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Finally got to take boat out for shakedown today and realized how awful that stock bench seat on the fly bridge is it is way to low would love to be sitting higher i just wanted to pick your brain or see some pictures of how some of you may have modified your seats. i hate drilling holes i was thinking of using existing mounts and putting aluminum plate across and then mount a pedestal type seats to that any ideas would be helpful thanks

Bertram20:

My 1988 bench is about the perfect height. I had it extended the full length to sit 4 and made a cut out - indent at the helm about 4 inches deep so that when I am standing up while running, the bench doesn't cut into my calves. It works really well. I am not sure what year you have or the height so ours could be different?

Mark

Bertram20,

I agree that the bench is low BUT it is comfortable especially if you place your feet against the corners of the leaning forward space. Also, you can avoid spray by lowering your head and thus be protected by the glass.

There is a pic somewhere of a 28 bridge seating (somewhere in yachtworld I think) modified, so that it has an"L" shape. The short leg of the L is a longitudinal bench that goes from the glass to the ladder, thus allowing for someone, not the cpt, to relax looking backwards. You remove the ledge on the side of the dash and create a leaning surface with the same slope as that of the glass fairing, down to the level of the existing bench and then go aft as much as the side of the fb allows you to. When I saw it it was love at first sight for me. I'll try to find the pic, I think I have it saved somewhere but now from where I am it is not possible. Good luck.

My '91 Bertram X'd the bench and put in 2 captains chairs and a built in storage lazarette starboard side (latter also on starboard side) that will lounge one or sit two, but very tight.

I made the U cut out immediately behind the wheel to keep it from rubbing on my calfs too. Better cushion helps a bunch as well. Still, its not exactly luxury accommodations.

I've seen the bench removed and a big, single cpt. chair installed. The guy that ran Southern Breeze/Xanadu had one on his B28 as I recall.