The helm seat replacement has been discussed several times since I've joined C-brats. We all have different answers.
If you look in Two Bears photos at the "Mods" album at the end is my 4th generation seat. I think I've finally got it right - for me! It is a tractor seat found at a local agricultural products store, but I bet you can find it on line.
It slides for and aft and folds flat. To fold the seat back the seat must slide forward to allow the bottom of the seat back to rise up. When you drop the arms we lay a small sheet of plywood on the seat which makes a much larger kitchen working area. The plywood comes from replacing the under-cabinet door closest to the back of the cabin. When it was open you can't get out the door, so I removed it and replaced it with a piece of 1/4 ply with a "lip" to hold it at the bottom and a lever arm on top. So when the boat is moving the plywood work deck has a different job.
I also set up the seat to turn 90 degrees when needed. It does not swivel, but instead it lifts up, gets turned and set down facing the center aisle. I mounted the seat on a piece of 1/2 ply. The whole thing is held in place by a threaded thumb screw into a mounted nut in the cabinet below. The plywood sits on three 5/8" dowels that come up from the fridge cabinet below. Pick up the ply and the holes are aligned when turned 90 degrees. It only takes a minute to unscrew and turn the seat. When we have visitors at a dock it's nice to have extra seating inside.
Chuck
