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Fiberglass seat box

Started by RETIRED-CG BOSN, November 14, 2017, 07:23:57 PM

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RETIRED-CG BOSN

Received my new fiberglass companion seat deck box and was wondering if anyone has installed one of these.  Of so, do you want to offer any guidance, lessons learned etc.?
Thanks, Ken
Sea Ranger 19 2008
2018 Suzuki 140, 2014 Honda 8hp
Sea Explorer 1999, 70hp Suzuki, 6hp Merc

Rangerman

I believe it just screws to the floor, hope that helps.

croaker stroker

Here is a drawing NOT of mounting the seat box, but it gives you an idea of the construction. My seatbox was mounted with 4-#10 Stainless Steel Panhead sheet metal screws with flat washers. My screws were sealed with 3M 5200 fast set. The 5200 is easily removed if you have access to cut it. My screws were close enough to the edge of the box that I could use a sharpened drywall spatula to easily separate the box from the floor.

If you doubt your ability to remove the 5200, then you could use silicone or silicone/polyurethane like LifeSeal.

Make sure your seats clear the fishbox lids.

1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Markshoreline

Thanks Croaker, I love Don's sketches!
2002 Sea Ranger HT 21, Yamaha 150, Yamaha 9.9

Threeweight

Don't use silicone.  It leaves behind an nasty residue that prevents anything else from sticking to the applied area, and it can be a bear to remove.  Stick with a polyurethane sealant of some kind.
Former Sea Chaser 17 owner
Defiance 250 Admiral, twin Yamaha 150's and T9.9

"Never turn your back on fear. It should always be in front of you, like a thing that might have to be killed."
       --- Hunter S. Thompson

RETIRED-CG BOSN

Awesome, I appreciate the info!
Sea Ranger 19 2008
2018 Suzuki 140, 2014 Honda 8hp
Sea Explorer 1999, 70hp Suzuki, 6hp Merc

darci

Try it both ways...we switched ours so the snap on padded seat is forward.  Usually a better fit for smaller crew persons.

(putting a seat on the higher part of the "lid" usually puts the crew seat too high... then you need a footrest)

As a added feature, the lid tips to the stern when you open it,  this just seems more user friendly. The seat base lets you add another rear facing swivel seat ...nice to troll or bottom fish from...

Seal with latex (nicer when you decide to move the box).

RETIRED-CG BOSN

Good tip Jack, thanks I may consider mounting it this way.
Sea Ranger 19 2008
2018 Suzuki 140, 2014 Honda 8hp
Sea Explorer 1999, 70hp Suzuki, 6hp Merc

familyrig

Make sure to install a hinge if it doesn't have one.  I remember LvrWurst  launching Chuck backwards out of the seat I believe...

David

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

1999 Sea Explorer 75hp Yamaha 6HP Suzuki/ 1990 Sea Ranger 17' 90 hp Honda

Markshoreline

And a latch with a turning lock to keep the latch from releasing and also allows you to lock the box.
2002 Sea Ranger HT 21, Yamaha 150, Yamaha 9.9

familyrig

Quote from: Markshoreline on November 16, 2017, 06:40:51 PM
And a latch with a turning lock to keep the latch from releasing and also allows you to lock the box.
Meant to say latch, not hinge.  Thanks

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

1999 Sea Explorer 75hp Yamaha 6HP Suzuki/ 1990 Sea Ranger 17' 90 hp Honda

Yachter Yat

   Seems like those seat boxes could be cut-down to be lower.  Obviously, you'd have to remove and then reinstall the cover to accomplish this.  Actually, this was something I contemplated doing at one time in order to create (what I called) a back-to-back "Hi/Lo" seat.  Cutting the box down would have allowed adding additional padding to the front seat bottom............something, I'm sure, many of us wouldn't mind having on occasions. 

Yat
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)

croaker stroker



I thought about cutting the box, but they are tapered. If you cut it down, then the lid would be too big.

1987 - 17' Sea Pacer - 2004 Evinrude 90 E-tec
1985 - 15' Sea Sprinter - **SOLD**

"Ex Tridente Pax". 🇺🇸

Markshoreline

As someone here stated, there are no 90 degree angles on an Arima!
2002 Sea Ranger HT 21, Yamaha 150, Yamaha 9.9

Yachter Yat

   Croaker, I hear you about that taper.  That said, I've looked at mine and was thinking:  Taking a few inches or so off of the height of that box would still be possible.  However, based on what you said,  there are limits as to how much you could lower it.  Looks like you'd be somewhat limited by how far that cover wound-up hanging-over the box. 

   While on this subject, (and at the risk of being overly critical) I can't help but feel Arima could do well by exploring some additional seating options.  The most comfortable seats I ever had in a boat were some back-to-backs in an old Silverline runabout I once owned.  Every now and then I find myself wishing  Arima would have more vigorously pursued something similar in the way of a seating option.  Oh well!

Yat 

     
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)

BurnsieBabe

Yat,

We used to offer back to back seats with wonderful cushions and upholstery (the sleeper seat)  but because the box, the slide mechanism, the cushions and the upholstery were all made inhouse, they were just too expensive for most folks to even consider.  There are some inexpensive ones out there but there is wood in them. You can however buy 3 or 4 of those for the price we had to charge for one of ours. Ours did not have any exposed wood so they lasted for a very long time but the initial investment was pricey.

Belinda
Belinda Burns
Arima Marine International Inc from 1997
Defiance Marine LLC from 2013 (since Arima purchase)

Yachter Yat

   Belinda, thanks for the response.  Yeah, I seem to remember those as being quite expensive.  I actually had the opportunity to get close and personal with an Arima sleeper seat a couple of years ago on a 17 Ranger.  As I recall, it was a fairly comfortable seating surface.  The only objection that stood-out in my mind was how high it felt when sitting in the aft facing position.  In order to alleviate that problem, the idea I came up with for my so-called "Hi/Lo" design was to engineer a seat mounted on Arima's storage boxes.......the one's with the "stepped" covers.   

   To be a bit more specific, the boxes with the stepped covers offer the initial advantage of a 3" lift to start with.  Additionally, the forward cushion could be padded with perhaps 6 or 7 inches of foam while the rear cushion might have a bit less.........perhaps 4".  The result might be a height difference between the front and rear cushions of something like 6"........hence, "Hi/Lo".  For example, if your particular Arima called for a forward facing seat height of 19"; then the rear cushion would be something like 13" off the deck........very nice, me thinks.   Obviously, the goal here is to get the maximum comfort (think shock absorbing) and correct seating height for the pilot and forward facing passenger while providing a lower (and IMO, more comfortable and safer) seating position for the rear facing passengers.  This, to me, could prove to be especially attractive for the kids......or people of shorter stature, for that matter.  My wife would certainly like that....she's about 4'-11".  :jester:

   Notice, I didn't mention anything about the ability to fold-down to the sleeper position.  The seat described above would simply be a fixed back-to-back unit with access to the storage by simply lifting.   No doubt, the fold-down option would add to the cost, but  I actually believe that could be accomplished by using a simple surface-mounted sliding rail assembly.  The Garelick Co. has a youtube video of some unique sliding rail devices that appear to have some potential for this application
   
   Needless to say, it would be interesting to hear what Donny's thoughts are on this concept. I'd call to talk with him about it.....that is, if I wasn't so afraid he'd just hang-up on me.  :jester:


Yat
History is not the past; it's the present, as we all carry it with us......James Baldwin    
16 SC/Honda 60  (sold)