Valiant 520

[gc123]

Hi

I have a 2008 Valiant 520 with an 80hp optimax engine. The current configuration doesn’t really work well with a console towards the rear and a heavy engine. There is a bench seat behind the console and a cooler box in front of console.

Ideally I would like to change the configuration by moving console forward, potentially adding a double jockey seat in place of the relatively useless cooler box. This would probably mean Geri f rid of bench seat n place of a single jockey.

There just seems to be too much weight towards the back and it’s not great then in more inclement conditions.

Any advice would be really helpful.

[beerbelly]

I have a valiant 570 and have just completed what you are thinking of .I moved the console forward and to the left moved the bench seat back and fitted a pair of side by side single jockey seats .I have a 25 litre fuel tank in the bench in front of the console and one in the rear bench . i have only been out in it twice since completion but it feels good .(my console was not right at the back like the 520 at the start it was more mid ship and is now slightly ahead of mid)

[gc123]

Hi

Was this a difficult process ? and where did you did the best place to get the jockey seats as they can be pretty expensive from what I can see.

Thanks

[two stroke mick]

I have a Dr 490. I also found it too light on the bow. I carried out substantial modifications. See attached thread.

http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/valiant-upgrades-54234.html




Regards

TSM

[gc123]

Thanks for the information

[beerbelly]

I got my jockey seats new from powerboat sales Ribs4U Rigid Inflatable Boat RIB sales at affordable prices – Humber, Valiant, Mariner and Mercury plus jockey seats and consoles
about £450 each there very good quality with internal flange .
as my battery and all electrics / control cables ect are in the console the most awkward part of the job was re routing everything through another hole in the deck . but I then went on to re rout and tidy all the wiring using square panel trunking .I fitted a new access hatch to the front of the console new fused switches earth system ect .I moved the boat into my warm workshop and used any quiet time in between paying jobs over this last winter and really enjoyed it with no time limit or rush

[prinz]

I mate a little change to my old v 520 and I really loved it

[gc123]

Prinz

Where did you get the seat you have in front of your console. My valiant has a cooler box in front of console but it’s not very practical

I have been searching for something like this as I have the back rest on the console.

G

[beerbelly]

his is a combined seat console mine has a separate storage box it is a valiant item butjust like the generic ones found on ebay although moving my console forward took my storage box/seat into the area where the bow starts to go into a point so I had to cut six inches out of it to make it narower