New cockpit mod

[Hydraulicjump]

After admiring the cockpit mods on YOLO, another R-27, I did the attached on my own:

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I built it out of 1/2" SanShade Starboard, which proved fine except for the fact that it is too thin for screwing things together. It easily bulges even when pre-drilled and it is not thick enough to countersink the screws and make plug coverings. The insert that bridges the lazarette to the stern bench seat rests on cleats and lifts out easily to gain access to the batteries. And although it isn't of the quality of something like Barry's work, it is a perfectly fine place to lie down and take a nap or to serve cocktails to 5 people without having to bust out a lot of chairs. We had five camped out on it for dinner the other night, causing the boat to list to port a bit.

Did it in a weekend, plus a week to get the cushions done, which about matches my attention span. Not cheap either. The dog already likes to sleep on it. I'll show it to folks at the Rendezvous.

Enjoy.

Jeff

 

[swillmerchant]

Very impressive, Jeff! Nicely done. I especially like the extra storage. Looks like a really cozy cockpit to enjoy sunsets. I've considered a similar modification to our 2010 R25, but alas, the transom seat is too high. Maybe I can just make a custom wrap-around at a higher elevation (more storage space) 😉

You mentioned that the starboard above the battery compartment rests on cleats. Could you show a pic of the cleats?
Thanks,
Doug

 

[baz]

Jeff: Very nice job indeed. 🙂 I also like the storage space you incorporated. I agree that on the R-25 the transom seat is a tad too high for comfort and leaves a short legged person's feet dangling… needs a foot rest. 😉

Can you estimate the cost breakdown for us, Starboard, foam cushion, fabric covering ?

If you started over again would you advise a thicker Starboard such as 3/4" ? What about using some quality 3/4" wood with a nice vanished surface ? The issue with using wood is that you would need to edge glue and clamp several pieces to obtain the desired depth dimensions. Alternatively 3/4" weatherproof ply would do the trick with some edge molding glued to hide the ply edges.

I assume your seating installation is semi permanent during your cruising days… when on the water with wind & water spray do you have any concern about the seating getting soaked and unusable when needed ? Maybe a fitted plastic covering might be good protection against this issue which can be removed when the seating is needed. Then again, you quite likely just stow the cushions inside the cabin for protection and bring them out when needed. 🙂

Nice job… and it inspires me… thanks for sharing 🙂

 

[Tug@myHeart]

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3434
Here was a post of some removable cockpit seat mods I installed on Tug At My Heart R25 2009
We used all of them this past weekend and they are perfect for the job and super comfortable. The dog is not aloud on the seating. But a Female 70lb pit in the boat is something to step over all the time. She pretty much does not care that we are on her boat. :roll:

Hope this helps those who want cockpit seating.

Reno

 

[Hydraulicjump]

Reno, we have a 65 lb. Saluki-Golden Retriever mix that we call "My Little Pony". She barely steps up when climbing onto the seat. Not a good choice as a boat dog if you want to entertain.

Doug, I'll photograph the cleats. One is simply a lip added to the stern end of the lazarette box. Another is a 6" x 2" piece of the Starboard attached to the stearn bench seat (between the raw water washdown and the trolling valve) with two stainless L brackets. And then two more stainless L brackets on either side of the speaker does the trick.

Barry, I recommend using 3/4 Starboard because of ease of screwing things together. Additionally, there is never any refinishing or any other kind of maintenance. That said, the 3/4" Starboard is very heavy, very expensive, cannot be glued (nothing sticks well to it), and does not come in SanShade, the color I wanted.

I originally planned to build this out of teak and marine plywood, but chose the Starboard for ease of construction and durability.

Costs were surprisingly high for a DIY. Starboard was about $250 (don't buy from West Marine...too expensive), hardware about $30, cushions about $400. The cushions are expensive because they have the same Sunbrella fabric as the factory cushion ("Toast" color) and the overpriced sealed foam insert. Still, as I am currently discovering, this is less than a 250 hour service with impeller replacement and it lasts longer.

We store the cushions inside in rough seas and when the boat is unattended. They are secured with stainless snaps.

Looking forward to your next project Barry!