Wanted: Bench Seat

[NewForestSteve]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone here might have a bench seat with storage below up for grabs - I've seen the Outhill ones and like the idea of a reversible back to the seat - the wrap-around back looks good too, but the price is not so appealing! Alternatively, if anyone has suggestions where I might buy one that would be really helpful too.

Thanks
Steve
PS - first post - great site

[Downhilldai]

What size and colour are you looking for?

[NewForestSteve]

I can fit in a seat about 100cm wide at the base, maybe 10cm wider at tube height. My RIB is grey GRP with black upholstery, but I think I could probably re-colour a white GRP seat (my son has a bit of experience with gel coats) if the price was right?
Thanks
Steve

[Downhilldai]

If your son has experience working with GRP, then perhaps he could knock up a single-use mould of melamine faced chipboard to make a GRP seat moulding from? You could use plastic hatch(es) for access, either on the front face, or beneath the seat cushion.
Do you intend to glass it down to the deck, or have a flange and fix it with screws/sikaflex?

[NewForestSteve]

We've certainly thought about the self build option and it's not off the agenda yet! I see making a decent strong back, especially a reversible one, as more of a problem. I'm expecting to screw/Sikaflex rather than fibreglassing it in.
Steve

[Nasher]

If you have a search on here you'll find Hightowers build thread.

He was a bit stuck for space, and made a really good job out of using a jockey seat base turned 90deg.

He only posted some pics for sombody else a few days ago, so shouldn't be too hard to find.

Nasher

[Downhilldai]

For the backrest, you could use some 1.25" 316 Stainless tubing for a frame, with a foam cylinder-shaped 'roll' pad. The frame could be retained with some 7/8" or 1" tubing with a couple of 90 degree bends (similar to a grabrail), fixed to the side faces of the seat box. Another option would be a couple of lengths of 2" wide stainless flat bar with 2 pulley wheels around 2" diameter, sandwiched between them, one at each end, as stops. Again, these could be fixed to each side face of the moulding, by bolting through the flat bar and centre of the pulley wheels.
Hope that makes sense

[NewForestSteve]

Thanks Nasher and Downhilldai for your replies

I've done a search and found Hightower's sideways jockey seat - I think I have a bit more room as I only have single jockeys and I need storage thanks to fuel tank in the console, but it's certainly an option to add to the list. I also found a picture at http://www.arrigonidesign.com/leanpost.htm which shows a good swingback design which is what I think Downhilldai is suggesting and doesn't look too impossible to make up! Hmmm...

[BassBoy]

I may have just what you're looking for!
Ribcraft 'deluxe swing back' bench. Barely used. Ice White gel. Black upholstery with grey piping. Double entry hatches (in black). Lying Yeovil. Cost £995.00. Offers?

[NewForestSteve]

Hi Bassboy,
is this the one at the bottom of this page http://www.ribcraft.co.uk/consoles-and-seating/? If so, I could definitely be interested but would need to know dimensions to be sure I could fit it in? Also, are the hatches under the seat? Can it be screwed to the deck? Sorry for all the questions! Thanks in advance, Steve