I am contemplating the addition of a gas strut like those used on automobile deck lids to the hinged lazarette seat on my Beneteau 323. The seat has no support in the Up position and I have gotten "beaned" by it when reaching into the area below to retrieve a boat hook. Has anyone ever done one of these? I know the struts are available in Stainless steel through West Marine, and also Sierra. My concern is how to reinforce the bracket attachment points. That seat section weighs about 40-50 pounds and includes both the seating surface and the seatback.
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Gas Strut
Easy fix is to epoxy a piece of 3/4 inch plywood at the attachment points, and cover with fiberglass. pre drill holes, and use stainless steel carriage bolts. You may need to engineer some sort of plate for the fixed end of the strut.( The end attached to the lazerette) Shouldn't be too terribly involved. Larry Wilson
Easy fix is to epoxy a piece of 3/4 inch plywood at the attachment points, and cover with fiberglass. pre drill holes, and use stainless steel carriage bolts. You may need to engineer some sort of plate for the fixed end of the strut.( The end attached to the lazerette) Shouldn't be too terribly involved. Larry Wilson
Doug, do it!
We had a 85 Chevy Blazer in '85. The struts used stainless hardware. I bought the same parts and installed Chevrolet hardware and marine struts 20 years ago. They should be standard equipment by now?!
We had a 85 Chevy Blazer in '85. The struts used stainless hardware. I bought the same parts and installed Chevrolet hardware and marine struts 20 years ago. They should be standard equipment by now?!
BTDT
My 76 Pearson had those springs that evrybody pushes instead of pulls even though it plainly said pull the spring to release. I upgraded by adding the struts. I was told that Napa sells the exact same strut as WM but for less. They also have the brackets. It took a few attempts but I was able to use the existing holes with through bolts. http://treilley.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album10 Tim R.
My 76 Pearson had those springs that evrybody pushes instead of pulls even though it plainly said pull the spring to release. I upgraded by adding the struts. I was told that Napa sells the exact same strut as WM but for less. They also have the brackets. It took a few attempts but I was able to use the existing holes with through bolts. http://treilley.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album10 Tim R.
may have to orient it crosswise
When I read in BoatUS's insurance magazine Seaworthy that a yard worker lost 3 fingers when a fiberglass seat slammed on him I knew I had to do struts on my seat--it's heavy and would easily do the same thing to yours truly! I think Larry's method of glassing in a wooden piece is going to be the right thing to do. You'll want to make sure the screw-in bulb that holds the end of the strut is not too deep for the piece of wood. On my '87 Cal 28 there isn't a good way to anchor the lower part of the strut if you try the classic straight up and down orientation of a car hatchback, but I found that I could set up the strut on the liner under the seatback so that the strut opens diagonally with a kind of circular motion. I don't know if that's a problem on the Beneteau but many boats will require some creativity in positioning the lower part of the strut. And in case you notice, the struts seem to come in a variety of pressures--20 and 60 being common in the marine stainless. I find the 20 to be a lot of pressure so I think the 60 wouldn't be needed for just a normal size fiberglass seat.
When I read in BoatUS's insurance magazine Seaworthy that a yard worker lost 3 fingers when a fiberglass seat slammed on him I knew I had to do struts on my seat--it's heavy and would easily do the same thing to yours truly! I think Larry's method of glassing in a wooden piece is going to be the right thing to do. You'll want to make sure the screw-in bulb that holds the end of the strut is not too deep for the piece of wood. On my '87 Cal 28 there isn't a good way to anchor the lower part of the strut if you try the classic straight up and down orientation of a car hatchback, but I found that I could set up the strut on the liner under the seatback so that the strut opens diagonally with a kind of circular motion. I don't know if that's a problem on the Beneteau but many boats will require some creativity in positioning the lower part of the strut. And in case you notice, the struts seem to come in a variety of pressures--20 and 60 being common in the marine stainless. I find the 20 to be a lot of pressure so I think the 60 wouldn't be needed for just a normal size fiberglass seat.
gas strut
Doug, I'm with you! I have the OC 400 and that hatch lid is heavy! I've been wanting to do this for years! The problem, as I see it, is that the seat back opens so far that it forms a 180 degree angle instead of the app. 90 degree angle that a hatchback door makes. I've got one of the mechanical engineers at work looking into mounting schemes. If anyone has already done this, pics would be great!
Doug, I'm with you! I have the OC 400 and that hatch lid is heavy! I've been wanting to do this for years! The problem, as I see it, is that the seat back opens so far that it forms a 180 degree angle instead of the app. 90 degree angle that a hatchback door makes. I've got one of the mechanical engineers at work looking into mounting schemes. If anyone has already done this, pics would be great!
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