storage under fly bridge seat

[John Vyn]

Hi all. I have a sport fisher model and with not too much room below, I'd like to store life jackets and flairs in a box under the fly bridge seat. Does anyone have a great working design I could build or buy?

[Tony Meola]

Do you still have the bench seat?

It is easy enough to build a box. I have a tackle box under mine, that has to rebuilt, but it lasted over 30 years made of plywood with white formica on the outside.

[John Vyn]

Yes Tony, I still have the bench seat. But I think I'm looking for an all fiberglass box with easy access.

[Tony Meola]

John

I had sliding doors on mine. You could also do drop downs but they would could get in the way. I took out the middle support leg and used the box for the support. You just need to measure out how long you want the box, measure the on each side of the crown for height, then take off a half inch too allow for the crown and then add a couple of feet. I took the bolts out of the hinge brackets. replaced them with longer bolts and used them to attach the box to the seat. The depth of the box should be the same as the bench seat. If it is too deep it will be in the way.

Any good glass can make you one, but you want to keep it as light as possible. Today you have access to material like Azek, coosa board etc to make up a box.

[Rocket]

I had a good metal fabrication shop make me a box one out of aluminum. Top hinged gasketed door with gas shocks to hold it up, high quality stainless hinges and latching hardware, make sure to paint it inside and out, the inside oxidizes like crazy otherwise. A good custom fab shop can make it in any size you want to fit the available space

[Wursty]

I have exactly what you are describing; fiberglass box with 3 fold down seats. Fiberglass box is at a good height for seats that are mounted an aluminum slide. The back side of box has fold down access hatch that can hold a lot. I keep 6 life jackets, 2 fenders and all my docking lines. Only issue is getting over the box and seats to get to the helm but it's not too difficult to sit and slide legs over. if you want pictures or measurements let me know.

[John Vyn]

I'd love to see pictures. I'll probably start that project in a month or so.