Shim a Springfield Seat base?

[RiverSpey]

I'm going to install a Springfield 9" seat base in the floor of my boat. It is the kind that lives above deck, though will be through bolted. Problem is, it's toward the front of my boat where there is a couple degrees of rake in the floor. My instincts are to file the base down on one side to account for the rake, but that's going to take forever and I worry I won't get it right. The idea is that the finished post will be perpendicular to the bulk of the floor of the boat so that the post is straight. Any suggestions on shimming it in some way?

 

[dezmond]

Instead of file could you not set a belt sander to the right angle and run it across it a few times to get your angle?

 

[Woodonglass]

Fiberglass would be my recommendation

 

[gm280]

:welcome: aboard RiverSpey. Always like to have a new member join us...

Which way is the seat tilted and how much is it tilted? I ask because if it has a little tilt back towards the transom when you are sitting in it facing to front or bow of the boat, you may want to let it that way. It makes for a comfortable seating position. However, if it is tilted a lot, then you could build a wedge to correct the mount however you like. And that wedge could go at he base of the seat riser, or even just under the actual seat to the seat riser. That would be your choice. Try it out first, then decide. JMHO

 

[RiverSpey]

It is tilted just a little. It is a custom made aluminum jet boat with a flat probably .100 gauge aluminum floor over top of aluminum stringers that run both directions. It is screwed down and I can get the whole floor out by removing the screws. I'm mounting the seat towards the bow, and it's very similar to a drift boat. I'm mounting it right as the transition from flat to slightly angled. I'll post some pics of the whole thing when all the parts arrive. Thanks for the tip, I had not considered shimming the seat, although it swivels 360 so that may not work out great. Ideally I'll get the post straight and I'll probably just mark base go at it with an orbital sander until the seat post stands perpendicular to the flat part of the floor.

 

[gm280]

It is tilted just a little. It is a custom made aluminum jet boat with a flat probably .100 gauge aluminum floor over top of aluminum stringers that run both directions. It is screwed down and I can get the whole floor out by removing the screws. I'm mounting the seat towards the bow, and it's very similar to a drift boat. I'm mounting it right as the transition from flat to slightly angled. I'll post some pics of the whole thing when all the parts arrive. Thanks for the tip, I had not considered shimming the seat, although it swivels 360 so that may not work out great. Ideally I'll get the post straight and I'll probably just mark base go at it with an orbital sander until the seat post stands perpendicular to the flat part of the floor.

As long as you install any wedge or shim before the swivels base, it won't matter if it swivels 360 degrees. That won't be effected one bit. If the seat is level and the swivels is as well, the shim has no effect on the swivel ability at all.