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A better folding bench seat for RIB's
Hi everyone.
I new to the forum, but not to boats and RIBS in particular.
Am I asking for too much here? your commments or ideas appreciated.
I've seen folding bench seats built by UniHelm and another built by EuroHelm, but both are high dollar outfits and they're not exactly my minds eye of best fit/use, on any RIB, but that's me.
My boat is only a ten foot caribe and I don't want a helm; just steer by tiller w/one arm behind a low seat back. For the duration of my trips around the harbor or out at Catalina, this is not untennable. Plus, I like keeping boats simple, except for sitting on a tube getting wet buns.
So, what I'm thinking of is a similar kind of tubular frame as the above seats, but with the side rails extending out to just inside the overall tube width and curved to a profile of the tube radius [+1-2" to keep it off the tube]. This would enable it's use a grab rail to assist getting back in boat, with the use of a simple side board rope ladder. Even ignoring use as an overboard grab rail, it would make more sense to run the seat surface out a bit further to accomodate the pilot and passenger a little more comfortable, especiall when both might be fishing.
Also, instead of vinyl covered foam cushion seating, I'd rather have the same general seat design, but with a seat and back panel made of 'Starboard' slats and just snap on a couple of high density cushions such as the 1.5" used as cockpit lazarrete cushions in sailboats.
This way you can leave the whole seat config in place and exposed to weather after wash down and not worry about taking care of vinyl covered cushions.
Am I asking too much here?
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