Removable Seat - like on Work Release

dan365

Hello,

I'm not smart enough to figure out who the owner of Work Release is and there may be others with the same seat installed;

Santa brought me the seat which is installed on the aft cockpit wall of Work Release. However, each time I approach my beloved CD-22 with an electric drill, I begin to tremble.

Before I drill holes, I would love to hear from anyone who owns one, what they like, dislike about the seat. What precautions I should take in installing (what did you learn?). Its capacity and general stability (I have a 77 year old Dad who weighs in at 225 on a good day).

Thanks much,

Dan

MOOSE · Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 4:24 pm Post subject:

…..and I’d like to know if anyone has ever successfully incorporated one in the same position as Work Release, but on the port side. It’s where I like to sit to watch the fishing rod and the port-side position nicely balances a person at the helm, as in trolling. The obvious problem is the open cabin door, but if it could be held open at 90 degrees instead of 180, it would be a great spot for a seat. Also, one on each side, port and starboard, would be a nice compact solution to cockpit seating, perhaps with the door closed.
Al

dan365 · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 10:28 am Post subject:

Well, I'm within two hours of drilling holes in the cabin wall - any comments from Work Release on the topic of this seat?

Cheers,

Dan

Sea Wolf · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:43 am Post subject:

Moose (Al)- One way to solve your door/port side seat problem might be to split the door Dutch Door style. Leave the top open (will fold very flat against the bulkhead, and the bottom half can be left closed in the center, so that it doesn't interfere with the seat, and the half open door will allow communication with the helm and ventilation for the cabin Would have to add some hardware, of course, but worth thinking about?

Dan- Would this work for you, or are you going to install the seat on the starboard side?

Joe

MOOSE · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:45 am Post subject:

Let us know what you think of the seat and it's installation. I'm very close to ordering one (or two) myself.
Al

MOOSE · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:51 am Post subject:

Joe, I have to hand it to you. I would've never thought about cutting the door in half. I'm not sure I'd want to do it, but it is a novel approach.

I'm thinking about getting two of the seats, one for the starboard side and one for the port, and getting some extra mounting brackets. Perhaps one on the portside cabin wall and one on the combing for use with the door open. I'd also put another set of brackets under the helm seat so that the utility seat could be used there as a center seat.
Al

dan365 · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 5:36 pm Post subject:

I chickened out. It's sitting here ready to go and I've got everything I need except an opinion from someone who has already installed one...

It does not seem like the sturdiest thing but perhaps after mounting it will be more stable than I imagine. My fear is the my 225 lb. not so graceful, 77 year old Dad will plop down on it and it won't hold him.

I plan to mount it on the Starboard side, but do find the possibility of two, interesting - assuming they work.

I'll let you know when I work up the courage.

Cheers,

Dan

Work Release · Posted: Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:00 pm Post subject: Removable Seat

Hi Dan,
I answered your e-mail on the 2/7 and sent to <skydog365@yahoo.com>, sorry it didn't get to you.

The seat is very stable and easily supports my 230 pounds. I measured the height of a kitchen chair for my installation and would go a 1 inch lower if I did it again. There is a lot of support bolting the mounting brackets with 1/4" cap screws with nuts and pan washers through the cabin bulkhead. Most of the weight is going to the floor when your sitting on the chair. I cut some of the length off the legs.( I think they manufacture the legs with excess for different applications) The reason I went to this type of seat is it can store it away easily and be out of the weather when not needed. It stores away just fine under the wallas storage cabinet compartment using a bungee ( There is a picture in my photo album). Your Dad will enjoy setting out back in the sun and keep a eye on the fishing poles.

P.S. My boat is presently at the C-Dory Factory getting the Forward facing seat conversion, radar arch, inside hand rails and curtains installed so I cannot check to make sure exactly what size bolts I used for the mounting brackets. I do believe they were 1/4-20. If you would like I could call the factory and have them check the bolt size?

As for Moose's question about mounting the seat on the Port side. When the cabin door is open it may interfere with the seat and I believe it would take up a little more room in the back. The person sitting on the seat may feel a bit restricted because the open door, which would have to be tied opened would be right against their side when sitting. I realize that having the seat on the port side would balance the boat out better thou. One neat thing I saw at the boat show was a sliding door instead of a swinging since it takes up less room. Maybe C-Dory will take a look at this in the future.
Hope this helps,
Jim, Work Release

----- Original Message -----
From: <skydog365@yahoo.com>

I recently posted a note looking for opinions on the seat you have installed in the cockpit of your boat. I purchased the seat recently (but have not installed it yet). My reason for the purchase was primarily to accommodate my father's very occasional visit - he is 78 and quite unsteady. Fishing from my CD22 is difficult for him in all but the flatest water. B10 will be impossible without some sort of seat.

He weighs in at a good 225 and I'm concerned about the strength of the seat and its stability. Would you be so kind as to share your thoughts on the seat and any tips you might have discovered as to its installation?

Thank you,

Dan Sweet
Port Orchard, WA
sky365@yahoo.com

MOOSE · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 9:36 am Post subject:

Dan, you're just gonna have to go for it. I mean, look at it this way, the worst thing that could happen is you'll horribly disfigure your boat and regret the installation for the remainder of your miserable days! LOL
Al

dan365 · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 3:12 pm Post subject:

Jim,

Thank you for the respsonse - I must have a problem with my e-mail. You've told me everything I need to know - thanks again.

I'm fishing the Discovery Bay Derby this coming weekend but the following will be spent installing the seat. I think I like the little higher level that the legs provide as delivered. That will be less distance for my Dad to "plop" down and easier for him to get up again. The unit came with screws but I'll do as you say and install washer and nut with maybe a chunk of starboard for a backer.

Al, your right, its only a boat afterall - not.

Thanks again,

Dan

Sneaks · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 4:01 pm Post subject:

A quick question for the drillers, is that aft cabin wall cored? If so, what is the thickness of the core?

I'm a few rain free days away from mounting a charger on that wall inside the cabinet on the starboard side and don't want to thru-bolt lest I have to.

AnchortownJim · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:28 pm Post subject:

To answer your question, yes, the aft cabin wall is cored with balsa and is about a 1/2 in thick.

Jim
Coho

Sneaks · Posted: Mon Feb 14, 2005 5:59 pm Post subject:

Thanks, Jim

MOOSE · Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2005 7:28 pm Post subject:

Having just received at least part, the "U" leg support was missing from the order, of the side gunwale utility seat today, here's my initial take on it. It seems like it's generally good quality. My inclination would be to not mount it through the cabin bulkhead but to the hull below the combing, so as to sit somewhat side-saddle in the cockpit. First off, the cabin bulkhead is so purdy, I'd hate to drill into it. I am inclined to believe that if one were to pop rivet the mounting brackets to a strip of, say aluminum, that it could be attached to the inside of the hull, halfway between the combing and the first hull strake up from the cockpit floor, which seems about the right height, with 3M 5200. It's an unobtrusive location. The only reason I'd first pop rivet it to an aluminum strip would be to provide more surface area on which to bond the 5200, although it might work just adhereing the brackets directly if one were not a particular lard-a__. 5200 is grudgingly strong and I'd be willing to bet it would support one end of this seat in most circumstances. I'd mount the seat (or seats if we decide on two) over the molded cockpit step. That would still allow the door to be in the opened and latched postion but to still utilize the seat. For temporary use, comfort could be increased through a strategically place boat cushion as a backrest. In summary, these seats seem great. They would store easily propped under the combing and would provide a lot of comfort for a minimum investment in dollars and storage space.
Al

MOOSE · Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2005 1:07 pm Post subject:

By way of an update, I just finished installing two of the utility jump seats in the MOOSE and I think they're gonna be great. I ended up mounting one each on the port and starboard sides of the cabin bulkhead. Each is about 4 1/2" from the door opening and the top of the seat is 17" from the cockpit floor, same as your dining room chairs. I drilled completely through the bulkhead and mounted the brackets with bolts, washers, and locknuts.The brackets appear surprisingly low and in fact do not particularly ruin the aesthetics of the bulkhead. I can slide a 70 qt. cooler in between the two seats, throw a couple of boat cushions on top and, voila, turn it into a bench seat. The boat cushions can also be used as additional backrest padding on the bulkhead, which even unpadded is not at all uncomfortable, or hung off the gunwhales to enable sitting sidesaddle, as it were. The portside seat obviously interferes with opening the door completely, but a 4" door latch popriveted to the chair's aluminum allows the door to stand open at 90 degrees. Both seats are easily removed and can be bungeed along the combing without taking up a lot of valuable space. All in all, I think these are going to be a great addition to comfort on the MOOSE.
Al