268 Cockpit Rear Seating

O

Old Vet

New Member
Sep 12, 2010
706
St Lawrence River/1000 Islands
Boat Info
1987 268 Sundancer
Engines
454 Magnum, Alpha One
Just thinking about possible mods/improvements for this boat I just bought.

The 2 drop down seats on the back of the helm seat. They look terribly fragile to me. Unless I do something to reinforce them...NO ONE...bigger than my wife will be permitted to sit on them. They'll be fine for grand kids to sit on.

Has anyone had problems with theirs.....and come up with a way to make them stronger so a full sized adult might be able to use them? Any pics available?

Thanks.
 
Some friends have your same boat less the 454 (lone 350). I've seen them in those seats like twice, only when we all piled onto there boat for cocktails. Yes they do look terribly uncomfortable. They do have a couple folding chairs that they use quite often. Our W.E. has a bit bigger cockpit seating and the old Thompson we run with is bigger yet. We all have folding chairs and they seem to work out well. Bonbini has a fancy set for company and a not so... set for taking to shore. Just an option to ponder over!

Btw: nice boat. with the 454 she is awesome. our friends 268D was our motivation to look for Bonbini. We just lucked out on the 454.
 
"Yes they do look terribly uncomfortable."

I'm not even all that concerned about the "uncomfortable" part actually. I'm more concerned about them breaking if someone heavier tries to use them. When I open them and just press on them I can see a fair bit of flex at the hinge and the wood they're screwed to. I'm going to be looking for a way to secure them more solidly.
 
The 54 quart Igloo marine cooler fits perfectly under these seats and supports them.

John
1987 268DA
 
How about putting fold away legs on them. Do you have a rear bench seat that folds up? I have one on my boat. It has fold away legs. They look like the kind you could probably get from a local source.
The previous owner of my boat had the helm seat recovered and reconfigured. They did away with the jump seats and replaced it with a fold away bench. I'm not crazy about it because I think it takes up way too much room in the cockpit so I rarely use it.
 
"Do you have a rear bench seat that folds up?"

Nope. I'm planning on trying to design and build one though.

"How about putting fold away legs on them."

They do need some sort of support leg under them but....I wouldn't want a support leg visible when the seat is folded up stored away. So I think that's out.

I just think it was a bit of a poor design on SeaRay's part. Too much overhang when the seat is down and too much stress on the hinge point the way it is now.

So in essence I don't really have what I'd consider any adult seating in the rear cockpit area right now. Deck chairs are an option...we've used a couple already....but I'm interested in something built in and more permanent eventually.

I'll figure something out...just wondered if anyone has dealt with these "jump seats" and come up with a suitable solution.

Two coolers under them....providing more support AND food and beer storage is an option too...we'll see.
 
In addition to using the coolers for support, I made up support legs that snap on to the snaps for the straps that secure them in the upright position. I got a couple of walking cane ends at Ace(soft, white, large footpring and non-marking), then a couple of bimini support tube ends. I cut the tube ends flat and screwed a female part of a snap to this end. These are quickly deployed when the seat is down and they can be stored behind the seat when it is folded up. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but I will try to get some next time I am on the boat.
 
"I made up support legs that snap on to the snaps for the straps that secure them in the upright position."

Now there's something to consider for sure.

Thanks John. :thumbsup:
 
I have the same problem with my 250 Sundancer. I will be watching for a solution. In the time being a cooler with beer works great.:thumbsup:
 
We bought a 98 (?) quart cooler and it fit perfectly in our 250. We added a seat cushion top and it gave us more seating area and you sit a little higher so you can lean back against the existing seats. Whenever someone sat on those seats, I was always worried about it and told them to make sure their butts were as far back as they could go!
 
Im kicking around removing those same seats on my 268 altogether and using the space for a entertainment area, flat panel monitor and maybe a couple more speakers or something me dont use them we just have padded chairs on the rear
 
Took mine off, it provides a lot more room in the aft for the wife to may down, when company arrives, we have three folding chairs that fit perfectly across, the coolers are lined up against the pilot seat.
 
We never use the jump seats on our 268DA. What I would like to do is replace the entire helm bench seat and the jump seats with a flip flop helm seat. When the boat is anchored, reverse the helm seat to face the stern.

So far, haven't had much luck or confidence in this plan. I've seen this configuration in the Four Winns Vista's. I've looked at the flip flop seats offered for pontoon boats, but I'm afraid they are too small and not very plush compared to what I have now.
 
cdorgan:

I'm not so sure how well one of those "flip-flop" type seats would work since the helm seat is already sitting up on the raised floor above the aft cabin.....what?...some 6-8 inches higher than the cockpit floor or there abouts?

So if the seat back was flipped forward so you could sit and face the stern....your feet wouldn't reach the floor then would they? Not sure but I don't think so.

I'm afraid I'm just not real fond of the whole seating arrangement in this 268. As mentioned....I don't have a rear transom seat at all right now. And I've read quite a few complaints about it from those that do have one.

I don't like the flimsiness of the "jump seats". And truth be told....I'm not real fond of the bench helm seat.

Firstly...it's too high...so when I stand up there's no head room if the canvas is all up. I've had my wife cut our canvas and sew in a "trap door" so to speak that I can zip open and tie back so I can stand up and look out over the windshield.

Secondly....if someone else (the wife?) is sitting there beside me and I have to get up and out in a hurry...she has to get out of there....there's little room...if any...to get by if someone is seated there.

I'll figure something out for the rear seating....if this winter will ever end and I can get out there and onto the boat. But I'm afraid lay out designers designing these things just really make me wonder sometimes. :smt101

They can't be boaters themselves. And it's been my experience many times through life that design engineers just seem to rarely if ever consult with any "end users" of stuff to find out what the customer might like. :huh:

Other than all that....I still love the boat.....so far. :grin:
 
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Old Vet said:
cdorgan:

I'm not so sure how well one of those "flip-flop" type seats would work since the helm seat is already sitting up on the raised floor above the aft cabin.....what?...some 6-8 inches higher than the cockpit floor or there abouts?

So if the seat back was flipped forward so you could sit and face the stern....your feet wouldn't reach the floor then would they? Not sure but I don't think so.
Click to expand...

While this is true, if you could find a way to make it so the base of the seat would slide foward then your feet would be able to rest on the elevated portion of the deck. This would require some significant engineering. The other thing that would be nice, is to change the stern entry door to the port side. This way you could make a really nice rap around bench seat in the rear cockpit area.

When they designed this boat, I think they put to much emphasis on the midcabin, which is good and bad. Look at the modern day 250-260-270's its like crawling into a cubby hole, where ours its not to bad to get into. That of course came at a cost, really lousy cockpit/helm seating.
 
"change the stern entry door to the port side. This way you could make a really nice rap around bench seat in the rear cockpit area."

Not 100% sure why you couldn't with the stern entry on the starboard side as it is.

What am I missing here?
 
Old Vet said:
"change the stern entry door to the port side. This way you could make a really nice rap around bench seat in the rear cockpit area."

Not 100% sure why you couldn't with the stern entry on the starboard side as it is.

What am I missing here?
Click to expand...


If there was a rap around bench seat it would cover up the access door to the swim platform, thats if you had a backrest.
 
:thumbsup:I'm sorry Blew...but you're losing me here somehow.:smt101

My stern entry door is on the starboard side....to gain access to the cockpit....or out to the swim platform. I presume yours is the same? No?

"If there was a rap around bench seat it would cover up the access door to the swim platform"

What kind of wrap around seat are you thinking about that would cover up the access door to the swim platform...be it on the port side OR the starboard side?

Help me understand what you're driving at because I want to build something...maybe what you're thinking might spur me onto something. :smt100:grin:
 
The 250 DA was the same way in that era. Getting in through the starboard door, moving across through all the legs to the port side so you could get up into the drivers seat and scoot back to the starboard side! UGH!!

Just save yourself the hassle and upgrade to the 300 DA of the same vintage! Port side entry and more space in the back for some deck chairs!!! I actually like the rear bench and have slept on that a few nights. That and the drivers seat too! The wife won't let me in mid cabin with her! Don't even ask!! I'm thinking it might be time for a new admiral!! :smt013
 
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