question about seats

[woodrat]

I'm just getting started setting up a 17' 1974 BellBoy for fishing this summer. As usual, it came with next to nothing for seats. Since a 17' boat isn't very big, and I like a lot of space when I can get it, I'm not too interested in putting lounge seats back in like it had at one time. Originally I was thinking of making plywood and 'glass boxes, about 32" long, and mounting swivel seats on them, with storage underneath. Today, I was possessed by some serious impatience and a desire for lots of floor space and started thinking it would be faster and roomier to just put a couple of seat pedestals in and mount seats on those.

But then I started wondering what I would be bolting those pedestals into. I assume the floor is plywood covered in glass, and there is no indication that the floors are rotten at all, but still, is mounting pedestal seats onto a floor like that a good idea? Doesn't seem like there would be much to hold fasteners, probably 3/4" ply at the most, and I can picture a variety of situations that might accidentally apply a lot of torque to a seat stand like that. The seats would be about 14" off the floor.

Should I just stick with the original plan with the boxes, or is there a safe way to mount pedestals into a floor like that?

thanks!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: question about seats

How about these? http://www.overtons.com/modperl/pro...ggle_Bolt_Anchors&str=seat+bolts&merchID=4005

I believe North Beach used these on his starcraft project.

 

[tschmidty]

Re: question about seats

Those would work, but dang $40 for 6 bolts? Some type of bolt would really be the best way to go but unless you do it while you are rebuilding your deck you are out of luck.

What I did was epoxy a 3/4 inch plate to the floor which let me use longer bolts, 1 1/2 I think with the flange and plate that wouldn't penetrate the bottom of the deck.

 

[Greg Mrozinski]

Re: question about seats

I believe hardware stores sell the Toggler bolts like that much cheaper. They may not be stainless, but even if they aren't they should last several years before you would have to replace them. And then you could use the same hole with new Togglers.

 

[solar7647]

Re: question about seats

I would go with building a box with storage under and mount the pedestals to that. Since pedestals are usually short your going to want the height. I am going from lounge to pedestals in my boat and thats what I am doing and in other boats I have seen that works good and isnt pricey. Have you found seats? I found a really comfortable chair that I got for my boat but it would be great in a fishing boat as well and they dont take up a ton of space. The body is made of heavy plastic and they are very sturdy, plus the price isnt bad.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MT95QO/ref=oss_product

 

[woodrat]

Re: question about seats

I forgot all about those toggler things, and yes, the hardware stores sell them way cheaper than that.

I don't have seats yet, but I am going to a marine swap meet this weekend, and will be on the lookout for some decent used ones. I am trying to do this as inexpensively as possible, and will be moving the motors and batteries and some other gear off of my Valco, which is getting cracks in it again, and doesn't feel like a safe boat to take in the ocean anymore as a result.

I still have a nice ICOM radio and a Garmin GPS/depth sounder unit that I took off my old BellBoy before I sold it, along with a whole lot of wiring, nearly new bilge pumps and a box of good hardware and miscellaneous stuff. I do still need to buy a new steering setup and longer cables for my Yamaha controls, plus some fuel line and big battery wiring.

I'm going to strip out all the crap that is in there now and pressure wash the inside this weekend in preparation for painting the floor with non-skid paint. The goal is to have everything all moved over and working good by July 1 when the ocean opens here for salmon.

thanks for the input!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: question about seats

Yes the price on those is ridiculous. My post was more about the concept than the actual product.

 

[Mark42]

Re: question about seats

I like your original idea of building storage boxes and attaching the seats to them. Pedestal seats waste space underneath, but do have the advantages of height adjustments (if you buy that style).

Seat swivels are fairly cheap, and basic plastic buckets can be had inexpensively if you shop around. Plus they are easy to clean and no upholstery to wear or rip and they don't rot.

Another big plus of box bases is how they spread the load over a larger area of the deck, so reinforcement is not generally needed.

The added plus of a lockable box is hard to beat.

Another option with box base seats is to fill them with flotation foam where the foam will not soak up water (its above deck), but still adds buoyancy when swamped.

 

[woodrat]

Re: question about seats

The plywood boxes probably are the best solution for me. The pedestals that are adjustable and beefy enough are going to cost me $180 and up for a pair of them, and even though I'm impatient, I know I can put together some plywood/'glass boxes for way less than that. And I do like the idea of closed storage boxes; it's something that the Valco does not have at all.

Unless I score a set of pedestals at the swap meet for super cheap, that is...