stern seats - Jack??

[tangentair]

In another discussion board, stern seats were brought up by tjinc1 and looking at the web site I began to wonder - again - the value of these 200+ dollar investments. Their utility, functionality, safety etc. are you getting your bang for the buck. In various past posts, several of the Nor-westerners spoke well of their blue water $500+ seats but for that price I would expect at least a massage option.
So Jack and all you super mods-men, how hard would it be to take a piece from sheet of 3/4 plywood, stain and cover it well with epoxy, maybe route out a grove and add a rope trim to the edge, add a few pidgen holes for horns and flares underneath or maybe a flashlight pocket and add a clamp and supports to hold it in place? It would certainly be far cheaper than that website wanted for their seats and railing kits.

[Terry]

I've wanted those seats since I first laid eyes on them but price was also a deterrant for me. They do have a cool factor and I doubt I could make one as aesthetically complimenting as the expensive ones, they look like part of the boat. Perhaps when I have a bit more $$. I also wonder about the practicality of them, can you reach the wheel from up there and steer? How about accessing the lines and sheets, do you have to get down off the perch every time you tack or jibe? I have also wondered if their cost justifys the use they may or may not get.

[Frank C]

Good description of making the seat, but what about the rails to support it?
I've never tried bending stainless tubing, but betting that's a significant gotcha in this mod.

Furthermore ... considering how critical we are of our motor-hung-stern-dragging hybrids, I simply cannot imagine sailing with someone sitting up there, much less motoring at 15 kts. Seems to me a very expensive extra seat that permits one or two to "avoid" the bimini (maybe?) while anchored out

[hvolkhart]

Stern seat = best investment.
We spend the big $$$ for the seats and don’t want to miss them anymore. I needed a place to mount the cockpit speakers.
The seats increase the usable space dramatically and people love to sit on there in the shade of the bimini while I steer the boat from the cockpit seat.
I was thinking of bending SS tubing to make them myself but the bending of the tubing was always the problem.

[daydreamerbob]

i have these seats and i think they are well worth the money - but remember - i cannot park the boat.

boating atlanta installed the BWY seats for me

when we are towing tubes or knee boards the other kids sit on the stern rail seats - feet hangng aft, hands gripping the rail and act as look out

the barbie is mounted on one of the rails

Answers to questions - i do not think you can drive from the seats - bit in the Beene video in SFO - he was sitting in a stern rail seat in 45 knts, 45 degree heel...auto pilot engaged.

I have the stock bimini and it is not a problem - the seats can be shaded or not depending on where on the genny rail you place the mounts

gettin in and out of the boat is an issue with the bimini up - no one wants to use the ladder

there are three mounts screwed into the boat under the seat. these support the seat and the rails.

the platform is nothing fancy and could be wooden i suppose or maybe that star board stuff you guys talk about.

The rails - well i don't know anything about metal working - maybe they could be wooden...the tubing is not drastically bent from what i could tell - but i couldn't do it.

The life line mod needs to be considered as well - at least on an m

[Jack Sparrow]

At first I was keen to install stern rail seats I priced them out at $120 us for parts , a mate of mine owns a mandral bender and can weld 316 ss so building them was not a problem. We went a diffrerent way we use the the space that they would take up to board the boat starb side is the folding ladder and the port side the boarding/showering/diving platform we never raise the helm seat, but I can see the advantage of them when docked as a space saver.

Jack Sparrow

[daydreamerbob]

[Québec 1]

I've wanted those seats since I first laid eyes on them but price was also a deterrant for me. I also wonder about the practicality of them, can you reach the wheel from up there and steer?

My new old 2003M had a piece of crap mast raiser ..but 2 stern seats....

As far as reaching the wheel...well it just feels so cool.



Q1

!	kmclemore:
	fixed quote

[Loefflerh]

the wheel...well it just feelsAs far as reaching so cool.


I love that picture -thats my favorite position as well. Never have done it with shoes on, always barefoot, bur thats because of temperature down here in S-Fl.

Btw didn't have those seats for 10 years, got them for my M - best decision ever, everybody just loves them. They were 750$ installed for 2 - check supersail.com.
Hans

[tangentair]

Yeah Frank, I did aviod the issue of the rails for the reasons you indicated. The seat on the mentioned web site did not have the nice curved flare that the Blue Water ones have. I was kinda hoping that someone would rise to the occassion and solve that issue. Last year we talked a little about bending SS and everything from tree crotches to special equipment was used - none of which I had access to.

[KayakDan]

I've wanted those seats since I first laid eyes on them but price was also a deterrant for me. I also wonder about the practicality of them, can you reach the wheel from up there and steer?

My new old 2003M had a piece of crap mast raiser ..but 2 stern seats....

As far as reaching the wheel...well it just feels so cool.



Q1

Ahh,my favorite way to sail!! Sitting on the stern rail seat,leeward side,and steer with my bare foot.
The stern rail seats provide a place for my stern anchor,propane solenoid and regulator,barbecue,and next year,part of the solar panel support.

Recently added rail cushions made from these
http://www.poolcenter.com/pooltoys_nood ... r_logs.htm

and to make them really cushy,add the custom made cushions from Bottomsiders

http://www.bottomsiders.com/boatresults ... =MacGregor