Converting Avon Searider to Deluxe

[Shearwater]

Hi,

I’ve driven a lot of 4m and 5.4m seariders (tiller and jockey seat), but now I have a young family and thinking about buying or making a 5.4m deluxe with the side by side sports seats.

The old deluxe had 2 forward and 2 rear facing seats, and I assumed it could be a little unbalanced.

Does anyone have any experience of driving these deluxe boats? Is the ride quite hard with the sports seats? All advice is welcome.

Many thanks.

[IainK]

Hi Shearwater, lots of examples, advice and links to various Seariders here: the latest and most useful to "see feel and learn" is Harry Dwyer's one that I have linked below.
We are on the West of Scotland and I would not take a young family out to sea in Deluxe setup, hence changed ours to a jockey set up. Why? Moving around / climbing over seats in a swell is not easy and as the 5.4 m version is not wide enough for a two plus two and a side access space I would recommend a look at the you tube videos first. Best wishes Iain

https://www.youtube.com/user/harrywickedo

[Unknown]

Hi Shearwater, I to have a young family (4 & 9). Neither of which are overly happy with sitting down and prefer to spend most of their time stood up and holding on. However I’m in the process of changing my layout now, I’ve shortened the console down to a single seat and am creating a double bench seat along the back and a smaller single seat in front of the console. This set up won’t be everybody’s cup of tea an am aware that some don’t like the forward seats but suits out use perfectly. There is still plenary of safe floor space for walking around and standing but safe seating when needed too.

[Shearwater]

Thank you for the two replies. It definitely seams that the sports seats are a poor idea. Appreciate the advice.

[john4tee]

Avon Searider 540. I have to make concessions to wife and family and want to put an easily removable bench seat aft. i am seeing ads for hook-ons and inflatables. Is this a feasible option. I cannot find any good pictures of them. I really dont want to screw down anything if I can avoid it, because i have installed a chequerplate floor on the deck to hide the pipe work etc. And I would really like it to be in or out in a jiffy, depending on what i am doing.