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Lots of great posts old and new board on bridge bench seating. Bob Lico, thanks. I installed a single post seat a few years back and am regretting it. My sweetie cant join me when I'm driving and she is very unhappy. I'm looking at Pompanette Classic benches that are supported by two posts. Have yet to contact Pompanette but their site says they sell them only in quantity.
Anyone have an alternative? I'll listen to any suggestions.
Thanks in advance.

This may not appeal to you, but I did this on my 25. I had an aluminum box fabricated and painted inside and out. very high end T- handle stainless steel latches installed. top hinged with gas shocks door that was accessible from the cockpit, lots of convenient dry storage. I then put two folding seat backs on the box and a padded cushion fastened to the box. It is a little bit rectalinear in appearance but it actually worked very well I loved the storage and it was actually very cost effective.

Stuart
I was considering the same options before this season. I felt like a chauffeur or was wearing my knees out when kneeling next to my children as they drove.
My solution was a Taco leaning post from Defender (I think this one http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?pat ... id=2329768) and then had a local cut the legs down.
I like this solution very much. My 6 man raft will fit along side (pic below) or under the seat. For reference that's my 7 yr old daughter Ellie running the show and looking for Whales north of Cape Cod.
If I can provide any measurements let me know or better yet c'mon down for a ride some time.
Regards,
Stephan

Not bad, I'll put it on my list. Would prefer something that was plug-in without the need for alteration. I'll get more info on this, thanks.

Stuart

I tried Pompenette several years ago. They were of no help. Told me nothing is available from the for plug and play.

If you have the old hinges then build one. Make the bottom and the backs then have it covered.

The box idea is interesting. Could definitely use more storage space and it would be easy to fit two helm seats on it instead of one bench as an option. It sticks in my mind I've seen something like that, maybe on this site.

Check out the pic on Unvle Vic's birthday thread. Looks like he had an aluminum box also.

Joseph Fikentscher wrote:Check out the pic on Unvle Vic's birthday thread. Looks like he had an aluminum box also.

That's a Panama Tropic Star boat. They had coolers up there to sit on. I had a box made of starboard and put two chairs on top of the piano-hinged lid. I keep life jackets and my ditch bag in it.

Thanks for the help. I'll explore the box idea while I keep my search open for a bench that's more like the original but maybe a bit shorter so I wouldnt have to climb over it every time. Getting too old for that.

I'm sure you've looked at the thread where I copied Bob Lico's design. It's a great layout, it could be done with a double wide or bench seat as well. You could also center a double wide seat which allows "shimmying" around either side. As I see it my two seats are great but having the two kids up there for a cruise is a challenge. I could squeeze them both in with a 2 chair width bench. That also allows your passenger to exit the other side without you having to get up. The down side is unless you are alone on the bridge you can't sit centered at the helm.

As far as mounting the pedestal is the easiest to do but least convenient, building a table like structure allows for storage. Cooler or box is great but would require your passenger to stand up to gain access and might be tough to get in when you are rock 'n rolling.

I may also consider the passenger on the starboard side, if you've got a passenger on the bridge and others sitting at the dinette everyone is on the port side, it can throw off the balance.

Overall I'm very happy with my layout, wish I did a seat with a fold up bolster for when I want to stand...

a old photo but seats are shown.captain`s seat is exactlly centered on steering wheel. easy accent to bridge because rod holder rack is right at hands touch.

a view of shock absorbers under Montauk series chairs

thank you Bob H for photo this is a view with ditch bag under seat and refresh bridge with polemer window.

My box has sliding doors and drawers that fit in a nook so they can't slide out. You could also use Plano box's for tackle storage.

If you are still thinking about this I have a simple design off an old Penn Yan flybridge that I can take a picture of. Basically it uses two aluminum leg and seatback brackets as bases for the bottom and seat back. So you can just make the seat bottom and back any width you want and then adjust the width of the brackets. Todd

Stuart, send me your email and I will shoot you some pic's of my set up. Just another option, but I do like it.

Dug

What do you keep in the box under the seat.

Currently I have storage in a general sense. But I have had an SSI 3 box slide in for tackle. I thought I would use it, and I never really have. So I have left it open this season without the tackle drawers.

D

Dug how do you get to the drawers? From the side or the front"

The box I have, (really needs to be redone) the sliding doors are in the rear so I can stand on the engine box's and open them and then pull out a drawer with my tackle in it. Mine has gotten a lot of use over the years. Especially when we used to go offshore.