Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

[WEH]

Anyone out there have any experience with those boat seat clamps, the adjustable ones that are supposed to fit almost any bench-type seat?<br />My wife and I both need back supports (and the padded seat is nice too) but most rental fishing boats don't come with seats with backs.<br />Is there any better alternative to the clamp-on type seat mounts?<br />Thanks,

 

[crab bait]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

there's a 'stadium seat' i see sold around & abooout...it's a self contained seat & backrest.. it works by sittin'down on it an your own wieght makes the backrest work.<br /><br />also,,seen them in conoe shops .. <br /><br />there simple & cheap price & compact..

 

[Stubby]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

crappy cruncher:<br /><br />I had the brackets that you mentioned. I think they would work fairly well for your situation. After a two or three times out in my boat however, the clamps would come loose and I would have to re-tighten them. They are pretty easy to install though - just tighten a few nuts.<br /><br /> <br />Jason

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

I've got a set and if you are worried about your paint, get something different. Taking them on and off plus moving around tends to scratch the paint up a lot. I don't care too much as my boat is ugly to start with, but rental places might.<br /><br />I guess you could add some garden hose or something onto the bracket and put them on carefully.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

i use those clamp-on, padded, fold-down seats in my little river boat too. and don't worry about the rubbing either. they are great, on/off is ez. and i slide it to one side alittle for better access to the tiller handle.<br /><br />they came with rubber coating on the clamps, but eventually tore,rubbed off. you could use the plastic-dip stuff, or even duct tape

 

[Scoop]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

Good questions CC. I am looking at the same thing for my boat. Heck I don't have a place on my boat that isn't scratched. They have them at Cabelas. I am probably going to get mine at Fleet Farm.<br /><br />On the loosening, would putting a lock nuts on the clamps work better? What about wood to make a larger flat surface for the clamps to hold onto? My boat came with broken seats and a bad attempt at using butterfly bolts to hold seats on. I will also need to remove my seats to make room for the bike rack I will need to put in my boat for vacations.

 

[WEH]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

Thanks for the input. Keep it commin'.<br />Some kind of padded tubing around the part that contacts the boat should help any scratching but I've yet to see a rental boat that it would hurt, or anyone could tell if a new scratch had been added. With what it costs to rent a boat for a day I doubt anyone would say anything about marks left by my seat clamps anyway. Could happen though, I guess - people are sorta strange sometimes. Other people that is. You are all okay and I'm okay. It's the other people we gotta look out for.<br />Anyone have any trouble with the seats comming off if you lean back on the back of the seat?<br />Thanks,

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

yep lol. if the clamp is real loose and you make like you're gonna rip a jaw outta the fish, you might just end up doing a backflip! hehe <br /><br />i only really had trouble when turned sideways, parallel to the clamps.

 

[WEH]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

Scoop had a couple of points that I missed in my last post. If the clamps are loosening then it seems that lock nuts would help but if something is shifting, the seat giving under the pressure of the clamp for example, then lock nuts wouldn't help. Any comments?<br /><br />Also, about increasing the surface contact area with a piece of wood - my gut feeling is that this may be counterproductive. Unless the surface pressure from the clamp can be increased a lot, without breaking the clamp, increasing the surface contact area will actually lower the contact pressure lbs/square inch. It's like putting really wide tires on your SUV. It actually decreases traction. IF the wood were attached to the seat it would maybe help keep the thing from loosening - giving a more firm, less flexible contact point. But, that's just my undocumented opinion.<br /><br />Disclaimer: I'm an engineer, keep your expectations fairly low please.<br /><br />Thanks,

 

[Tacklewasher]

Re: Portable Boat Seat / Boat Seat Clamp

On the tipping issue. I've had several people try to balance themselves against the front seat as they get in/out. Very bad idea. These things are stable front to back, but not side to side. If you put a swivel seat on one, swivel parralel to the seat and lean back, you can go over pretty easily. I've learned not to do this (I put my feet up on the seat in front of me) and am fine but am always warning others about it.<br /><br />They also hold better on some kind of seats. Mine are form aluminum with no lip at the top and are the worst. I helpded put 2X4's as seats in my friends boat and my clamps work much better there. I'm waiting for my dad to part with his cartopper as the seats in his are nicer.<br /><br />Remember, after all of the above, I use mine every time I go out in this boat. I have some back problems and this is the best solution I've come up with. The padded seats are comfortable and give me good support while letting me shift where I sit depending on if I am alone or with someone. I do think you should go for these as I think they are the best non-permanent solution, just be careful with them.