Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

I am building a center console for my Peeler Skiff and want the seat portion in front of the console to be able to open.  I am using solid 1 inch Mahagony for the seat, seat back and top of console and Okoume for the sides.  The seat is only 11 inches deep by 14 inches wide.  I plan on keeping the battery underneath and have access from behind for more storage.  I would prefer to not use hinges and hardware to secure the seat and have it removeable for access.  Im thinking of using the hidden bungee hold downs like on flush kayak hatches.  Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.  I need it to be secure while flying over chop at 15 knots! 


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RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

I think we're going to use ordinary hinges on the seat for our center console, but Joey here at CLC suggested Velcro.

You can watch progress on our kit-spec center console live on the ShopCam.

 

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

yes, I have been checking it out!  I see that you have the cutout circle in the seat.  Why is that?  Looks like a porta potti!  So the bungee set up would not be secure enough to hold the seat down?  I was thinking of gluing in a frame around the inside of the seat to keep it from sliding around.  So the only problem would be the up and down motion. 

 

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

>>>>>yes, I have been checking it out!  I see that you have the cutout circle in the seat.  Why is that? >>>>

 

The seat (upholstered or otherwise) covers the entire horizontal section.  The part with the cutout in it is the base for the seat itself, which will hinge up for access.

Chesapeake Light Craft Peeler Skiff

Chesapeake Light Craft Powerboat kit

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

got it now!  at first it looked like two pieces over the frame.  The frame looked big i guess.  3/4 Okoume?  Will you add a helm seat behind the console? 

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

I like John's original idea for a console for the Peeler much better than this new one. The older one had you seated on the mid thwart straddling the console much like riding a jet ski.

 

This way your legs on either side of the console provided you with side support in turns. This also allowed plenty of room in the aft cockpit area for passengers. In your new version it looks like the skipper will have to stand up at the wheel blocking the cockpit leg room for passengers. I would forget the passenger seat in front of the console entirely and move it forward with seating for the skipper on the original thwart.

I'm interested in how John will adapt the tiller outboard to console steering - I'd be interested in knowing in how much Mercury charges for this adaptation. My 15hp Yamaha tiller would cost me over $1k dollars to change to wheel steering.

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

I circulated the straddle-seat drawing far and wide.  Everyone hated it, on a scale ranging from "merely grumpy" to "I hate it like I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee."

Robert, you're the only one who liked it!

Seating behind the console for the skipper, if desired, would take the form of an aftermarket pedestal seat.  

Yes, the console steering hardware is spendy.  That's why "BOAT" stands for "Bring Out Another Thousand."

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

I made four different prototypes before I setttled on mine.  I never saw johns original but I would have to agree.  Not the way to go.  Mainly for aesthetic reasons.  I made my forward seat pretty small and it doesnt seem like it will take up much space in the forward cockpit.  My steering will be a little lower and more horizontal, no flat spot at the top.  32 inches high in front by 25 inches at back. 

next I am going to figure out a box seat behind the helm.  about 18 inches high, same width as the console which is 14 inches and make it about 2 feet long, make the top with similar curves to the seats on the four corners.  this should give me enough room to move around the seat when a big Striper makes me walk around the boat!  Hopefully a few times!

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

Well, all I can say is that when I win the lottery I'm going to add a "Jet-Ski-Console to Lilah. Forget the steering wheel - I'm for a big motorcycle handlebar ...off an Electra Glide or Triumph Thruxton perhaps? Zoom Zoom....gotta think outside the box.

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

Meyer,robert: Why not go all the way and go with some "APE HANGERS". Picture it!

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

Surfer Bill, what about rare earth magnets to hold it down?  Should work for the up and down.  Expoxy them on the cover/seat and on the rim.  Just make sure to get the polarity correct.  

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

@ Zach M.  great idea, just looked them up and they make all sorts of small ones you can even countersink them.  Not very expensive either.  So these are super powerful? 

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

   you know....I tried to come up with a design for a center console that would not take away from the lines on the boat.  I didn't have any luck.  I opted to put on automatic trim tabs.  They allow me to place my back against the transom and run down the lake at 23 mph with a 15 hp merc. 4 stroke.  It saved a lot of deck space and did not take away from the boat lines (not to mention the cost of conversion to wheel steering).  It's a great boat, sometimes less is more.

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

What size and brand of  automatic trim tabs did you use?

Thank you 

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

   I used 6x8 Bennett self leveling trim tabs. It made a world of difference in how the boat does. 

No more porpoising. 

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

I'm not familiar with Trim Tabs. Using them on a Peeler, can you solo from the stern and adjust that much so the bow stays down? Do you have any photos of the tabs? I'm building a Peeler and very interested in your idea. Thanks, Ken.

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

Yes, the bow stays down even when seated at the back of the boat.  Before this, the bow rise was extreme.  Even when I placed a 50 lb bag of sand in the front of the boat.  This was the solution.  Hope this helps.

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

Would a hydrofoil attached to the motor work also to lower the bow when solo?   

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

   I am also interested in hearing about the effectiveness of something like the Doel-Fin. As far as a helm seat, I think ye olde five gallon bucket would work with maybe an after market flip up padded seat.  Saves money, time and space.

RE: Peeler Skiff Center Console seat ideas needed

   Yes it would. From what I understand it would also place greater forces higher up on the transom. Sorry the pic did not work. 

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