Installing pedestal seats after the fact...

[thedinz]

Hello.

So my floor and carpet and heck most of the boat was rebuilt maybe a year ago or 2 at the most.

Due to lack of funds the seats were never installed because, well they can be expensive.

So i finally just got a pair of bucket seats and some adjustable standard bell style pedestals.

Im wondering how you guys would suggest i install the pedestals to the floor so as to protect the floor as much as possible from future rot and damage.

So the pedestals take i think 8 screws, my thought was cut the rug around the pedestal (i don't mean dance around it) and the use also some sort of adhesive and definitely some 3M 5200?

Thoughts?

Can i put 5200 into each screw hole before sending the screw in there, then i am also thinking a bead of 5200 around the base of the pedestal. Maybe 5200 underneath the entire pedestal to act as an adhesive as well?

Thanks in advanced guys.

 

[Fleetwin]

A couple of questions:

1. Some seat bases require a hole in the floor/deck under the center portion of the base-do yours?

2. Do you know what is directly underneath the area where you want to install the bases?

I will say that 5200 is a wonderful product but it will never provide the type of bond needed to handle the stress of a seat base.

 

[Fleetwin]

The one time I have done this, I did the following:

1. I drilled/cut a 4" hole where the center of the base would sit.
2. I dug out enough of the foam to get access to where the seat base screw holes would go.
3. I cut 2 1/2" blocks of 1/2" plywood and glued (Super Glue) them underneath the floor/deck where the mounting screws would go. This required someone with small hands (wife) to get them into place.
4. I then screwed the seat bases down using epoxy in the screw holes.
5. I filled in the hole I'd made in the foam with closed cell spray foam (spray can). There was a hole in the bottom of the base that allowed me to get some foam back in.

The seat pedestals here very sturdy and did not move.

Hope this helps.

 

[thedinz]

Thanks for the reply, no these pedestals dont get installed from the underneath, and yes i meant to ask, is there anyway to know or find out if there is a stringer underneath where i want to drill?

 

[Fleetwin]

You can usually tell by knocking on the floor (gently) with a hammer. Listen for tone changes. Kind of like finding a stud in a wall.

In some cases, an electronic stud finder MIGHT work.

The real issue you have here is spreading the load of the base. Unless you go underneath, as I suggested, another option is to mount your seat base to a board that is about 18" by 18" that is glued and fastened to the floor.

 

[jbcurt00]

Dinz
Often helpful to know what boat or at least to know fiberglass or tin, install methods can differ depending on which.

 

[jbcurt00]

This boat?
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...nd-hull-repair/7986681-deck-rebuild-questions

 

[thedinz]

This boat?
http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...nd-hull-repair/7986681-deck-rebuild-questions

Negative that boat is long gone.

The boat in question is a rebuilt 1989 sylvan 209 barritz.

I just found out according to the builder that there are no stringers to worry about for either the driver or passenger seat, they dont run in those locations, thats good.

Yeah i think about mounting them to a wooden base i would make, the pedelstals are 13 inches and im wondering if the added wood base would make them to high.

 

[jbcurt00]

Pix would help

Barritz is glass, correct?

How is the deck finished now under the carpetm

Bare fiberglass, gelcoat?

 

[gm280]

Pictures make explanation so much easier. Post pictures of both the seat bases (whole seat would be great too) and the place you are looking to attach them too. Then everybody is on the same page and can offer ideas and suggestion that help. JMHO!

 

[thedinz]

Do these help?

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=A6F2E6A2ABAB4786!75366&authkey=!ALbm0yR7Z9-t9hg&ithint=folder,

 

[thedinz]

https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...authkey=!AP7dFzwxNJZUHuE&v=3&ithint=photo,jpg

 

[snowman246]

The one time I have done this, I did the following:

1. I drilled/cut a 4" hole where the center of the base would sit.
2. I dug out enough of the foam to get access to where the seat base screw holes would go.
3. I cut 2 1/2" blocks of 1/2" plywood and glued (Super Glue) them underneath the floor/deck where the mounting screws would go. This required someone with small hands (wife) to get them into place.
4. I then screwed the seat bases down using epoxy in the screw holes.
5. I filled in the hole I'd made in the foam with closed cell spray foam (spray can). There was a hole in the bottom of the base that allowed me to get some foam back in.

The seat pedestals here very sturdy and did not move.

Hope this helps.

This is the same method I am using, except I am using bolts. Cut the 3-1/2-4" hole to access under the pedestal. My pedestals also have about 2" of tubing sticking out from under the base that will be trimmed off so that I dont have to worry about them hitting the hull of my boat-I want my seats at 11" not 13" high, I would be looking over the windshield almost. The mounting bolt holes will be pre-drilled. I (I mean my wife) will place the bolts in each hole from under the deck with fender washers, as I install a nut and tighten (sink the nut into the wood flooring to hold the bolt in place). Place pedestal over the bolts and then place acorn nuts and washers on the exposed bolts. This way the bolts are secure and no screws to pull out. There is a LOT of stress on these pedestals when you are running across the water. 1/4" Grade 8 bolts installed thru my 3/4" floor will guarantee I will not go sliding to the back of the boat. I am not going to take my chances with lag bolts or screws. JMHO

 

[Woodonglass]

Uhmm, with that Ski Locker I'd think about cutting the sides out of it and sliding a 3/4" piece of plywood under the deck from there that could be screwed in from the top.

 

[thedinz]

I wanted bucket seats because they are sporty and use less space. Though now I'm thinking I should have just gone with back to back for the easier installation. I already spent a good chuck of change on seats though.

 

[sphelps]

The pedestals look like you can adjust the height . i would mock up a piece of 3/4 ply under the base set the seat on and see if the height would work ..
Heck make it 2 pieces if you can .. If that works out with the added thickness install some s/s tee nuts under the new base plywood .. Glass them in place with pb and tabbed and glassed to your deck ... I would also bevel the edges of the plywood ..
Only drawback is you would need to pull the carpet back far enough to glass them in ... But the good thing is you will not be drilling into the new deck so no chance of water ever getting under the deck at least at that spot ..

 

[gm280]

If I remember correctly Friscoboater actually installed his seats using an above floor wood section. If you check out his project you can see what he did and mimic it if you like.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat...-deck-and-stringer-restoration/page4?t=510077

Go to page #54 and watch his efforts. If fact you could watch all his videos and understand so many things. He took a long time making the pictures and videos and there is some very good info there.

 

[Woodonglass]

Here's a pic of How Friscoboater did his and how sphelps is suggesting. Doing it this way allows you to use T-nuts on the bottom side but...as he states you'll have to remove and patch back in the carpet.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I used that technique on my boat as well. I made the bases out of two layers of 3/4" Arauco plywood. You can check out my restoration thread (link in signature below) starting around post #92 and continuing through about #140.

After a couple of seasons of use, the seats bases are holding up great.

 

[thedinz]

If I remember correctly Friscoboater actually installed his seats using an above floor wood section. If you check out his project you can see what he did and mimic it if you like.

http://forums.iboats.com/forum/boat-...page4?t=510077

Go to page #54 and watch his efforts. If fact you could watch all his videos and understand so many things. He took a long time making the pictures and videos and there is some very good info there.

Yeah i did see that and like the idea, id have to recarpet after that though, like i said its after the fact which is not ideal which is why im trying to get ideas.

But i might have to, do i need to recarpet the whole thing or will it look crappy patched?