removing bench seat

[603doug]

What are the pro & cons of removing the bench seat. I am trying to come up with ways to increase space for diving without spending $60000 for a new boat
One con would be falling backwards might hurt where the seat would catch you. Open to any ideas

[Chris]

Originally Posted by 603doug

What are the pro & cons of removing the bench seat. I am trying to come up with ways to increase space for diving without spending $60000 for a new boat
One con would be falling backwards might hurt where the seat would catch you. Open to any ideas

How about making the seat removable when you want the space but replaceable when you want to replace it if you need the seating or the storage space.

See here for what I did...

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...ght=bench+seat

[Chris]

Originally Posted by Chris

How about making the seat removable when you want the space but replaceable when you want to replace it if you need the seating or the storage space.

See here for what I did...

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...ght=bench+seat

BTW I have yet to remove the seat since I fitted it however its nice to know I can when needed.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by 603doug

One con would be falling backwards might hurt where the seat would catch you. Open to any ideas

Make a boat rule that anyone falling must go overboard?

In truth, for those with larger rigs or smaller bodies (where the rig is proportionally a greater percentage of the overall mass), a bench seat comes in quite handy for gearing up. It does, however, take up quite a bit of useable deck space.

I dove for about 4 years out of a 14' Achilles; no seats at all, so it's not a necessity.

I wouldn't think it's so much a safety issue as a convenience issue.

I personally use the bench on the Polaris to hold a fairly large Save-a-Dive kit, an emergency boat repair kit (tools, patches, glue, assorted tapes, ropes, carabiners, hardware, bunch of other crap), a spare prop, a block of wood to change prop, spare dive lights, strobes for marking the anchor line at night, whatever else will fit. Of course, on the Polaris, the bench seat is attached to the front of the console.

jky