat. Personally, I'd probably just fiberglass & epoxy glue it over top of the "dead zone" (which is most likely full of flotation foam, which will conveniently spread out the stresses from you sitting on the chair to a wider area of the hull)

[timothy22]

If the seat base will fit, the easy way is to bolt it to the lid. We used to do this years ago before the bass boat mfrs got wise and started offering forward trolling seats from the factory. I assume the pedestal and seat can be removed, leaving only the base. If only the seat will come off, just be sure you can still open the hatch. You may want to through bolt and glue in a plywood or aluminum plate on the underside of the lid to spread the load. Install a good size barrel bolt (Perko 947) each side to hold the lid closed. You may want to upgrade your hinges and reinforce under the hinges and barrel bolts with aluminum or plywood, depending on how strong the structure is now.

[Lt. Holden]

I would go with PortTacker's suggestion; if you have enough room in the compartment to cut the hole for the access port. I would, as someone suggested try to reinforce the under side of the deck where the pedestal will mount.

If not, you could carefully cut a piece of marine ply or other sheet (possibly aluminum) material to epoxy (or mechanically fasten) to the top side of the deck to reinforce it and then use expanding anchors or bolts with body washers to spread the load on the underside.

A possible problem with Primewinner's idea is that the pedestal base will protrude several inches below the hatch lid wasting storage space below or preventing lid closure. Overall I don't think mounting it to the hatch is the best way to go.

The most likely reason the area isn't currently accessible is that it is too small for useful storage and is simply filled with foam; if you install as suggested simply gasket the the asssembly with 3M 5200 or similiar and always plug the base when the pedestal is removed so that no water can enter.

Let us know what you come up with!