Standing Rm Only

[Bull53]

I am looking to buy a mid 80’s 390 Express Cruiser and one I have my eyes on has no seats in the cockpit. Not even the helm seat. So I’m looking for seats and I don’t expect to find replacements for the originals but may be able to use some of the pontoon seats that are out there. But these won’t work for the helm seat.
My biggest question is what height seat will work comfortably in the boat. Any advice including the original seat height from any late 80’s owner fortunate enough to still have the original seat. Thanks

 

[gdavis67]

Maybe you are already aware, but just in case - the two front seating areas, helm and port front, are positioned on risers. The late 80's models through '88 ( I think) were wood bases with drawers and other storage areas in them and the seats positioned on them. In 89 or 90, this riser was changed to fiberglass. This is why you see so many of the 80's with no seating or non-original seating. Depending on how the boat was stored and moored, the wood bases are often deteriorated beyond repair and are removed or replaced. That being said, it gives you many options to create your own custom interior. My opinion would be to find a seat (or seats) that you like or are comfortable and design a base/riser to suite your own personal needs. Storage, no storage, cooler, ice maker, refrigerator, sink, etc...

 

[Bull53]

Maybe you are already aware, but just in case - the two front seating areas, helm and port front, are positioned on risers. The late 80's models through '88 ( I think) were wood bases with drawers and other storage areas in them and the seats positioned on them. In 89 or 90, this riser was changed to fiberglass. This is why you see so many of the 80's with no seating or non-original seating. Depending on how the boat was stored and moored, the wood bases are often deteriorated beyond repair and are removed or replaced. That being said, it gives you many options to create your own custom interior. My opinion would be to find a seat (or seats) that you like or are comfortable and design a base/riser to suite your own personal needs. Storage, no storage, cooler, ice maker, refrigerator, sink, etc...

Thanks for the quick response and yes I am familiar with the original seat configuration and riser. I believe there is at least one company that has the molds to make the plastic bases used on later models but i fear the cost would be high and I would still need a seat to top it off. I was asking the height of the original seat including the riser so I would know what height riser would be needed for any given seat. For example, if the seat height of the new seat is say 20”, how tall would the riser need to be. One option I thought of was using a flip flop style pontoon seat for both the helm and companion seats similar to the original setup. That way the seats could be forward facing while underway and rearward facing as cockpit seats when docked. The seats would require a riser tall enough to provide forward visibility and deep enough (front to back) to provide a footrest in both forward and rear facing position. I know I could use pedestal seats instead but I would lose any storage capacity. Either way, the first step is to determine the overall height of the original seat so I am hoping a current owner can provide the information.

 

[gdavis67]

Got it. I will be out to mine tomorrow and will see if i can get some good measurements for you as well as some pictures to reference those measurements to.

 

[Bull53]

That would be a great help. I am also open to other suggestions. I know I am not the first to face this issue since I see more pictures of non original seats than the originals.