Can I fold up my transom bench seat on my 270?

[jwfoster4]

I think I have seen a picture of the aft bench seat folded up vertical against the transom. If so, how is this done? Do I have to remove the cushion?

 

[MLauman]

I have the same boat and my seat does not fold up as you describe. I don't think that removing the cushion would alter the footprint enough to make any difference.

 

[Dave M.]

My aft bench seat in my 1996 model does fold up, and I normally keep it that way. The Sea Ray spec sheet says the 1997 model also folds up. If you can lift the front of the seat, and it is sitting on metal legs with a hinge and hinge pin where it connects to the seat bottom, then I think yours folds up. Here is a picture of mine. You fold up the legs first, then just lift the back side of the cushion and let it swing in. You can also see my new, self cleaning swim platform.

I think on mine you have to fold the seat up before you remove the engine hatch covers.

 

[gengiant]

My '94 270DA is the same as Dave's - the seat folds up very nicely. And it does provide for significantly more cockpit space when the extra seating isn't needed.

Dave, nice looking 'wet-step' you've got there! (~; That swim step also makes for a nice couple of blow holes when on the hook in waves! It's funny to see people, (especially ladies) jump when they stand or sit over those hand grip holes. (~;

GG

 

[MLauman]

I can't begin to count the number of times I've lifted that seat up and laid it upside-down on the lounger so I could get into the bilge. You'd think after 10 years there's nothing left to learn.

 

[Dave M.]

I can't begin to count the number of times I've lifted that seat up and laid it upside-down on the lounger so I could get into the bilge. You'd think after 10 years there's nothing left to learn.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have put a smile on my face this morning. I've been fighting the crud for a week, and needed a smile. :grin:

Now you have a 'new boat'!

I can't imagine what you are saying about lifting up the seat and putting it on the lounger, I have to go look at the boat and see. AFAIK, it is not removable? Makes me wonder what I don't know about mine.

I've been wondering since you made your post how they could have changed the design and still let you get the hatches out. I often try and put them in with the lift thingies to the front, but the starboard side won't drop into place that way, it hits the rear facing seat support. They only lift out easily if the rear seat is folded up and the lift tabs are towards the stern.

I keep mine folded up most of the time because I am into the bilge often, I don't want passengers on that seat when I am trying to get on plane, it is the wettest seat in the house, if I am the only one on board I don't need it, and the cloth lifting tab/ring make a nice thing to slide my boat hook through so it stays in place and doesn't become #2 I have given to Davey Jones. In the photo above it is sitting on the lift tab, not through it.

 

[MLauman]

I can't imagine what you are saying about lifting up the seat and putting it on the lounger, I have to go look at the boat and see. AFAIK, it is not removable? Makes me wonder what I don't know about mine.

Well I'm definitely gonna take a closer look at mine. I do have the metal front legs that fold up when you pull the retainer pin out. And, IIRC there are also 2 retainer pins that hold the rear of the seat to the nylon strip mounted on the transom - they keep it from jumping up I guess but I leave mine out as they are a hassle to get to.

It is possible that mine is somehow different than yours, but I can't imagine why it would be.

One reason I never gave it much thought is that I keep 4 fenders stored under the seat while underway. Without that location, I'm not sure where I'd put them.

 

[Dave M.]

They are different then. I went and looked at mine, and there are two piano hinges along the backside, one between the seat bottom and back, and one between the back and the boat itself. They are not removable.

I had never considered putting the fenders under the seat there, as it is normally folded up. I have three of mine behind the back of the rear facing cockpit seat, and normally a forth in the bilge laying along the outer side of a stringer. I use it there for a knee pad quite often.

However, I sure would like to be able to use the space where the three fenders are to store my stern anchor and rode. The Fortress fits nicely in there.

 

[Dave M.]

Right now I have the hatch covers off the boat, waiting for my new steering cable to arrive. So I lowered the seat and propped up the front with a screwdriver. Here is what my rear seat looks like folded down flat.

And the hinges as seen from below.

 

[MLauman]

They are definitely different. Mine has no hinges on it - the cushion sits on a fiberglass platform. I'll get a couple of pics next chance I get.

 

[Nehalennia]

I wonder if the boat I'm looking (inpection pending) at folds up like that?

Looks like it should

 

[Turtlesboat]

yes it does, you can see the two plastic thingies where it sits into. same thing on my 280. the pre 2005 260's bench seat folds up like the 280's.

 

[MLauman]

Not sure why, but it appears there are 2 versions.

In the first pic you can see that the seat is too wide to fit in the cavity. The 2nd pic, which shows the fiberglass support structure confirms that the seat is too tall (deep) to fit as well. You can also see part of the nylon strip that holds the rear of the seat.

 

[MLauman]

One thought - mine has a lip on the front for the filler cushion support. Maybe that's the reason for the difference?

 

[Dave M.]

Yes, I just spotted that lip too. I think you are right. Mine does not have any filler cushion. So that must have been an option. Do you have that filler cushion?

 

[MLauman]

Yes, I just spotted that lip too. I think you are right. Mine does not have any filler cushion. So that must have been an option. Do you have that filler cushion?

I've got a cushion in the attic that would probably be for that - never used it.

 

[Nehalennia]

yes it does, you can see the two plastic thingies where it sits into. same thing on my 280. the pre 2005 260's bench seat folds up like the 280's.

Yep, I snuck back onto her today and checked. It does, that will be nice

 

[Stray Cat]

One thought - mine has a lip on the front for the filler cushion support. Maybe that's the reason for the difference?

My 99 270 had the double hinged stow away seat and I didn't have the sun pad.

 

[MLauman]

Now you have a 'new boat'!

Well, it was fun while it lasted!

 

[Dave M.]

Well, it was fun while it lasted!

Yes, I was thinking that too. My post was wrong, you did not really get a 'new boat'. Also, I found a picture of the rear seat in a 1999 270 DA SE. It was stowed like mine, but appeared to be a single piece. So maybe it was held in place like the boat Todd may get. So that would be a third configuration.