stern rail mounted seats

[allen-deckard]

I saw a boat cant remember the brand a couple years ago that had a stern mounted seat on each side. The boat was about the size of our catalina 22 boats but those seats always made me very envious since they looked so cool.

I'm thinking this fall it might be a fun project was out on the big blue today and was sitting on the stern rail and was thinkin gee wouldn't it be cool to have a seat right here.

So I'm gonna try it only issue is finding a good mount. Started lookin today on the net cause I cant believe nobody else has done it and I hate reinventing the wheel when someone else is already doing it and selling it so thought I'd ask if anyone has something similar or has seen one and where they got it or if they made it themselves.

Anyway thanks for any help.

 

[boblufkin]

I have one built by the prior owner. Will post a pic next time I'm on the boat. I have never used it.

 

[CaptDon01]

Probably saw a P-23. Don't want all that weight in the stern on a C -22. On a 22ish size boat it 's a marketing thing, nothing practical about it but maybe a little "cool factor".

 

[allen-deckard]

ee I don't race nor any intention to. Live in the keys so typically I set the autopilot and look over the edge at the teal waters and dolphins following so the cool factor is what I like hehe.

If I was worried about the weight I wouldn't have a 9.9 big foot with electric start and tilt but I love my new outboard as well. After installing that I noticed about 1.5 inches drop in the stern not enough for me to worry about.
If I was can racing I'd have never done a lot of what I've done but wouldn't give up any of it.

Anyway for the amount of time I spend sitting on the rear rail I thought a seat would be nice heck just one of those plastic folding ones that folds in half. I've seen a lot of them that just have a board that sits diagonal on the rail that would be easy to install and look nice but like you said I'm goin for the cool factor hehe.

I'll look up that p-23 anyway and see what that is. Wish I would have takin better pictures when I was at the Annapolis boat show where I saw it but oh well I'll figure something out.

 

[ShotgunSlim]

I love sitting on the stern rail myself and had previously sailed on a boat with rail seats. My boat is just so small in the cockpit area that I really didn't want to clutter it up with another thing to try and work around so as a compromise, I took some pool noodle foam, slit it lengthwise to go around the stern pulpit railing and made a snap on sunbrella cover for it. It's much nicer now to sit on or lean up against and was very affordable. Being able to pull one off for something to float on when you go for a swim is a nice benefit too.

 

[$tingy Sailor]

I had the same idea when I first saw them. At that time, I sat on the stern rail to steer out of slips and other tight places using the outboard tiller and the rudder lashed to center. I made a prototype with cheap plywood and three of these white 1" pole clips.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/producttableview.aspx?zpid=27694

At first, I shaped it to include a cup holder (you can never have too many, right?). Testing it on the water proved it to be too big. Sitting on it caused it to pivot forward and come loose and I'm not a big guy (180#). So I cut it down to the minimum, a fat boomerang shape. That worked better, but the seat was sometimes in the way of getting at the outboard. About the same time, I committed to locking the outboard in position and steering only with the rudder. Once I got the hang of maneuvering in tight spaces and anticipating prop walk, I didn't have any need to sit on the rail anymore and scuttled the prototype.

They do look handy, but unnecessary for me. Let us know how it turns out for ya.

 

[allen-deckard]

well it's a winter/fall project to damn hot out to mess with it right now.
I thought of trying something like these
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/380923645546

like 2 of them in the corner facing inward toward each other.

Who knows I might change my mind and scrap the entire idea but I like the idea of it anyway.

 

[$tingy Sailor]

I think body weight would put a lot of torque on those and twist them on the railing. Don Casey shows a couple of variations on this using canvas or plywood in his 100 Fast and Easy Boat Improvements book. The canvas option would be really comfortable, like sitting in a taught hammock but I didn't see an easy way to fasten it to the C22 pushpit since it only has a top rail and it would interfere with the backstay. There is a picture showing how to attach a plywood seat to the railing using clamp-on stanchion eyes that might work if fastened lower, though. See the attachment.

 

[allen-deckard]

ok worlds worst picture ever and I apologize

I'm better at building than drawing obviously hehe.

What I was thinking though is with the seat secured to the brackets the 90 deg angle where they are facing each other the brackets couldn't rotate downward because the rotation pressure would be placed on the teak or whatever wood of the seat and since they are facing each other again at 90 deg angle it "should" prevent rotation.

Anyway it might be more fun to build than I'll like it but it should be fun.

 

[$tingy Sailor]

True, if you use some stout plywood. I tried 1/2" CDX and it flexed a lot. Using pole clamps also makes it removable to minimize weathering and, more importantly, from becoming a bird toilet

 

[Drinkmilk]

I love the boat bikini top, er... rail seats drawing. Lol

Seriously though, I'll be following your successes/goofs as my kids would like stern rail seats, too, just to see where we're headed. I'm not for reinventing the wheel either. Might there be a step or something from a hot tub/pool store to modify? Just adding to the brainstorming.

"Bird toilet." Nice.