TyBoo's Forward Facing Seat Conversion

[cbadmin]

From: Mike (Original Message) Sent: 9/9/2003 7:23 PM
Nine pictures (starting here) have been added to the Cabin, Interior Detail Pics album showing the stages of developing the convertible dinette seat. Soon I will get some more pictures of the finished project showing the seat set up in the two different configurations.

The TyBoo is a 1987 22' Cruiser with the older style of Decragaurd plywood used in the interior construction. Because the identical material is not readily available locally, I used oak plywood and some solid oak to build the wood pieces. It was colored with Golden Oak stain and finished with marine spar varnish. The match is pretty good, and should get closer as the shine goes off the new varnish.

This project, while easy to do, has made a dramatic improvement in the enjoyment of the boat. I had been thinking for quite some time of ways to make it work, because my wife despised having to sit sideways when cruising. She was also adamant that whatever I did to it, there must be absolutely no loss of storage space. The design we settled on actually provides more usable storage - both in cubic inches and efficiency. Cool. Everybody's happy!

The new components added a small amount of weight, but subtracting the weight of the pieces replaced, it is certainly well below 50 additional pounds. Without even considering the great feature of the passenger being able to sit facing out the front window, that small amount of weight is well worth packing around to gain the benefit of the drawers and the long storage rack I was able to fit along the port side of the cabin wall. (The rack was made for storing the collapsible deck chairs, and turned out to have extra room for other junk.) There is also another small shelf stuck in there for stowing the window curtains.

Already added is a small fold-up table for use when the seat is faced forward. Next on the list is a fold-down armrest. I have the material and hardware to make it, and my wife will cushion and cover it, and we will get that in when we're done fishing.

The dinette can still be used as a bunk; in fact, getting it set up as one is now much easier. The original seat cushions are used, with slight and simple modification. To the seat back cushion, I added a stiffener inside the zippered cover behind the foam piece, and also added one more snap to hold it in the new position. When set up as a dinette seat, the original snaps hold it in place. The seat bottom was fitted with a couple extra locating slats on the underside, and the original one was repositioned. The seat bottom cushion can be removed to access the top storage section beneath it, but does not need to be moved or adjusted to convert the seat or make up the bunk.

We are extremely pleased with the way this project worked out. My wife says it is the best thing we've ever done to the boat. To convert from the conventional seat at the dinette table to forward facing for cruising takes about 20 seconds. It is converted back just as easily. Even with the new seat box fully loaded with stowed items, the effort required to move it from one position to the other is minimal. Everything about this project was a plus. Converting the seat is simple, there is more usable storage, no creaks, squeaks or rattles, the finished cabin is more attractive, my wife is much more comfortable when cruising for hours, and she even lets me drive more!

It is actually quite easy to make this or a similar conversion. The only thing used in the TyBoo project that is not off-the-shelf are a couple of machined pieces that aren't really even necessary, and the slide/guide rod contraption. There are other ways to make a track to guide the seat box that would incorporate the same principles of weight distribution when moving it from one configuration to the other, and it could be done using common materials just as efficiently. David on Anna Leigh came up with a marvelously simple and effective method of keeping the seat box aligned, and if storage of heavy stuff inside the seat box is not a necessity, those nifty hinges are a great solution. There have been other ideas floated to accomplish the goal, as well. Whichever method of converting the seat to forward facing is used, it is well worth the effort.

More pictures and details coming soon.

Mike


From: MichaelOnTheClaraMae Sent: 9/11/2003 7:28 AM
Mike,

I have to tell you, one of our decisions to go with the CD-25 was the lack of a forward facing seat in the 22. What you have done here is absolutely fabulous and is going to "liberate" a lot of CD-22 passengers when their skippers follow your lead and make this modification.

Michael

From: Mike Sent: 9/11/2003 7:46 AM
Thanks, Michael. I would suspect that a lot of folks have been thinking about it for a while. It looks like quite an undertaking when studying the way it comes from the factory. It's one of those deals where you have to think inside the box, instead of outside. To tell you the truth, once the idea came together (we were cruising over to Blakely Island when it hit), it probably took less time to do the conversion than it did to make all those picture with the yellow words on them!

I will get the rest of the pics posted one of these days soon.

From: 2nd Byte Sent: 9/11/2003 3:13 PM
Great job on the forward facing seat conversion Mike. The pictures clear up a lot of the questions that I had. I realize that the lines and dialog accompanying the pictures was above and beyond the "line of duty" but your efforts are sure appreciated. Very innovative and I would be surprised if
C-Dory didn't pick up on the desireability and wisdom of incorporating a forward facing seat arrangement as an option at least in a new unit.

Next spring I figured I could just drop the boat in the water and go.........now it seems I may have a project before it slips off the trailer.

Mark

From: Mike Sent: 9/11/2003 10:41 PM
Another half dozen pictures have been added, starting here, of the new convertible seat on the TyBoo.

From: Fun Patrol Sent: 9/30/2003 1:46 PM
Nice job Mike!

I never knew I had a problem with the seating arrangement but I'd better not let Gail read this. She's been happy sitting in the aft seat with her feet up. We always considered the Porta-Poti the weak point.

I lost it somewhere, but where do you buy your plastic lumber?

Roy

From: Mike Sent: 9/30/2003 4:57 PM
Thanks, Roy. If your wife is happy sitting where she does, you had best not be changing things. A happy wife can greatly enhance the cruise!

I found that plastic lumber at Home Depot over by the outdoor molding and trim stuff. They call it Never Rot. Here is a link to what looks to be the exact same stuff that someone found for us and posted on another thread.

Try to be frugal with your use of the stuff. B~C gets really worried about us depleting the forrest of old-growth plastic trees.

Mike

From: Redƒox Sent: 9/30/2003 7:04 PM
Hey that Lexan stuff inspired me Mike, now this! I love it... gonna get some.

From: Fun Patrol Sent: 10/1/2003 9:57 AM
Thanks Mike

I was given a demonstration of a machine a guy in Cabo San Lucas had built that took plastic trash...plentiful in Mexico, and spit out sections of what would amount to 2 by 6 lumber. Interesting pattern, depending on what went in. It just melted all this down, and pumped it through a mold. He was planning on building boat docks with it.

Later, Roy