I wanted to add a sliding seat for rowing to my SW Dory with sail option. The folks at CLC were skeptical, but with some helpful advice from Gary Pientedosi I made it work. The seat fastens to a deck plate on the existing thwart on top of the centerboard trunk, and to a removable support I added that rests on the trim around the edge of the cockpit, reinforced by a filet underneath. The center pin on each end of the support is a cleavis pin so that I can pin it from below, but that hasn't been necessary. Rather than the outrigger I raised the oarlock risers a bit and moved them about an inch aft. Alden bronze oarlocks work well with the new Dreher oars. Hobbyhorsing while underway was a concern, but does not seem to be an issue. When I want to sail I just pop out the seat, switch the oars, rig for sailing and I am off. There is a lot of technique invloved in rowing, especially with feathering the oars, but for this old guy just trying to stay in shape it works well and I am pleased.
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RE: SW Dory sliding seat
» Submitted by Overland - Wed, 5/25/22 » 7:42 AM
Small Boats magazine has published an article about this topic--fitting a fixed seat rowing boat with a sliding seat. It's quite interesting. I'm just now trying it with a 15" skin on frame boat I built. Because one doesn't use outriggers and sculling oars, the seat doesn't need to slide as far as on, say, a rowing shell, or an Annapolis Wherry.
Here's the link:
https://smallboatsmonthly.com/article/short-sliding-seat/