1991 Starcraft Supersport 160 seat modification question.

[mr.iceman]

Looking to re-do the seating layout of my boat. Currently have back to back lounge type seats that slide over a built up box from the floor. Since this is primarily a 2-guy fishing boat I am looking to remove these jump seats and replace with adjustable pedestal seats which can swivel from front to back. My main concern is where under the deck my fuel tank on this boat lies. Have had zero luck at this point on this question so far.
Just really looking to free up some room towards the stern of the boat. Since it does have an open bow there's room for 1 or 2 up there also if need be.

I currently have carpeting which I will have re-done sometime this season also so I'm not too concerned with what it might look like after the seat transformation.

Are there other areas I should be concerned about removing the old or mounting the new seats?

Thanks in advance.

 

[dozerII]

Best bet would be to post some photos of you current set up so we can see what your working with. Chances are real good your S/C is like all the others and has a 1/2inch plywood deck that wont support pedastel seats on its own. If you have an under deck fuel tank it will be over the center line of the hull most likely, it should have a round access hatch over the sending unit.

 

[Watermann]

To add pedestal seats and be rid of those head knocker seats is a great plan. The problem is the decking alone won't hold the pedestal down for long with just wood screws into it.

One easy option is to use 3/4 plywood, cut it into a square larger than the pedestal, about the size of the seat base. Drill the holes through the plywood for the pedestal mounting screws, using T nuts on the back side of the plywood you'll need to use a drill bit of the proper size. Seal the plywood with a few coats of spar and since you have carpet in the boat you can use some to cover the seat base. Poke the mounting holes through the carpet and using machine screws tighten the pedestal base onto the plywood using the T nuts (use all stainless steel). I would use some blue locktite on the threads too. Now attach the new pedestal base to the decking you can use as many stainless steel wood screws of the proper length as needed to secure the base to the decking rather than just the few in the round circle like the pedestal base would've been. It'll be very secure.

Post some pics of before and after too. :joyous:

 

[mr.iceman]

No Title

Thanks for all your input. I really appreciate it. The only round access hatch is in the cubby hole way up in the bow of the boat. Has a decal that says "Fuel Shutoff Access Port". Looks by opening that up therin lies the part of the fuek tank. Looks like fuek tank is all the way up in the bow so mounting pedestals eases my concern on tank issues.
Here are some pics of interior and fuel tank access.

 

[dozerII]

So from the pictures it looks like your fuel tanks is up in the bow, which means you can use Waterman's method for mounting the two seats behind the windshield. What type seating do you have up front? If it is the U shaped opening with removable cushions you could make a removable deck section that gets screwed to the cushion base with a pedestal mount in the center.

 

[mr.iceman]

OK another issue with going to seat pedestals concerns height range choices. I would like to go to an adjustable height w/ slide design. The shortest pedestal in this config is 12"-18" before the 3"-4" high seat is added in.. My current seat height is 11"-12" on my headknockers as Watermann calls them. Exhaustive research has turned up zero results for seats with a 9/10" - 16/18" range.
Is my only option to take them to a metal shop and have them modified?

 

[Watermann]

I don't ever recall seeing a seat pedestal that will go from 9" high to 16" extended, there wouldn't be enough post left inside the lower portion of the base to be stable enough (when expanded) to be rated as a helm seat I would imagine is why. The height adjustment is for operator comfort.. You may have to go with a 10"-12" height with the slide.

 

[mr.iceman]

So was looking at putting these pedestals in my boat. Does anyone think I can shorten the pedestal tube a couple of inches so my adjustable range is from 9-10" - 15-16"? I love the 18" max height but I really need something that drops down to 9 or 10" more importantly.

 

[Watermann]

If the most important is to have the pedestal lower then I would go with the 10 - 12" model with the slide. If you cut off the lower tube it would have a domino effect, you'd probably have to drill a big hole in the deck below to allow the upper tube to drop down to that height.

 

[mr.iceman]

Watermann,
I was thinking about taking 2 inches off the bottom of the tube just below the seat and not the base. The parts that slides up and down within the base and has the height increment holes in it.

 

[Watermann]

Watermann,
I was thinking about taking 2 inches off the bottom of the tube just below the seat and not the base. The parts that slides up and down within the base and has the height increment holes in it.

Ok, just trying to picture how cutting off the upper tube would allow the seat to be lower when the upper tube is down all the way? Won't it still be the same when all the way down but just won't go as high?

 

[mr.iceman]

yeah i see your point.....i sure with there was a 10-16 height option. Since 99% of my time is fishing the seat will be raised up the majority of the time. Having the seat up a couple of inches for a few minutes here and there screaming across the lake isn't a huge issue.
On another note. I've come across a fellow in my neighborhood who is a aluminum welding supervisor for the Coast Guard. In talking with him, I think, I will be making my seat platforms out of 7075 alum alloy plate with either tapped threads or welded on studs to mount my seat pedestal bases too.