pedestal seat help - install

[NTMID8]

Guys and Gals,

I have bought some pedestal seat bases to install in my 1993 Haines Signature 470F. Before i go cutting up my boat i have a couple of questions.

Would anybody know how thick the floor is in my boat? I don't have any access into the floor (no underfloor fuel tanks/inspection ports).

I plan on removing the carpet and cleaning the floor, then utilising 10" round, 18mm thick marine ply. My thoughts were to sika flex the ply down then screw down with coach bolts before cutting the 2 3/8" hole through the middle. I was then planning to fiberglass over the whole installation before re-carpeting (possibly utilising clip in carpet) and then installing the seat base.

Thinking out loud perhaps utilising pvc pipe with a sealed bottom installed between the floor and base then all fiberglassed over would stop any water getting into my hull?

Can anyone see any short comings in my plan or anything i should change/do? Im particularly interested in the thickness of my floor and making sure no water can get into my hull.

Cheers

[bigjimg]

Just done mine the other week.At best your floor will be 15mm,in a perfect world 17mm.I used 25mm hwd marine ply for mine.They were cut 40mm O/A bigger than the pedestal base sanded up nice then 4 coats of epoxy preservative applied after all holes drilled.I used Techniglue to glue them too the floor of the boat after prep.Screwed down with 14g stainless batten screws.Once this glue sets there is not a chance it will let go,and is 120% waterproof.
I used stainless threaded inserts for the seat base to fix to.These are wood thread on the outer with an M6 thread on the inside,screwed in with allen key.They do not let go either and the seat base will not work loose like the wood screw hex bolts.
I painted them with 3 coats of 2 pac polyurathane in gloss.They look like part of the boat.Jim

[NTMID8]

Big jim, any chance of a photo? How did you stop water running down the seat base hole and into your hull?

[cormorant]

Why not get a stainless or alloy seat frame made up and your esky will fit under it. With a wider base they don't load the floor nor stop you putting anything under your seat. Sorry if I haven't helped I being a big bloke don't like pedestals as they eventually break on me in rough water. When you see just how well installed they are on new boats in flybridges it is hard to achieve that strength when retrofitted on a thin ply floor.

[NTMID8]

I chose the pedestals so the seats could easily be removed when im out chasing snapper and shark with mates. I did think of fitting the frames but given the small floor space i have i felt the solid frames would make the space feel even less. I weigh 95kg and a little over 6 foot, the pedestal is ABYC rated at AO (im told is driver safe at any speed) but want to make sure i secure it correctly. The other thought is i could extend the marine ply in a rectangular fashion forward of the seats (towards the foot rest) making the support aprox 800 x 300 which would spread the load further?

[Micadogs]

Hi NTIMID8

I wouldnt use sikflex to stick them to the floor, it is juts not strong enough. As BIGJIM did use Techniglue (2 part Epoxy). You could use sikaflex though to place a bead aorund the pole to stop water going into the hull.

The other alternate, is to cut a hole in your floor, using half circles (or rectangles) that form a dimeter larger than the hole you cut, epoxy under floor support and then cover and fibreglass. Then screw through and you wont have a raised deck, you wont have any issues with water ingress etc.



Cheers Adam

[NTMID8]

Micadogs,

Thanks for the idea, i dont feel confident enough to cut a larger then needed section out of the floor. I could get a quote from a boat place to do this but feel the cost would far outway the benifit of not having a raised floor. I didnt realise how complex fitting these pedestal seats would be lol, the seats that are in it at the moment are fold down bench seats (crap) so wanted to fit something with more support.

[cormorant]

As you have worked out I am not a fan but if well done they are fine. Being a big bloke I give 3 foot of leverage on floors a flogging and never sit in mates pedestals on the move as they rarely done right. Might be teh way mates helm as well over the back sof waves a well to save my back. Can you put up a photo of your current set up as there is always more than one way to skin a cat so to speak.There is possibly cheaper and less invasive ways of putting better seats on what you have with stronger mountings. Put up a photo of the style of pedestal and base as there are quite a few different types of which some spread the load better etc etc.

Not sure how long you will own the boat but in the 2nd hand market if they are not solid and installed very well it may detract from the price you may get in the future as some people like their boats without add-ons that wernt original.

[Scalem]

Don't know if this is what you are after but this is how I did it. Its carpeted and finished off nicely, I really don't see I will have any more issues and it is totally bonded / sealed

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?185528-The-shingles-will-jarr-anything-loose!!

Scalem

[NTMID8]

Not great pics but this is current set up:
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd78/NTMID_8/DSC00973.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd78/NTMID_8/DSC01047.jpg
http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd78/NTMID_8/DSC00974.jpg

I intend on keeping the boat for the foreseeable future so want a quality job. I have already bought the seat bases:
http://www.iboats.com/9-in-Round-2-3-8-Seat-Pedestal-Base-Swivl-Eze/dm/cart_id.268629341--session_id.017263625--view_id.391993

[deckie]

Personally i'd just put in quality DIY s/s base collapsibles instead of the ally junk they always supply. At least that way its comfy to stand. But if you;re committed to pedestals (which take up so much bloody room and wasted space) u could also try another way.

Discs of treated ply predrilled out for bolts. Grind back deck under the discs. Mark then drill then hammer in stainless tee nuts into recessed holes using plexus. Let go off for 30mins. Smother roughed up underside surface of treated ply discs with a heap of plexus and bolt down into tee nuts. Rest of boat should fall apart before this even looks like giving way. Downside is dont ever expect you could remove it.

[cormorant]

Yeah I hate those little flimsy fold down jobs as well. Good idea but just too flimsy to trust
You could have a stainless fabricator make up something similar to this as with double legs and mount a seat with a back on it at a decent height and mates can actually stand behind you when travelling and hold on to the seat back
http://www.go2marine.com/product/231861F/bulkhead-seat-w-gimbal-white.html

You can go for swivel seat and just turn it round when fishing or fixed seat/ solid frame and if you have the frame demontable just switch the passanger for the helm frames over in a minute when anchored or leave at home for the day using sure-lok mounts or just pins.


This link shows a lot of the brands of seats avaliable that you don't see a lot of here

http://www.craigmarine.com/accessories/seats_tables/boat_seats_catalog.pdf

[Fed]

I'm faced with much the same problem NTMID8 (http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/member.php?85748-NTMID8).
The thing I find wrong is that if the seat height is right for driving then when you sit on it facing backwards your feet don't reach the floor.

You can't lower the seat because it will leave you craning your neck to see through the screen.

Added to that, having a seat with a back on it is just 10 times better.

It's OK facing forward because you've got footrests.

I have swivel pedestals which are pretty useless for facing backwards.
The solution for me would be a 2 tiered box with a swivel seat on top and a cushion seat on the lower back tier. That way you can sit on the lower seat or sit on the higher seat and put your feet on the lower one.

I put up with it because I have a large padded seatbox at he rear but if I was going to change it I'd make a seatbox plug, get a mold made + 2 boxes for me. Then make a fortune selling seatboxes to ausfish members, have you seen the prices of seatboxes, bloody crazy.

[bigjimg]

85723857248572585726Sorry for the late respone NTMID8 but I had picture uploading issues.My bases are fixed type,your wanting the dropin socket type I imagine.We have those type fitted to a 12mm ply floor in our work boats and they're fine,and they dont leak.The issue I was having was they would continually work loose and if unnoticed would have torn out of the floor much like Scalems did.This fix is bullet proof and like anything I do I want it to look like factory fitted.
Your method of fitting sounds fine just be sure to epoxy preserve any ply that you fit and any raw edges before you glass over that is your insurance policy.Any how hope the photos load up.Jim

[Aussie123]

Depending on pedestal tube size,Reelax make a great folding footrest.
They fit 73, 75 & 76.2MM O.D TUBES
85727