Fwd deck seat

[jrslost@aol.com]

Wife wants a fwd exterior deck seat on our ‘25 cruiser. Any ideas ?

[jkidd]

I know that would be illegal at Lake Powell, Flaming Gorge and Yellowstone. You can sit on the bow if you straddle one of the stanchions for the bow rail and don't block the view of the pilot. Also need to be at displacement speed. I'm not sure what other states would say.

[Schuster]

Would this be use while at anchor or underway? From my personal experience with the 25' i'm not inclined to allow anybody on the bow while underway as it creates a possible safety hazard. There are too many unexpected instances which require immediate response from the pilot possibly throwing a person on the bow off balance. I find just setting the anchor can be enough challenge for someone going forward to the bow. Maybe the Tom Cats are better equipped for this, or a bowrider boat of some sort.

[Foggy]

IMHO sitting forward on the deck of just about any boat under way, in my experience,
is most common in people who don't know what they are doing.

Yes, it seems like fun; fresh air, maybe a little water spray, less engine noise,
solitude, maybe spot a sea critter...

However (the nullifier), on a moving vessel, bow riding (sitting on the actual bow
deck, gunwale or pulpit is dangerous* and illegal in many states. Most commercial
vessels will not permit passengers to even walk around forward of a given point
on the vessel bow once under way. Ever wonder, why? Moreover, the forward
bow, even when seated, is the most uncomfortable place to sit from an excess
movement standpoint.

On a C-Dory type/size motor vessel making headway into anything but calm seas,
seated aft is the place to be, not forward.

Aye.

*

[Foggy]

[thataway]

Agree with Foggy 100%. I have a bow seat on my Caracal Cat--but that is configured as a bass boat, with a trolling motor forward, and used at trolling motor speeds. We will be eliminating the socket for that pedestal mounted seat during our redo of the boat.

A bass boat type seat would be the only seat allowed by many states, and that is used at fishing speeds only. If you have seen a person chopped up by any propeller it is a very gruesome site.

If your wife wants a "seat" when anchored or in the marina, there are some semi seats offered by West marine. Even the super yachts which have a bow seating area, it is in a well. Many side range boats have a bench seat built in in front of a Portuguese bridge. In these boats there are substantial lifelines and railings, and the seats are at least 10 feet in back of the bow. I would not allow any passenger on the side deck or foredeck when underway on the Symbol 42 aft cabin, sundeck Motor Yacht which ran at "Trawler Speeds".

[ssobol]

As far as the rules usually go, if there is a factory seat at/on the bow, you can sit there while the boat is in motion. For example, some Ranger Tug 27s and 29s have fold up seats on the top of the bow trunk. These are legit seats. A folding chair on the bow is not.

FWIW, in a lot of places you cannot sit on the gunwhales either, even if both legs are inside the boat.

My wife sometimes used to sit on a floatation cushion on the forward trunk of my 22. Got yelled at by the DC water police a number of times.

[Hunkydory]

I agree with the opinions overall, saying the bow of a C-Dory boat is not a safe place to have a seat set up, but also in our CD22, experienced safe enough at least for us, exceptions to this, by sitting directly behind the anchor & cleat with legs hanging on the sides of the bow & using a canoe seat with back support. This for us has always been at slow displacement speed in calm water without other boats in the area & never on ocean outside waters. The raised hatch area, helps with back support & stability & the bow rail is there for support to both sides & the front. When we transitioned from scanoe & rubber inflatable, the only thing we missed was the open air forward view & my wife JoLee, loved riding far forward in the scanoe & then in the C-Dory, that was her favorite seat under the right conditions. Installing the windless, made the sitting space to small & uncomfortable, except for very short time periods. Here’s some of our memorable times doing this at Lake Powell exploring narrow canyons, on Lake Larbarge trying to avoid rocks, as we searched for the Yukon River exit & on Endicott Arm of Holkum Bay after exiting Ford Terror in SE Alaska. The last photo is my youngest son & family as we near our campsite near the head of Davis Gulch, Lake Powell. I’ve been known to accept some risk depending on the value of the deed associated with it, but in my personal risk assessment these photos show very little risk at all. The monitors are few, where we do most of our boating. I’ve never been stopped & questioned or boarded by any boating law enforcement in all of our years of boating. Once, when at anchor on Yellowstone Lake, I had a Ranger stop by just for a friendly chat.

[thataway]

Hi Jay, If anyone was seen by any LEO with their legs over the bow, where I live in Escambia Co, Fl you would automatically get a ticket, no second chance. We have had at least two deaths from people falling off the bow as Jolee is sitting at slow speeds. I agree with you that it seems like an exceptable risk, with the anchor roller right there. Some folks even have bow seats when there are 2 courses of tubing between the legs of the pulpit. Sail boats were commonly seen with crew with legs hanging to get as much weight as possible outboard of the railing. Some race instructions now call that a disqualifying offense.

Take care,

Bob

[Foggy]