Walkaround Cuddies - Adding extra seats?

[The Famous Grouse]

Walkaround cuddy owners, I need your help and ideas.

I'm looking to buy a 21-23 foot walkaround and regardless of brand the biggest issue I'm seeing is that aside from the captain's seat and 1 passenger seat most walkarounds offer absolutely nothing in terms of comfortable seating for passengers.

I need a boat that the family can use and it needs to seat at least 4 comfortably and preferably 6 adults.

A few boats like Trophy offer a rear bench seat that looks reasonable, but most boats just have little pads on top of baitwells or whatever, which would be fine for sitting for about 10 freaking minutes and then your passengers would be uncomfortable.

So here's my question: Have any of you added either of these options:

- Pedestal bases and swivel seats that are behind the 2 seats on the bridge, about halfway between the captain's chair and the transom?

To me this looks like an idea option because you could remove the seats when not needed and as long as you used flush-mount pedestal bases there wouldn't be a big deck obstruction.

Anyone done this?

- Or has anyone had a custom made bench seat fitted along the comb (side) of the boat either in an L configuration (running down the comb from behind the passenger's seat and then across the back of the transom, for example) or just a bench seat along one comb or the other?

Now keep in mind I'm not asking about a fishing configuration here, believe me, I get the fact that no productive fishing can be done with the configurations I'm talking about. I understand the reason why they are designed with open cockpits.

But here's the deal. If Daddy wants to be happy fishing sometimes, Mamma's gotta be happy with the layout as a family fun boat or there ain't gonna be no walkaround parked in Daddy's driveway. Copeiche?

So please give me your opinions and if you've modified your walkaround to handle more passengers, pics would be fantastic.

Or maybe I'm looking at all the wrong boats. I'm looking at Trophy, Seaswirl, Pro Line, Grady White, and a few others and they all have a serious lack of anything but 2 seats in the footage I'm looking at.

Grouse

 

[blouderback]

Re: Walkaround Cuddies - Adding extra seats?

How about foldable deck chairs?

 

[The Famous Grouse]

Re: Walkaround Cuddies - Adding extra seats?

Bob, I just can't see folding chairs being a safe option.

In any kind of swells at all or when running where there's a lot of wake from heavy traffic, the passengers could easily be thrown off their seats or the chairs could skid or slip on the deck because there is no carpet in the cockpit as there is on most pleasure boats like bow riders.

It would be fine for trolling speeds, but that's not my problem, when I'm trolling it's me and one other guy in the boat at most.

Grouse

 

[dingbat]

Re: Walkaround Cuddies - Adding extra seats?

I'm running a 22' Grady WA that doubles at times as a family boat as well. Mostly cruising and dock hopping with family and friends.


Seating has never been an issue. When running Mama gets the mates chairs and the kid leviate toward the rear facing jumps seats so they can watch the prop while running. When anchored Mama goes up and lays on the front sun pad and the girls hang out in the back with me doing what ever.

With couples on board the guys end up at the helm and the girls go for the jump seats or the seats back by the motor. At rest the ladies always end up seating on the bow.

When bottom fishing we'll sometime break out the deck chairs and sit on the deck. Bought three, not cheap, but they are very comfortable if just kicking back for the evening.

 

[stormy weathers]

Re: Walkaround Cuddies - Adding extra seats?

I AGREE WITH DING BAT. NEVER BEEN A ISSUE. I RUN OUT IN THE GULF COAST. I DID BUY 2 BEAN BAG CHAIRS (LITE COLOR). WORKS GREAT DRIFT FISHING OR GOING OUT TO MY HONEY HOLES. THE CUDDY GETS A A LITTLE HOT DURING SUMMER. AND AS IT SOUNDS YOU HAVE A LARGE CLAN- SO YOU WILL BE BAITING RODS, GETTING DRINKS ETC, ETC. AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE MUCH TIME SITTING!!!!! BEST OF LUCK