Bucket seat mounting?

[StarLiner]

I have a 1979 17' Renken bowrider with a 120 I/O. She has the typical lounge sleeper back to back seating with jump seats next to the engine. I am considering redesigning the seating as modern bowriders. I would like to do a way the lounge sleepers and use to buckets instead. I am curious of a solid mounting for the pedestals of the buckets. Can they be screwed through the deck and will this be enough strength? There is no real leverage induced on the boxes under the sleepers/lounge seats. I am afraid of leverage placed on the single pole bucket mount. Any suggestions or thoughts. <br /><br />Thanks in advance,<br /><br />Tony<br /><br />Still in the Honeymoon Boat owner phase.

 

[flashback]

Re: Bucket seat mounting?

if the renkin is like most others, it has a 1/2 to 3/4 inch plywood deck. this is not enough to simply screw the pedestal to. you will need to beef up this area. if the pedestal is 10 inches in diamter, then you will need to re-inforce the deck to support the pedistal by adding a section of ply on top or on bottom top is the easist to do

 

[crab bait]

Re: Bucket seat mounting?

tony,, if there nuthin' soild underneath the deck ,,like wood.. a pedistile base mount won't work just mounted to fiberglass & foam deck... fiberglass is to thin an brittle for this... <br /><br />but you can make 18 inch at the base boxes an the height of box is determined by the/a shorter pedistile base for a comfortable seat height..<br /><br />18 inches would be good enuff to screw into the fiberglass deck to keep it from slidin' around...

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Bucket seat mounting?

I ripped out the old lounge seats in my 73 bowrider and built two boxes for the pilot and copilot seats. Then I attached a folding seat and swivel to the top of each box, which opens for storage. In the back I secured D-rings around the lower gunnels. When I want extra seating, I use bungee cord to secure ice chests with padded lids between the D-rings. Works great. Now I can switch from four seats, two in back, two in front, to six seats by just adding two of the ice chests with padded lids.

 

[Beeched]

Re: Bucket seat mounting?

I am getting ready to replace the floor in my '59 Crestliner. It had rotted out 1/2" plywood for the floor when I got it. I plan on using 5/8" marine ply for the new floor. I too am planning on putting in pedestal seats. I will glue a piece of spare 5/8" ply under the pedestal to bolt it to. In fact the peice will be the width of the boat where the two front seats will go. For the back seats I have two pedestals on hand but have not found seats for them. I may put in a box and storage across the back with hinges on the bottom of the boxes to access the storage. The seats would be plywood with throwable cushions for padding. Should work out OK.<br /><br />Good luck with your project.