To remove my seat boxes or not??

[johncar]

Having not being a lover of big seat boxes I did accept them in the Fisher 660 when I bought it as they are very useful with plenty of storage and good to sit on or even sleep on and so forth. The boat really is plenty big enough to take the seat boxes and still fish 2 or 3 easy enough. They do waste a fair amount of space though by their design. There are two of them over a 1100mm long and about 600mm wide

But I really just like the simplicity of basic seat frames where I can slide stuff under them and seems to open the floor space of the cockpit up in my mind if nothing else. Less obstructions and how much stuff do I need to store anyway? I tend to forget what I have in those boxes.
I hate the thought of wasting them even though I will keep them and they can always be refitted I guess.
Just wondering whether I would devalue the boat by taking the boxes out if I decide to sell it down the track or would most fisho's prefer the bigger uncluttered space like I do??
I have just taken them out and starting to give the boat a bit of a tart up, the bare ally showing signs of exposure so will be sanding, acid washing and Nyalic going on to keep it pretty. Might even do a big vinyl wrap down the side just to scare the neighbours. Seeing all that floor area is a bit tempting to leave them out..
Interested in your thoughts..

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[Greg P]

I ditched mine and just went back to standard size seat box. Dont miss them for a minute and love the extra space. Original ones were big enough for an 85 lt evakool but now I just move the sky around depending on fishing styles.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff111/grpaxto/New%20Fisher%20Build%20Pics/DDay009sm.jpg (http://s240.photobucket.com/user/grpaxto/media/New%20Fisher%20Build%20Pics/DDay009sm.jpg.html)

[Gon Fishun]

Yep, rip em out JC. Put in some nice comfy, soft Captains seats. Maybe even swivel seats.
Space is a premium in a fishing boat and the more the better. As you said, when storing gear, especially in something that big, you will forget what is there, probably never use it, don't need it and just carrying extra weight. I have a tendency to put to much gear in the boat, ( V16C Haines), stored up front under the bunks and do forget what is there, but, that is the only hidden storage. Yep more space, looks tidier, easier to move around, less weight and more room for esky's full of fish.

[fat-buoy]

I like the look of the frames the seats go on where the frame is basically a loop design so that you can slide a nice sized esky under the seat... gives you the option of storing tackle boxes, esky, emergency equipment or a small kill bin under the seat... better use of space I reckon.

[wirlybird]

i might be intrested in them if your geting rid of them and they are the right size ;)

[SunnyCoastMark]

Hey JC,
I guess it depends what you use them for. I designed and built mine to take the swivel seats on top; a bit of storage directly under the seats; there are also rear facing squabs and they both fit a 48 litre esky slid underneath.

You appear a pretty handy chap - can you modify them to do something like that? I guess if you don't have the eskys hidden - they are going to be in your way on the floor somewhere anyway?

Mark

[johncar]

Hmmm, thanks for your thoughts so far, looks like a bit of a vote to remove them overall. They are indeed handy to throw stuff in and swivel seats do drop into them. But they are bigger than I need really and by their design the box's outer side wall sits about 200mm to 300mm inside the boats side sheet which creates a bit of no mans land the length and height of the box and therefore being hard to use space.

So I am thinking tubular frames to take the seats as some have recommended and creating some storeage in those voids in the cab between the floor and the side decks.

Should be a good little side project while cleaning the rest up.

Have to find some ally cleaning acid like ally brite in 20 litre qtys if anyone knows where is a good place to buy. Will be going though a bit I expect.

[Just one of the Boys]

I pulled mine out after 5 years.

With a centre cab, the space between the seats was a little bit too narrow and I had to turn sideways to get past.

Every time I turned on the seats, the back would hit the targa, chipping paint off.

Enjoying the extra room now and it offers additional floor space for the third person to bunk down overnight.


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[FishHunter]

I like the look of the frames the seats go on where the frame is basically a loop design so that you can slide a nice sized esky under the seat... gives you the option of storing tackle boxes, esky, emergency equipment or a small kill bin under the seat... better use of space I reckon.

My boat has that and I hate it, total waste of space, crap slides around when you are underway etc. Cant stack stuff up as it falls over yadda yadda. I will be building seatboxes soon.

[johncar]

i might be intrested in them if your geting rid of them and they are the right size ;)

Thanks, I will keep that in mind. I guess I am still not 100% convinced which way to go although leaning heavily towards leaving them out. There is quite a bit of work in building them, no doubt paid good money for them and hate the thought of now not using them.

Did you see those extensions fitted in the second photo, they make bunks and I have all the cushions for them as well. A great feature with an extra deckie or two but usually only 1, 2 or 3 on board and the cabin is very roomy for up to 3.

[Out-Station]

JC, what about just leaving 1 in on the passenger side and go to frame to slip an esky under on the driver side. The old mans stabi has just the one decent seat box but the driver side has a pedestal which makes it hard to keep stuff under the seat. imo his setup would be great with the one box and frame. Mt pet hate in a cuddy layout is the need to keep the esky on the back deck and work around it or up under the cuddy.

scott

[DAVE_S]

This is how i set up my seats up , i can store a 80l esky under each seat and being on rubber matt93335 nothing moves .

[ozscott]

I reckon part of the equation is the type of fishing you do...bait...sit down...placcies stand up. I used to have seat boxes I built and glassed in my Haines 16 footer. Truth is that they just took up too much room when I had a cabin and side pockets to stow stuff. I also like sleeping in the back of my boat so good to have free areas.

Cheers