Can I legally use folding camping chairs for people to sit on my boat????

[wpg manitoba]

The situation is my 16 foot boat has 2 benches. I do 90% of my boating with me and someone else. The rear bench is very large and takes up a lot of space so I am trying to find out if I can get rid of it, and the odd time if I do have more people in my boat (10% of the time) I was wondering If I could just have them use the folding camping seats as the bench would be gone.
This kind of set up would have many benifts for me.
1. I would have much for space for fishing gear when it just me and someone else.
2. if I do have more then 2 people the folding camping chairs are much more comfortable for them then a bench
3. My boat would be a few lbs lighter
I have Called around a few places each giving me another phone number and I am not getting any answers. The folding camping chairs sit lower in the boat then the bench is so I can't figure out why this arrangement wouldn't be legal. The label on my boat says 1700lb max load, so no problems there.
If anyone if familiar with laws regarding this let me know.
But like I mentioned the chairs do sit lower then the benches anyway so I can't think of any reasons this would be illegal.
I live in Mb Canada.

 

[NYBo]

Legal? Most likely. Safe? Maybe not unless you come up with a way to secure them. Hitting one good wake and it could look like this:

 

[MH Hawker]

Thousand of pontoon boats use them ever day

 

[Bob_VT]

Is this an aluminum or fiberglass boat? The benches might be structural..............

 

[Expidia]

Sure. Especially if your boat looks like this one: http://s198.photobucket.com/user/exp...rtwo.jpg.html]

Seriously though, I carry two folding camping chairs on my 15 foot boat that we open up when lounging around in a cove and eating lunch. But we never use them when underway. The danger you would have is when moving these cheap chinese made chairs can snap like a twig or the cheap nylon fabric can rip sending a passenger on their head. What you don't want is an injury out on the water especially. You are also liable for a lawsuit if someone gets hurt.

There are inexpensive deck chairs that are better built for the rocking motion of a boat. But even these should not be used when boat is moving. They do have a wider stance thats more stable when waves hit the boat and you are anchored.
http://www.iboats.com/Garelick-Eez-I...view_id.237331

I bought a couple of deck chairs "for a boat" years ago at west marine when they run their loss leader type sales in their flyer mailings.
I probably paid like $39 each when they ran their sale. Probably like $49 each now on sale.

 

[jc55]

We use the heck out of those camping chairs!!! I stow 3 in the cabin and use a patio umbrella in a rod holder for shade. Coolers make good seats too.

 

[Expidia]

Legal? Most likely. Safe? Maybe not unless you come up with a way to secure them. Hitting one good wake and it could look like this:

Excellent example NYBo . . . two thumbs up for this post!

 

[wpg manitoba]

No benches are not part of structure. I think I am going ahead and go with them. My boat is a fairly deep and wide 16 foot boat, and with just a 30 hp motor its not like I can do anything close to what that video shows especially with the weight of 4 people on it.
Would be more slow then most pontoon boats out there

 

[jbcurt00]

If the benches aren't tying the port to starboard and adding reinforcement of some kind, the maker would likely have sold the same hull w/ out benches. Where is the flotation foam in your boat? I have a blue boat, can I tow dual slalom skiers?

 

[jigngrub]

I have a blue boat, can I tow dual slalom skiers?

No, you need a red boat for that!

Removing a bench from a 16' bench boat would be a bad choice, it is a structural member of your boat and does contain valuable floatation foam.

If you want more room in a boat, trade for a different boat that better suits your needs.

 

[jbcurt00]

No, you need a red boat for that

Thanks, that's perfect because I have 1of those too. Your aces buddy

 

[Gyrene]

Is this an aluminum or fiberglass boat? The benches might be structural..............

Right - be sure they aren't performing a bracing function.
Why not make the top hinged so it drops down and have feet that can prop it up for when you need it? Would be less redneck...

 

[Expidia]

That would be my luck . . . I can picture myself renting a marina slip for "the season" for my $50,000 "blue" Cobalt (Hey, I can dream) and then I look over at the boat in the slip next to mine and a family of Duck Dynaster's all sitting around on their boat in Camo Walmart camping chairs hoot'in it up :frusty: . . .:lol:

 

[wpg manitoba]

Boat is a I believe a late 60's Aroliner convaire. The company went down a while back. It's basically got a closed bow, (missing windshield which I don't mind because I figure I save a couple mpgs towing it as is down the highway, plus it wouldn't fit in the garage with one anyway) has plywood floor with styrafoam underneath, more in the bow of the boat, and in the rear I filled it up under the rear splash pan.
I may try a camping chair for myself on the driver seat and use those pedestal ones for my passengers (3). which would make seating arrangements for 4 on my boat.

 

[Bubbasboat]

Sure. Especially if your boat looks like this one: http://s198.photobucket.com/user/exp...rtwo.jpg.html]

I always wondered what people do with their old recliners:laugh:

 

[midcarolina]

If you pull the bench just throw a couple bean bag seats in the boat......way more stable than a camping chair, And they actually make marine grade bean bag seats..........Although they are as you would expect not that cheap.

 

[jc55]

Boat is a I believe a late 60's Aroliner convaire. The company went down a while back. It's basically got a closed bow, (missing windshield which I don't mind because I figure I save a couple mpgs towing it as is down the highway, plus it wouldn't fit in the garage with one anyway) has plywood floor with styrafoam underneath, more in the bow of the boat, and in the rear I filled it up under the rear splash pan.
I may try a camping chair for myself on the driver seat and use those pedestal ones for my passengers (3). which would make seating arrangements for 4 on my boat.

WNG, You are responsible for everyone on your boat. I highly recommend a permanent driver's seat for yourself as a safety issue. iboats had some shorty pedestals that locked and rotated on a blow out price a while back, and I bought some killer Wise seats from ebay for my Sportcraft. Camping chairs are cool for lounging but the captain needs to maintain control when that wake comes along. Not trying to be a DebbieDowner, just want to see you and your's safe out there.

 

[wpg manitoba]

I was looking at my camping chairs and I can permenantly screw them down to the deck. Would this seem more reasonable? What do you guys think?

 

[NYBo]

I may try a camping chair for myself on the driver seat and use those pedestal ones for my passengers (3). which would make seating arrangements for 4 on my boat.

I was being somewhat facetious with my previous response. That being said. I would strongly advise you to use a fixed driver's seat. The driver is the one person aboard you definitely want to keep in place.

 

[jbcurt00]

Tragic, it could have been a nice boat. Camp seats aren't built to be screwed down, and are intended for static loads, not subjected to motion while under load.