Grandad
Lieutenant Commander
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2011
- Messages
- 1,504
I have a slowly progressive disease causing weakness in selected muscle groups that challenges a normal lifestyle. Loss of quadriceps strength prevents me from rising from normal height seating to a standing position. Once standing, I?m able to carefully walk, but easily fall if my knees bend more than a few degrees. So, addressing my problem as a challenge, I want to acquire suitable aids to extend my quality of life for a few years. That includes boating as long as I can manage.
I have a 21? boat with conventional back-to-back sleeper seating that I was barely able to use last season. I got myself up from the helm seat by pulling on a vertical stainless steel windshield strut that fortunately I had strongly rebuilt previously. Unfortunately, I?m now facing increased muscle weakness in my arms and abusing the windshield strut may no longer suffice.
I?m in need of a powered seat that will lift me to a height from which I can readily stand without the use of leg muscles. It must also lower to a reasonable standard height and swivel. The most obvious design would be a pedestal style swivel seat with a 12 VDC actuator. I?m thinking that if the motor end of the actuator was mounted to the underside of the seat, I might also be able to use the chair at home in the kitchen if provided with a suitable base for the dumb end of the post.
I?m still kinda handy and might (probably have to) modify an existing seat that?s suitable. I know there?s luxury yacht chairs for $10K, but living on a pension, I can?t go there. There may be a power scooter seat that?s suitable for modification and maybe I?ll need the scooter base one day anyway. I?m just getting started on this, so any help or experience a member might share would be appreciated.
Thanks, Grandad
I have a 21? boat with conventional back-to-back sleeper seating that I was barely able to use last season. I got myself up from the helm seat by pulling on a vertical stainless steel windshield strut that fortunately I had strongly rebuilt previously. Unfortunately, I?m now facing increased muscle weakness in my arms and abusing the windshield strut may no longer suffice.
I?m in need of a powered seat that will lift me to a height from which I can readily stand without the use of leg muscles. It must also lower to a reasonable standard height and swivel. The most obvious design would be a pedestal style swivel seat with a 12 VDC actuator. I?m thinking that if the motor end of the actuator was mounted to the underside of the seat, I might also be able to use the chair at home in the kitchen if provided with a suitable base for the dumb end of the post.
I?m still kinda handy and might (probably have to) modify an existing seat that?s suitable. I know there?s luxury yacht chairs for $10K, but living on a pension, I can?t go there. There may be a power scooter seat that?s suitable for modification and maybe I?ll need the scooter base one day anyway. I?m just getting started on this, so any help or experience a member might share would be appreciated.
Thanks, Grandad
