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Guys,

I am considering installing a fighting chair on my sportfish model. I am interested in getting some pros and cons for those who have installed chairs on their boats. Also, would like to hear from those who removed them. I know that the cockpit is pretty big on our boats but I am wondering if a chair is too much for it. I am interested in all opinions.

Thanks,
Vince

Vince- It's all a matter of how you fish and whose boat it really is. When I purchased my boat many years ago, it had two pedestal Pompanette chairs in the cockpit. Those were the good old big tuna offshore days. My guests would sit on the two chairs all damned day and never get off them to do the multitude of things that have to be done on an offshore running day. God forbid we had two fish on that crossed each other....no one ever got up! When I had the opportunity, I got a big Tournament Tuna chair with the leg platform, ripped out and sold the two chairs and loved the beastiness of how the big one looked. I also loved sitting in it at the dock with a cigar and a drink. My friends bitched about it for years but it's MY boat, I like how it looks, I like the fact that with a big fish on, you can pivot it while playing the fish. Many of my guests aren't pro fishermen so that even with a big Bluefish or a Bass, the chair gives them leverage and makes it easier for them to get it in. If I'm going bottom fishing, I leave the leg platform at the dock. The seat is a great place for sinkers, pliers, etc. If you get a pretty girl on the boat, guess where she reclines on the way out? Whether you put in a chair or not is really a matter of whose boat it is. Do what YOU want. The boat is probably one of the few places in life where YOU are the boss.

I love the fighting chair. If you have kids or folks that just aren't up to the challenge of standing and cranking its a real asset.

It gives me the opportunity to teach my kids the proper lift up and crank down techniques while keeping them in one position and away from the gunnels.

Strapped in my son, all 100lbs of him can easily put 25 lbs of pressure on a fish when he is in the chair. It makes it easier on him and if we plan to release the fish, it makes it easier on the fish.

The chair acts as another place to clear rods, with a rocket launcher ours holds 8 rods, or 6 rods and 4 drinks.

In the event that the 80w with a bent butt does get bit by a potential record fish it is IGFA legal, unlike using "Rodney"

Its also a seat and a bucket holder (rope handles only please)

Its also a really nice thing to look at.

i feel it is essential i would never go out that inlet without it. you put the rods in one of the back of chair rod holders (there are four) and you rig rods . big wave hits and you are in center of boat with something to hold on to versus puting rod in gunnel rod holder and falling overboard while rigging.chair holds four rods in back of chair and two on side going to the canyon.allowing much more rod space.that big eye hits and you can sit in chair . chair swivals back and forth fighting fish.putting rod in gunnel rod holder and trying to crank is both awkward and cannot react to side motion of fish.

I love mine, but it is important to have when fighting certain fish as not everybody can do stand up especially older gents and youth.

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I loved the chair. Really added something to the look of the boat. Someone always took the chair when we went out. People who couldn't fish could catch from the chair. Great place to put rods when traveling or trolling.

But someone was always in the chair. Most times it really didn't matter..but when local fishing, whether it be trolling for Bass or Bottom fishing the chair was in the way. When I redid the wood floor coverings I left the chair off...just to see how I liked it...I missed the look but LOVED the extra space. When I put in th eGlass deck, I removed the chair supports...still have the chair in the garage...but I do not see it going back in.

Aside from that unless I am going for Giants I don't need a chair. I prefer going with Standup Rods anyway. If I can't bring it in on a Standup setup...such is life. Then again if I go for Giants again...I'd probably just fish from the Swivel Rod holder. I can't remember the last time I even brought the 80's on the boat never mind the 130's. Truthfully, I'd rather lose a 2-300lb fish then catch them in a chair with an 80.

Anyway, my wife want the chair back, my father thinks it should go back, several friends miss it...I say too bad, it takes up too much room.

I think they take alot of room, and I like stand-up, but when its rough out, there is no substitute. I've fished on days (not my boat) when there is just no way the fish could be fought safely without a chair.

I'm hoping to see Walter in his chair with a drink and a cigar at Greenport this summer--should make a great picture. Hemingway'esque.

Lots of memories on that chair........my wife will kill me if I take it away....she reads, sleeps, and holds the baby on it. All greenhorns sit there while reaching the drop (one of the safest place of the boat for an inexperienced person as she/he will not be standing and has something to hold on to).........great place to dry towels and clothing.........finally, in my opinion, a sport fishing machine is not a sport fishing machine without a chair.....

I have a chair but only run it when fishing for marlin. The rest of the time it is in the way.

...Me, and my whole crew love mine. I have a Scopinich chair with the ladder backrest. We replaced the ladder back with a rocket launcher. Now, we have an easy and safe place to put our rods when running out, or when clearing the cockpit to fight fish. We do mostly standup style fishing, we only once actually used the chair the way you are suppose to - but its a perfect place to hold rods, we put a towel on it at night and lay out plyers and other small hand-tools we use when chunking.

We all use it as a hand-hold when its rough. I have a 31 Northcoast, bot a bertram, so my cockpit is a little wider, but shorter. As a result, we usually take the footrest off at night to get it our of the way of our chunking activities. ...If you are going to buy a new chair, i'd opt for one with a fold-out-of-the-way foot rest. ...without the footrest, the chair takes up hardley and more room that a rocket launcher any way.


...and whoever mentioned pretty girls is right. (Back when i was single, i noticed) Its the first thing they do when they get on board...sit on that chair and lean back!

I have a large Murray Chair--it does take up a lot of room, but holds my rods, provides good grab handles when things get rough, and everybody loves to sit in it to relax.

I also can't think of too many boats in our size range that can handle this size chair, another plus for the 31.

i forgot the most important feature . i turn the chair around and use the rod holders to troll with . i have 3 rod holders on each gunnel two are dedicated for long rigger/short rigger,then bent butt (because of lower angle) pulling a 14 lure spreader bar on each rear rod holder. the center rigger pulls the way back somtimes two (one with bird) they go in rod holders on bridge .ok without the chair i can`t go fishing!!!! that hold the dasey chain following the spreader bars, and one second wave teaser. there are no rod holder on trasom gunnel cannot fit . no chair no fishing!!!!

had the murray chair in my old fbc, personaly it took up to much room, just have a rocket launcher with rigging tray, works for me.

Thanks guys for all the good points. Your posts have helped me think a little clearer. My crew is getting older (bad knees, backs, etc.) and its getting harder for them to do the stand up fishing especially when its rough. Also, mostly trolling these days and i like the chair to hang onto while rocking and rolling and for a place to store the rods. However, THE NUMBER ONE DECISION MAKER - THE WIFE WANTS ONE! She read all the posts and looked at the pictures and she is sold. I'll post some pictures after I get one and install. Thanks again!

Vince

You can't go wrong with that decision.

vince you can go for a slight variation and that is chair with no foot rest .plenty of room all around chair that way . we even fight fish in space between chair and trasom like the chair is not there.

Nice Crocs Hueso!

Those chairs are nice. Unless all you do is standup fishing I would have one, one more place to sit down on a boat is always nice. Whalter I like the idea of sitting in your "throne" enjoying a cigar and drink at the dock.

Considering my 25 project is an inline inboard and the aft deck is wide open, I would like to add a small version on my 25....assuming I ever finish this boat!

bob lico wrote:vince you can go for a slight variation and that is chair with no foot rest .plenty of room all around chair that way . we even fight fish in space between chair and trasom like the chair is not there.

When I first removed mine I set it up with a deck plate so I could just unscrew the deck plate and pop the chair back in and bolt it down. I had intentions of putting in a leaning post/rocket launcher...but I just liked the wide open space more. Then again what I have grown to really enjoy is Ultralight fishing. The fish is a bit more in control and you need to get from one side of the cockpit to the other quickly or run to the helm to swing the boat or back down. Anything in the way becomes an issue.

bob lico wrote: vince you can go for a slight variation and that is chair with no foot rest .plenty of room all around chair that way . we even fight fish in space between chair and trasom like the chair is not there.

When you went to this configuation did you have to lower the chair so that you could have your feet solidly on the deck?

i have a step stool with grip feet that i use when women enter the boat . that same stool goes against trasom panel and you push against when fighting fish. now you can use entire lenth of trasom for bottom fish,stripe bass and stand up because there is nothing in your way both in back of you in the cockpit or in the water bottom of stern ------no swim platform or tabs to get in your way.anchor on wreck 4 people can fish off stern.---------------------mint!!!

bob lico wrote:i have a step stool with grip feet that i use when women enter the boat . that same stool goes against trasom panel and you push against when fighting fish. now you can use entire lenth of trasom for bottom fish,stripe bass and stand up because there is nothing in your way both in back of you in the cockpit or in the water bottom of stern ------no swim platform or tabs to get in your way.anchor on wreck 4 people can fish off stern.---------------------mint!!!

Thanks for the response

auguste i went to the boat to measure space around the chair. a 500pound fat lady playing a tuba and singing the national anthem can march around the chair!!!! there is 38" chair to trasom,38" back of rocket launcher to engine covers and 37" side handles to inside gunnel on both sides. 8 guys fishing standup would never know the chair was there!!!! not a issue

bob
now add in at least 2 coolers

why would i need a cooler?????

charlie my exhaust like bob h goes up and over down the entire lenth of the cockpit floor on both sides. that entire cavity 21' wide and 10' long on both sides hides all . there is kill box fill with ice for canyon tuna . when sharking all those chum buckets go below .the short side of it is no cooler every thing under the deck in a proper place . maybe a social outting to fire island my son and son in law bring small cooler that fit on engine box against window for beer . jp and myself also have no side panels in cockpit which adds 8" by 10' on both sides that is where i tuck in the tackle box for bass/fluke.never clutter in cockpit ----bad practice .

capt Bob, why no rod holders on the transom covering boards, can you give me the centerline locations for the 3 side rod holders and at what angle.thanks, I,m about to do some drilling in new teak coveringboards

on my teak covering boards i put the closest to the bow which actually falls in the engine room at 45 degrees this is dedicated to the long rigger , the next won back is set at 30 degrees to the hull this is dedicated short rigger .i should mention i put one rigger out when sharking to keep bait apart in wind condition this first rod holder at 45 degrees to the hull really does the trick. the third rod holder is about 1' forward of hawes pipe and set at 15 degrees this is where yo would put your spreader bars for tuna/wahoo/mahi-mahi trolling . there are no rod holders in trasom due to fuel fill in center,starboard trasom is generator gas/water seperator and port is filled with hoses from rear thru hulls to bilge pumps and ac bilge pump (hi volumn) i use rocket launchers (4) on chair back or sides for two or three more lines plus one or two way back on center rigger from bridge.very, very efficent vary rarely have tangles.believe me i really put alot of time and planning before i came up with a great layout. you cannot fu-kup teak covering boards you get one shot go for 3 on a side you will not be sorry.

The B-31 transom accepts 15 degree rod holders quite readily. The gunnels take the 30 degree versions of any manufacturers just fine. The good Old Lee rod holder offers swivels in both versions as well as vertical swivel applications.

When drilling rod holders keep the most forward holders closer to the rub rail and ticked slightly outboard. As you move aft the angle and placement can move inboard and the tips faced more in line with the transome. Remember to reference the installed depth and spacing of the installed holder before drilling any real hole. Use a 1/4" long bit to verify center before running the holesaw.


Good luck and remember "No Pressure"

malin i will be at boat tommorow and will write down dimentions for rod holder locations. there is also old school that puts rod holders all straight with hull and then put a golf ball in the two rod holders facing the outriggers and then there is the very expensive option of swival type rod holders the choice is yours but bare in mind what jp says wholes true 30 degree in side gunnels and 15 degree in trasom if you want to go with trasom route.

Pics of the chair (bottom pic is the boat prior to buying it) . . . thats me sitting down (I'm 60) , Pierre my son on the right, and Ed on the left







I think it is safe to say that there is room to fish around the chair . . . the last pic shows the footrest sticking out quite a distance

Re the questions about rod holders

There are a total of seven swivel rod holders in the gunnels . . . two on the wings (one each side) . . . four on the chair . . . and I think another 6 up on the bridge

ok marlin here are the dimentions.measuring from trasom gunnel on port side .first rod holder 32" 2nd one is 37" from 1st and and third is 37" from 2nd.port and and starboard identical.hope that helps.

thx Bob and JP, I wahoo fish alot, hi speed, and put 2 -80,s bentbutts in the transom holders and 2-80,s bentbutts in the aft rodholders using dropin swivelsm We run 15 knots in 200 -400' in the Bahamas. We also live bait with 2 kites using the riggers, 2 rods per kite and prefer to set the rods in the rocket launcher attached to the sailfish chair, which is smaller but functional, the mate can manage all 4 rods easily thanks again

nice real nice with kites even better!!!

I love my chair, and so did my Dad. It gave him a place to rest after a long day of fishing, or command the center of attention while dockside.

They even work great on B25's! Here's ours from the late 70's:

i finally happen to be down at the boat with the camara to answer all the p.m. sent to me how can the fat lady walk around the fighting chair. lucky for me the former owner of my 31 bertram was also owner of tracy/todd inc. he design and contructed a chair specially for a 31 bertram taking advantage of low gunnel height . feet go on floor giving tremedous advantage with international 80 for big eye tuna,but most most important is the use of the rocket launcher to rig/derig rods on the open seas with your coffee in the side holders.

as you can see two people could past side by side around chair and if fishing off transom you would never know chair was there . also when the muti tuna knockdown comes you can place four rods in the rocket launcher to get rid of them in hurry . putting them on the bridge takes too long while reels are spooling out!!

Bob, Nestorpr,

Is that a bonefish rigged for trolling? Beautiful cockpit Bob.

JR

Capt. Jack - its a split tail mullet, left over from the Interstate Mullet Toss at the Flora-Bama.

In the old days down at Port Eads we'd stay up all night rigging those mullet, that's before trolling lures. Slow trolled with a constant lookout for sharks following them....speed up and outrun the sharks, then settle back down. After watching the mates at TSL rig natural baits likedy-split I sure felt inadequate.

UV

Sorry, UV, it is indeed a marlin rigged bonefish. Very popular rig in the Carib and Bahamas. Rigged similar to a mullet. Before rigging, you carefully stretch the bonefish to seperate every backbone joint. You can feel the seperation as you go.

The bonefish has a bullet sharp nose, flat belly and, looking at him from the nose, almost a triangular shaped body. Loosened up spine, some nose weight, and he swims like he's alive. Perfectly silver with a white belly. Prettest bait you can drag.

Used to catch 'em in the early morning, when in Ucatan Mexico, rig before lunch, and fish 'em on the afternoon & early evening bite...

Bonefish are the best there is. They dont wash out. Marlin drop their pants when they see them.

Bob,
What is the height from the cockpit to the bottom of the seat. I want to get a quad base for my Pompanette chair that came with Priceless and have it do double duty as pseudo fighting chair for kids.

cockpit to bottom of chair is 15" like your dining room chair.feet sit flat on ground with 5' women and 6' 2 guy no problem.