heated bridge seats

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 2nd, '19, 22:21

i need a 31 Bertram project because i found myself with 10 minutes a week spare time!!! i am going to build a pair of modified Release Marine ladder back chairs like the new 61 Bertram has on the bridge but will use 2" mahogany instead of teak to match cabin door. 5" thick back and bottom cushions with heating pads covering entire seat for spring and late fall running offshore. the seats will be covered in the same leatherette i used in cabin salon very classy.

Yannis · Post by **Yannis** » Mar 3rd, '19, 00:00

Bob,
Why not come over to help me in the myriad of unfinished little projects I have no time for? Lol!
Finally, there’s NO end in what one could do, heated bridge seats?...why not a deck retractable pool table, or bettter yet, a folding jacuzzi on the bow!
You already have a mint 31, who’d have thought there is STILL room for improvements...
Good luck, continue to amaze us!

John F. · Post by **John F.** » Mar 3rd, '19, 06:43

Bob

Please post pictures as you go along. I’ve been thinking of making bridge/helm seats for my next project so I can have a pair that are just the right size for a 31. The seats available commercially are all a little to wide. Thanks

John

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 3rd, '19, 09:54

i had no idea heated seats were made of carbon fiber i was thinking they were heating elements. one day i was "allowed" to drive my wife`s BMW and just could not believe what those heated seats do for an old man with injuries. i don`t put heat on in that car just the seats-------OMG heat on your lower back is incredible and i can feel it now sitting for two hours driving to the canyon in the fall. I will photograph the hold project.i will need full 2" by 10" thick mahogany plank with nice grain.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Mar 3rd, '19, 22:06

https://www.diamondtropicalhardwoods.com/shop/

Give Diamond Tropical hardwoods a call. They have some really nice stuff. You may not see the size you need on their website, but they may still have it in stock, or if they are cutting up lumber they will cut you want you want.

I have gotten some smaller pieces of teak from them for a couple of pojects.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 3rd, '19, 22:47

thank you Tony they have quartersawed mahogany planks.great way to start a project like this.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 4th, '19, 14:13

John the space for two seats on the bridge of the 31 Bertram is 44" in width so the standard 24" seat times two is 4" too wide so you have to come up with a seat 22" wide or make custom ones.the ladder back seat i have now are 24" with both side arms I removed the inside arm and bracket of the port chair and put both chairs together with on arm in between (like the movie house seating) and it was exactly 44" total width, perfect fit.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 6th, '19, 17:34

i took step number one today,that is i purchase the Burmese Teak plank today 2 1/2" thick by 11" wide and 8 foot long for the grand sum of $391.00.one piece of wood,wow sticker shock but the alternative by Release Marine is $ 3000.00 each complete.trillion series helm chairs
https://www.releasemarine.com/

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Mar 6th, '19, 21:38

Bob

Did you get through Diamond Teak or someone else?

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 6th, '19, 22:30

i checked with them and they had all three teak varieties including the crazy priced Burmese Teak however shipping was insane so i went to Roberts plywood on long island. they have a huge warehouse of the most exotic wood in the world.the wild grain teak that i built the single lever palm beach pod came from Roberts so i figured i would keep all wood on bridge similar.i will try to photo each step and share with the brothers.

Snipe · Post by **Snipe** » Mar 8th, '19, 07:28

Nice sounds like a good project I am trying to figure out what to do about bridge seating. Can’t wait to see the pictures.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 8th, '19, 08:54

i think bridge seating is all about usage. perhaps if i was twenty years old again i could sit on the original bench seat but as we grow older and still pilot a 31 Bertram we tend to think about creature comfort namely the lower back area especially on one hour or longer runs to the fishing grounds.personally i find the bridge seating to be of great importants soooooo i am going to make this project really work for me with vision over the bow,plush and confortable heated seats and lastly classic teak look.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Mar 8th, '19, 23:08

Bob

Thanks always looking for wood suppliers.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Mar 9th, '19, 10:55

bob lico wrote:.personally i find the bridge seating to be of great importants soooooo i am going to make this project really work for me with vision over the bow,plush and confortable heated seats and lastly classic teak look.

Maybe add a little massaging action to the seat with a heated steering wheel.
Oh that would be nice on a cold, damp, dreary day.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 9th, '19, 18:50

i gave some thought to the heated steering wheel but the boat has a release marine chrome wheel like the new 61 so i wear a light pair of gloves in the fall for a hour or so clutching my coffee!. i know you are breaking balls but i figure i give you a straight answer BTW the massage seats will not work in marine setting.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Mar 9th, '19, 22:49

bob lico wrote:i gave some thought to the heated steering wheel but the boat has a release marine chrome wheel like the new 61 so i wear a light pair of gloves in the fall for a hour or so clutching my coffee!. i know you are breaking balls but i figure i give you a straight answer BTW the massage seats will not work in marine setting.

Bob

I am disappointed in you. If figured you would have some young 20 something lady to massage your back on the during those long runs.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 10th, '19, 08:51

my son is the first mate and pilots when i get tired so a 20yo or any other young female would be a major conflict.

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Mar 10th, '19, 16:59

Lol...yes, I was doing my best to bust some balls.

...but it is true that wheel gets cold.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Mar 11th, '19, 22:38

Carl wrote:Lol...yes, I was doing my best to bust some balls.

...but it is true that wheel gets cold.

But the young lady giving the back massage would have warm hands. But I hear you Bob, your son would never come up to the bridge. LOL

devinfox · Post by **devinfox** » Mar 12th, '19, 09:09

I put ventilated seats into a set of corbeau's for a jeep, so I don't see why this can't work! There were a lot more seat heating elements available than ventilating units and far more compact (ie no fan or webbing for airflow. Here's one:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rpc- ... 0XEALw_wcB

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 17th, '19, 10:44

really cannot heat the steering wheel but that was a good idea ,covering a release marine steering wheel would be a sin so i will wear gloves as i said in late fall.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 17th, '19, 11:08

ok lets get started: we begin with support for the bridge seats instead of using my stainless petastals i went with a bench type support to have a perfect sit down height to pilot the boat with vision over the bow and knees under pod, basically the most coftable position to drive but just as important a place under bench support to place ACR ditch bag . Going back some years i had the terrible experience of a catamaran race boat coming apart under me and 2 seconds later foundering in the ocean with life raft going down with boat, bad,bad bad experience.driver was severely injured but luckely we had racing Lifeline PFD on.Sooo i want that ditch bag under my ass at all times as well as the first aid kit and waterproof hand held radio to open bridges the short antenna is perfect for this. back to support i have Garelick active seat suspension system as you can see i left one of the shock absorbers in place.the bottom of seats have the other half of hinged bracket to contain the shock absorbers. next photo`s will be the teak captain chair sides similar to the release marine chairs on the new 61 Bertram with ladder back made of fancy grain teak and heater inserts.

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Mar 18th, '19, 14:11

Bob: i will buy you one of those fuzzy pink steering wheel covers to keep your hands warm! LOL!

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 18th, '19, 14:50

HA,HA ----make sure it is pink!!!!

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Mar 18th, '19, 22:39

Rawleigh wrote:Bob: i will buy you one of those fuzzy pink steering wheel covers to keep your hands warm! LOL!

How about adding in one of those beaded seat things the cab drivers in ANY use for their backs. Then Bob can forgo the heated seats.

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Mar 20th, '19, 10:42

A beaded seat and a hair dryer to blow up behind it and he is done!!

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 20th, '19, 22:08

You guys are brutal,and show no mercy . i love heated seats they just feel so good on a injured lower back .

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Mar 21st, '19, 05:47

bob lico wrote:You guys are brutal,and show no mercy . i love heated seats they just feel so good on a injured lower back .

Might want to add an armrest with heated cup holder for the hot cocoa.

Bob...wrong crowd when trying for the sympathy vote.

LOL...we tease, but we'll all have cold arses running to fishing grounds...
while knowing yours will be toasty warm.

Charlie J · Post by **Charlie J** » Mar 21st, '19, 06:47

he could then apply to be a uber driver
on the water

John F. · Post by **John F.** » Mar 21st, '19, 06:59

Looking forward to more pictures of your progress. Custom bridge seats may be my next winter's project and I could use the ideas. Not heated, just nice looking ladder backs.

And don't knock hot cocoa on a cold day...

PeterPalmieri · Post by **PeterPalmieri** » Mar 21st, '19, 09:47

I really have grown to not like the cold and I think I'd prefer to someday live in a more tropical climate. That being said bass fishing in October and November is my favorite. For the most part my 3 sided enclosure acts as a solarium. Beyond that I have a really good pair of insulated boat shoes and boots. I also carry with me 3 sets of base layers the heaviest being unbearably warm unless it is extremely cold. I generally wear a hooded sweatshirt and jeans over the appropriate base and am never cold.

In terms of the heat loosening up muscles on your back to work it requires you are firmly seated back in the chair as if you were in a car. I will be very interested in how you work out these dimensions. Measuring from your chest to where your hands touch the center of the wheel. Being that the distance between your knees when seated and your wrists are equal distance the wheel needs to overhang your lap, making it pretty difficult to stand up or get in and out of the seat unless the wheel is completely vertical, similar considerations need to be made for the throttle controls. If that's the case you may consider flip up bolsters. Obviously not a concern if you'll only use the heat when running auto pilot.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 21st, '19, 14:33

pete the seating will be exactly the same as driving the BMW, that is a high ladderback with thick cushion seats and if you were to hold the steering wheel it would be just like your car but lower and the throttles are perfect just as they are about the width of a person with arms at there side. the lower than car placement of the steering wheel provides 180 degree vision around the boat sitting down on bridge and i can clearly see the Bertram line chock on the bow.i have 180 degree enclosure on bridge so a simple hoodie is enough to keep warm in April,May and November,December bass season the heated seats just feel great even on a warmer day just like the chiropractor puts heated towels on your back before "cracking" your back,spine into there somewhat original shape before offshore boat racing. smart people choose a trade or business that does not abuse there body unfortunately i choose an occupation that was detrimental to the back.

Tony Meola · Post by **Tony Meola** » Mar 21st, '19, 21:06

bob lico wrote:You guys are brutal,and show no mercy . i love heated seats they just feel so good on a injured lower back .

Bob

If we can't prod each other a little, then what else is there?

Rawleigh · Post by **Rawleigh** » Mar 22nd, '19, 08:33

Don't go snowflake on us now Bob! We know you have a tough hide!

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 23rd, '19, 07:11

Snowflake ! nah i took the combat oath 50 years ago and still abide by it; "I am an America fighting man, I serve in the forces that god our country and our way of life, I behold our belief of GOD and country ,if i am capture---------------

Amberjack · Post by **Amberjack** » Mar 23rd, '19, 14:00

bob lico wrote: smart people choose a trade or business that does not abuse there body unfortunately i choose an occupation that was detrimental to the back.

Bob--Those of us who own them understand that Bertrams are fiendishly designed lower back torture devices. Anything that needs doing on Amberjack (except drinking a beer) requires bending, twisting, stooping and/or crawling just to get to the project location, usually in cold wet conditions.

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 23rd, '19, 16:09

Amberjack how right you are like leaning over the engine working on the outside bottom of the engine (ouch) .

Carl · Post by **Carl** » Mar 24th, '19, 17:25

[quote="Amberjack"

Bob--Those of us who own them understand that Bertrams are fiendishly designed lower back torture devices. Anything that needs doing on Amberjack (except drinking a beer) requires bending, twisting, stooping and/or crawling just to get to the project location, usually in cold wet conditions.[/quote]

Of course it's tight and tough to get in some spots, that's just because it's a small boat. But compared to many other boats our are so much easier to work on. Need to work on motors...pull hatches and panels and you have full access. Need to get to fuel tank, struts, rudders just pull out side panels and a bunch of screws the deck comes up. I've worked on lots of other boats where trying to no any of that your cutting sections of boat up, hanging upside down to gain access to bilge, motors...

bob lico · Post by **bob lico** » Mar 24th, '19, 19:32

lets begin our bridge seats .first you dig deep in your basement and come up with your drafting board,T-square,french curves, etc. i made a design i wanted for the three sides of the helm chairs the middle side is between the two seats then cut out and use as template for front and side contour view. i cut prices to size on chop saw and then follow the template cut out on band saw.