Two questions actually... Are most people installing the seats per the plans or are a lot of peolpe putting hinges on them to allow better access under the seats?
Second question....How is everyone glueing down the seats? I assume you are screwing the seats down to the underlying stringers. I think I will be glassing the seats, so the screw holes are probably not a big deal, but how do you glue the back portion of the seat to the back stringer (located under the deck)? There is not enough head space for a drill, etc. Unfortunately there is enough bough of the wood etc, that I really need to clamp or srew the seat down in place. I suppose I could glue and screw the rest and the back should tighten up and I could put weights on the back. Not a big deal really because the back of the seat won't be sat on, but I was curious how other people were doing this part. Incidently, I assume most people are glassing their seats?
On the Vacs the back stringer is at the edge of the deck flush with the splash coming. This presented a problem for me. The angle of the seat back and the coming were not the same. Without the cusions the coming kills your back after a couple hours. Next time the seatbacks or the coming would be the same angle. Yes, glue and screw the seats in place and cover all with glass and epoxy. I have also found the small spaces under the seats to be usless water traps that are a pain to clean. Next time this area would be left open for more leg room and ease of maintenence. Mine may get cut away and reworked before next time.
Hi Jeff,
You might also want to take a look at John Teetsel's modified cockpit. With just a minor change or two, his cockpit gain appreciable room. Good luck with your building.
Quote:Two questions actually... Are most people installing the seats per the plans or are a lot of peolpe putting hinges on them to allow better access under the seats? ?
I don't know about most people but I did hinge the seats for access and have regretted it since the first rain. Access is improved but water intrusion is a real pain. I wouldn't do it again and I will probably undo it when I start some sort of significant work on the boat.
Hi Jeff,
No need to come unhinged.
No need to build your seats to collect water either. (Richard is right about seat cavities collecting water. Not really a good idea. In a boat, water is fine if the water is outside the boat. Water in the boat is another matter.)
As I recall, Jim Stump built hinged seats and made them water free with a drain channel. Maybe Jim will see the posting and respond. Maybe Jim will tell us the idea didn't work that well, but I rather suspect everything turned out just fine.
Jeff,
If I understand your concern, you can't fit a drill under the deck to screw in the edge of the seat that touches to hull side? Well, they make little drills, and a kind that work at a right angle, if you don't want one of those, just angle the drill towards the back or front of the boat, and angle the screws in. I'd be careful about angling side to side, you wouldn't want to put the screws through the outside of the boat.
Great. Thanks for all the responses. I think I will "angle" the screws at the back stringer (under the deck). I am kinda hoping that once I glue and screw the rest of the seat in, it will naturally hold the back of the seat down anyway and hopefully I'll only need a couple screws to keep it down. I am using Gorilla glue on the inside stuff...which this glue expands out considerably when curing...hence the need for screwing or clampling really well.
I ended up not having hinged seats, although prior to posting, I never would have considered rain getting in.
Thanks again.