Boat Seat Pedestals & Hardware

About Boat Seat Pedestals & Hardware

Pedestals And Hardware For a Boat Seat

Your boat seat starts on the deck. Practically every boat has one or more seats on it that require a mounting pedestal: fold down seats, pro seats, bucket seats, helm seats.

Seat pedestals are made up of a base, post and seat mount. Swivels, slides, and additional hardware can be added depending on the features you want. There are several styles and sizes of boat seat pedestals to keep you comfortable and safe while boating.

Seat pedestals have an ABYC (American Boat and Yacht Council) rating to help you determine which pedestals are safe for various positions on your boat. Type B rated boat seats are designed for low speeds under 5mph. These are perfect for fishing seats. Type A rated seat pedestals are designed to be used at any speed. Type A pedestals are split into driver and passenger position groups. Seat pedestals with this rating are great for bucket and helm seats.

Boat Seat Pedestals & Hardware How-Tos

Boat Seat Pedestal Safety

When you are looking at replacement boat seat pedestals you will often see Class AD or Type B used to describe the seat hardware. What exactly do these classifications mean? ABYC Boat Seat Pedestal Standards
Beginning in 1996 the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC)recommended seat hardware safety codes. These ABYC standards help boaters select safe seat pedestals for different applications around their boat.
There are three boat seat pedestal classifications: Class AD (sometimes called AO), Class AP (sometimes called AN), and Class B. A designation of Class A designation (AD and AP) means it can be used while the boat is underway at any speed. Class B hardware should only be used on seats occupied while the boat is moving at 5 mph or less.
Class AD hardware is designed to be used at a boat helm/driver position. To achieve this class it must meet the most stringent requirements as described below:

  • Must have positive locking swivels which withstand 150 ft. lbs. of torque
  • All seats interchangeable with the operator's seat must meet the requirements of this section
  • A seat designed for occupancy while the vessel is underway at any speed
  • Employ a locking mechanism for each plane or axis of movement
  • Seats with fore/aft adjustment must sustain static load of 300 lbs. for 3minutes, in mid position
  • Seats with a vertical adjustment feature shall have a positive locking mechanism
  • Sustain 10 impacts of 225 lbs.
Boat Seat Pedestal

Class AP pedestals are designed to be used while the boat is underway, but not in the driver position. This seat hardware for passenger boat seats must meet the following requirements:

  • Swivel locking mechanism must sustain torque of 30 ft. lbs.
  • A seat designed for occupancy while the vessel is underway at any speed
  • Employ a locking mechanism for each plane or axis of movement
  • Seats with fore/aft adjustment must sustain static load of 300 lbs. for 3 minutes, in mid position
  • Seats with a vertical adjustment feature shall have a positive locking mechanism
  • Sustain 10 impacts of 225 lbs.
Fishing Seat Pedestal

Class B seat hardware has the fewest requirements. This hardware is typically used on fishing seats and other seats that are not used while underway. It must only meet the following two requirements:

  • A seat designed for occupancy only at boat speeds not exceeding five miles per hour
  • Sustain dynamic loads at 1/2 the velocity required for Type A seats

Boat seat pedestals from quality manufacturers will meet or exceed the ABYC standards for strength and safety. Grouping seat pedestals into the ABYC categories helps to keep boaters safe and also assist in narrowing the selection of boat seat hardware.

Boat Seat Pedestals

Boat Style Seat Pedestal Guide

Guide to identifying the styles of boat seats and pedestals.
Typical Pedestals & Seat Mount Brackets
Seat Swivel Seat Swivels - available as both non-locking and locking.
Jon Boat Clamp Jon Boat Clamps
Quick Disconnects Quick Disconnect Brackets
Removable Pedestals Removable Pedestals - Either Pin or Post type pedestals, if you can remove the pedestal from the floor base plate then these are used for all types of fishing boats. They can either be fixed or adjustable height. Pro Seats always have a 22" pedestal height or greater.
Economy Seat Pedestals Black Steel Pedestals - These are inexpensive permanent mount seat pedestals.
Permanent Pedestals Permanent Mount Pedestals - Either as fixed height or adjustable, these pedestals have a permanent mounting to the boat floor. The seat can be removed, but not the pedestal itself. They may also include a seat slide.

Boat Styles

Basic Fishing Boat- Usually 2-4 boat seats depending on the layout of the boat

  • Non-Locking & Locking Seat Swivels used on all folding boat seats
  • Jon Boat Clamps typically used on these boats
  • Quick Disconnect Brackets typically used on these boats
  • Removable Pedestals typically used on these boats
  • Black Steel Pedestals typically ONLY used on these boats
  • Permanent Pedestals sometimes used on these boats

Typical Bass Boat- Driver, buddy & passenger seats as well as front & rear casting deck seats

  • Removable Pedestals typically used on these boats for the front & rear casting deck seats

Typical Walleye Boat- 2-4 seats in the cockpit and may also have front casting deck seats

  • Removable Pedestals typically used on these boats for the front & rear casting deck seats, and sometimes for the driver & passenger seats
  • Permanent Pedestals used for the cockpit driver & passenger seats

Typical Fish N Ski Boat- Can contains driver & passenger seats (bucket seats), front casting seats, 2 rear folding fishing seats, rear casting deck seat and center bench seat

  • Removable Pedestals typically used on these boats for the front & rear casting deck seats
  • Permanent Pedestals used for the driver & passenger seats

Typical Runabout or Ski Boat- Contains driver & passenger seats. Newer boats have bucket seats. Older boats have lounge seats. Usually has 2 jump seats or a bench seat in the rear

  • Permanent Pedestals used for the driver & passenger seats

Pontoon Boat- Has a driver bucket seat and may have other bucket seats, or fishing seats in the front and back

  • Removable Pedestals used only with front and rear fishing seats
  • Permanent Pedestals used for the driver seat and bucket seats in the front

Saltwater Boat- Driver seat can be a bucket seat, or a swingback seat, or a helm chair

  • Locking Seat Swivels can be used on helm chairs
  • Permanent Pedestals are used when the driver and passenger seats are bucket or helm chairs
How to identify my boat seat pedestal

Seat Pedestal Identification

There are four large manufacturers of boat seat pedestals: Garelick, Springfield, Swivl-Eze and Wise. All of these aftermarket manufacturers also supply OEM hardware to boat builders.<

Pedestal components from different manufacturers have different tolerances and should not be mixed as it typically voids any warranties. For example, if you have a Swivel-Eze post you should only use a Swivel-Eze seat mount.

Pedestal Size Springfield Swivl-Eze Garelick Wise Notes
3/4" Pin KingPin- Standard Standard Pin Base

KingPin- Threaded Threaded Pin Base
Lock'N-Pin- Standard

Lock'N-Pin- Threaded
King Pin- Standard This is the only size where some manufacturers say brands can be mixed. 3/4" pedestal bases and posts can be either standard or threaded. Threaded bases have a deeper cup under the plate that houses the female threads. The standard, non-threaded base is shorter and only holds the bushing.
1.77" Spring-Lockhas a stainless steel post with mechanical lock on the bottom of post that locks into the base. Used mostly on Ranger Bass Boats and other premium brand bass boats.

Clip-Lockhas an aluminum post with a bushing on the bottom that expands inside the base for the unintentional detachment.

Spring & Clip-Lock parts interchange. Snap-Lock Base
Snap-Lock Seriesfeatures a larger locking clip with a metal insert that allows the posts to lock into bases for added safety. Just press the button to release. Snap-Lock Base
2" & 2-3/8" Taper-Lock, ideal for fishing boats, has been widely used by many top-name boat builders for years. Taper-Lock Base Wedge 2" & 2-3/8"bushing locks in with a tight, solid fit. Wedge Base Bases between brands often appear identical. However, slight tolerance variations may produce an improper fit if brands are interchanged. The brand of the base can often be found stamped underneath. Pedestal Base Brands
2-3/8" Thread-Lock Seriesoffers a great retrofit to any boat where a seat is needed and you don't want to go below deck. Low profile base with steady support. Thread-Lock Base

Plug-In Seriesis Springfield's most common system for aluminum pontoon boats. Plug-In Base

Permanent Pedestalssuch as the Clipper & Explorer.
Lakesport Seriesis available as both a removable and a permanent pedestal.

238 Seriesis available as both a removable and a permanent pedestal.

Bases are interchangeable between these two series. Lakesport Base
Permanent Pedestals This size is typically used for freshwater boats.

Permanent Pedestals are most often sold as a complete package (base, post & seat mount) If replacing just the seat mount, it should be the same brand as the rest of the pedestal.
2-7/8" Permanent Pedestalssuch as the Mainstay.

Plug-In Seriesis occasionally found in this size.
Seasport Seriesis a permanent bell pedestal. Permanent Pedestals Permanent Pedestals This size is typically used for saltwater boats.
3-1/2" Permanent Pedestals
4" Permanent Pedestals
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