HOME - Dream Catcher Model Sailboat  Kits Ready For Christmas!

sternsailart3S.jpg (49905 bytes) Summer Breeze! - This is the story of an 11'8" long 50" beam 16" sides, 500 lb capacity skiff from two sheets of 1/4" 4x8 plywood. Award winning - She won the 2001 Duckworks design contest. 
   Seat: 
Introduction
Getting started
Sides 
  Skarfing
Frame
Transom 
Stem
Bending
Chines
Bottom
Gunwales
Quarter knees
Seat
Mast Partner
Keel & Skeg
Mast & Spars
Leeboard
Rudder
Sail 
Floatation 
Painting 
Resources 

I have no seat in my prototype boat as I like that space open for sailing. With no centerboard trunk, the whole boat becomes a cockpit with much sprawling space. I prefer to sit on a moveable seat when I row, usually a stack of cushions. A great idea I haven't tried yet, it a plastic tool box with a piece of plywood and a cushion attached to the bottom. Sit on it to row, flip it over to grab a tool. The cushion should float it in a mishap, but best to keep it tethered. That said...

If you decide to install a seat measure and cut it to fit which allows for any minor bend variations in your hull.  For the design contest I allowed a small cleat of 3/4" stock to be attached to the side for the seat to be attached to.  The center of bouyancy according to the computer is 79" from the bow. In theory you can place the center of your seat there. But remember what Yogi Berra says:

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is."

So you could do what I do. Seal the edges of the ply with epoxy, and then get her wet and see how she floats. In the "theoretical place" a  9 1/2" wide seat will have the frame notched into it 3" in from the aft edge of the seat. However, I rarely stand on my seat putting all my weight over the center of buoyancy. Some of my weight is on my feet. So a bit forward of the theoretical is probably closer to the practical.

A better Idea I just got from Mike Goodwin is a removable seat that works like this. The seat is omitted from the sketch for clarity.

seatsupport.gif (11578 bytes) Another 1x2 frame piece it attached to the side forward of and parallel to 
the main frame. Notice the lower end tapers to meet the internal chine log. 
(If your chines are external or you stitch and glued just taper it to the side 
bottom joint.) The cross support is also 1x2 and runs long so the "ears" can be used to tie or bungie the seat in place. Hieght is a matter of taste and I've seen seats from 9" to 12" high. You can decide by feel or, if you plan on using a trolling motor allow for the height of your  battery, as midships is the best  place for it. If your trim test has your seat farther aft then let the aft "ear" run longer and notch the seat around the frame.
   
 

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