Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

[kylejb2663]

Hey guys,

So I am looking into starting my new winter project which is to remove the two weird seats that Chris Craft put in the boat and do a complete rear bench seat to fit more people for seating, not to mention a little more comfortable.

So basically, I want the seat to stretch across side to side. I would like to build a few speakers into the base of it. However, my obstacle is that there are three engine bay covers that are literally right there where I would want to put the seat... ideas??

I have worked with wood and I am handy but I have never worked with fiberglass. This would be my first time building a seat for a boat and I have no clue where to start...! Help me guys pleeease!

Attached are some pics, mind you this is not pics of my boat just pics I could grab of the net to give show you what I am working with...

Left side of the rear boat:

Right side of rear boat:

Shows the width I have to work with... to the right is the rear of the boat...left is where the captain lounge seat is..

Shows the engine covers... same thing- to the right is the rear, to the left is the captain lounge seat.

And here is a pic of just the boat in general: (Wondering what color schemes I should go with for vinyl material)

Thanks guys!!!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Ok, here's my go at it. Build a removable bench. Using Douglas fir legs and Exterior grade plywood build platform 8-10" off the deck placing the legs at the locations shown in the drawing which is a close estimate taken from your pics. With appropriat bracing under the plywood it would hold several hundred lbs. You could then make back cushions that could be attached via velcro strips or snaps to the sides. when You needed to get to the engine covers You could lift it all out to get to them. Hope that all made sense.

 

[scottn83]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

I am in the process of doing this exact thing but my boat is a runabout that i had to move my seats forward do to the engine being above the deck. I also am adding a sundeck over the engine. I looked at a few pontoon boat seats on a some websites to get a few ideals and adjusted it size to fit in my boat. It is mostly made out of 1/2 in treated ply and a few 2x4's. I plan on my seat to just hinge forward so i can get to my engine. Not sure you can do that thought with the shape of the rear of your boat. I have a few pics in my rebuild thread i hope to add a few in the coming weeks. I hope to have the sun deck and the rest of the seat built by this weekend.

 

[sphelps]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Hey kyle I took woodonglass,s sketch and made an option #2
Install a cleat on the sides and transom . The cleat on transom install a hinge make your seat rest on the two side
cleats then maybe some folding supports fixed to the front of bench. Fold up when you need to go into hatch..

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the responses. I wish that where the seat goes that it was completely straight across and no engine covers!!! It would make this way easier!

woodenglass- Thanks for the response! I definitely like that idea however I am not planning on covering up the engine hatch completely, I think that would be too big of a seat for the boat. I would like to still have some standing room for passengers and such-

sphelps - I like that design as well!!! So should I lay the wood on the floor of the boat or should I make just a platform with the sides and back resting on cleats and then legs that are in the front that would be removable? I need a place to enclose a few speakers in though.

 

[BSnB]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Kyle,

I've been trying to design aft seating for my boat too (Amerosport 283, twin engine straight inboard). I don't have the problem with the hatch covers as my hatches are under the Helm seating. I'm looking to maintain the option of an open aft deck and have been trying to design drop down seating along the curved stern. My problem has been finding a hinge or something that will lock in the down position so that when the seats are down the don't bounce around underway. The look I'm going for is something like this...

...but with the seat dropping down instead of folding up into a pocket. I'd build the pocket like this if I have to, but that curved stern presents some challenges.

 

[CaptainKickback]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Years ago, I built a bench seat across the back of my 23' walkaround. Used marine ply, had the cushions made, designed the space under the seat to be storage, and made it removable. Looked great. Was comfortable. BUT... It was so heavy I could hardly move it.

Since we have to get to our engines regularly, and sometimes quickly, don't forget to think about how the moving it part.

 

[sphelps]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

The boat in the pics. Is this exactly the shape and hatch layout on your boat? A full transom pic would make things more easy to visualize .
It looks like there are speakers mounted there. You would have to decide a good seat height maybe just under the notched out section
of transom. Make a full width seat with the outside edges resting on glassed in cleats or maybe alum angle. Depending on your seat
fab structure and how long a span you may want install 1 or 2 legs. Build legs out of wood, or allum pipe with a rubber boot , or angle,ect.
Make legs hinge and will lock like folding table legs. Just make sure the support on the transom comes out far enough to allow the seat
to fold back and stay up. You way want to have some type latch to hold open . You dont want it to drop down on your head in ruff sea,s
just an idea
S.P.

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

The boat in the pics. Is this exactly the shape and hatch layout on your boat? A full transom pic would make things more easy to visualize .
It looks like there are speakers mounted there. You would have to decide a good seat height maybe just under the notched out section
of transom. Make a full width seat with the outside edges resting on glassed in cleats or maybe alum angle. Depending on your seat
fab structure and how long a span you may want install 1 or 2 legs. Build legs out of wood, or allum pipe with a rubber boot , or angle,ect.
Make legs hinge and will lock like folding table legs. Just make sure the support on the transom comes out far enough to allow the seat
to fold back and stay up. You way want to have some type latch to hold open . You dont want it to drop down on your head in ruff sea,s
just an idea
S.P.

Thanks S.P.! Those pictures are an exact replica of the inside of my boat... the last picture (Exterior) is an actual picture of my boat, unfortunately it's all shrink wrapped so I could not get in and take a bunch of pictures- I'll try to get a full on shot of the whole area to make it easier. I'm wondering if this may be too much for me to tackle myself.. I have never fiberglassed anything in or done that type of work, is it easy or is it somewhat easy to learn?

Thanks!

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Years ago, I built a bench seat across the back of my 23' walkaround. Used marine ply, had the cushions made, designed the space under the seat to be storage, and made it removable. Looked great. Was comfortable. BUT... It was so heavy I could hardly move it.

Since we have to get to our engines regularly, and sometimes quickly, don't forget to think about how the moving it part.

That's what I am most worried about is how heavy it's going to be- I always check my oil before I go out on the boat for the day just because it's a habit, so not being able to do that would leave my conscience guilty.... LOL

 

[sphelps]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Fiberglass is easy for some Kyle . I am still in the learning stage on my project and I mess up with the best of em.
When I start screwing up guys on the forum like woodonglass always get me back on track!
I think the hardest part of your project would be the bench frame and cushions . The side and transom cleats should be the
easy part. There are tons of threads here about wood types and fiberglass if you can read a tape and hold a brush I,m
sure you can tackle it!
S.P.

 

[markscarfone]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Kyle I'm assuming these are your ordinal seats ( the same ones I'm Trying to find Are your originals for sale??) The second pic is of the type of wall brackets on my 284 I just purchased the l brackets that fit into the wall brackets so I can attempt what your doing because I can't locate the originals Brackets by perko
Kyle also in your pic you can see the holes from the l wall brackets when boat was produced they look the same as mine

 

[markscarfone]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Kyle found another pic online how about something like this?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

It's been since Januar. Once the original poster (OP) was last active on their thread over 3 months ago, it's best to not post in their threads, it may be likely that they won't be back.

It looks like your posts & hinges would have been helpful. Perhaps being notified that you posted to their thread will be enough to bring them back to actively posting..

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Kyle found another pic online how about something like this?View attachment 160744

In the future we suggest that you use the PM system on older threads and ask you not resurrect them. We like to see thread resurrection left to the original poster.

 

[kylejb2663]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Hey Guys!!! LOL Absolutely it brought me back!

Markscarphone - Those are the exact hinges that I have currently. What I did to help fix the seating issue was I expanded the seating platform but I did not do a bench seat. The problem with the bench seat is that you have to step on it and then it would be a huge platform to lift up.

I took the current wooden platforms where the seat cushions sit on and layed them on new marine grade plywood and cut them out a bit bigger... I could certainly send you the dimensions of them so you could cut out new platforms if you'd like.

 

[markscarfone]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Kyle do you still have the original seats and would you care to sell them

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Kyle do you still have the original seats and would you care to sell them

Mark: Try to use the PM system when/if buying & selling. Just left click on kylejb2663's user name, and from the 3 choices that come up select send PM that way if he's interested in selling them, he can reply via PM w/ an amount. Keeps the mods off your back, because as a retailer, our generous host, iBoats.com, doesn't allow buying & selling via the public forums

Kyle: If you've done anything further on the Chris Craft, or modified the bench seat, let us see how it turned out or the work in progress..............

 

[markscarfone]

Re: Advice/Opinions on rear bench seat build

Kyle would Love to get the dimensions and a photo if possible Thanks Mark