Long walks turn finding a comfortable place from a trifle to a matter of endurance, and a regular bench sewn to a balloon, after a couple of hours of active fishing or trolling, begins to resemble a torture machine. PVC boat chair with back-turn It becomes not just an accessory, but a critical element of ergonomics, allowing you to maintain concentration and strength.
The current market offers many solutions, from budget folding options to professional depreciation systems, but the choice is complicated by the design of inflatable vessels, where the hard floor (floorboard) has limited bearing capacity in point contact areas, and improperly selected design can damage cylinders or create a dangerous roll.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the types of rotation mechanisms, the methods of fixing on plywood or aluminum floors and the criteria for choosing upholstery material that is resistant to aggressive aquatic environments.
Why you need a rotary mechanism on an inflatable boat
The main function of a rotary seat is not just to be able to rotate around its axis, although this makes life much easier for the fisherman, but the main task is to be able to instantly change the position of the body relative to the side or direction of movement without having to stand up. PVCEvery sudden movement is fraught with a loss of balance.
And the backrest also takes a tremendous amount of stress off the lumbar spine, and when you're driving a motor or pulling a trophy, you're leaning all your weight on the seat, and if you use a simple jar, your back muscles are under constant strain, and you get tired quickly. The turning chair. It allows you to relax the body, maintaining control over the situation.
- 🔄 Instant 360-degree turn to throw the tackle to any point without getting up.
- 🎣 The ability to catch in a trolling style, when you need to constantly look back.
- 🛡️ Reduced risk of falling overboard due to reliable fixation of the body in the saddle.
⚠️ Attention: Installing a heavy chair with a complex rotating mechanism in the bow of the boat can disrupt the differentiation, the center of gravity will shift, and the boat will begin to "nose peck" on the move, which increases the risk of flooding with the wave.
It's also worth noting the impact on handling: When you sit in a swivel chair, you instinctively shift the center of gravity towards the turn, helping the boat to make the curves smoother, and this is especially true for small models up to 3 meters long, where the weight of the passenger is a significant part of the displacement.
Types of anchorages and seats
Before you choose a particular model, you need to understand how it will be fixed on your boat. The design of the floor dictates its rules. Most of the time, we are talking about plywood plywood thicknesses from 9 mm or inflatable floors with rigid inserts (HHHP), which require a special approach.
The most common option is to use a transition plate, a sheet of plywood or aluminum that is attached to the floor of the boat, and then it is mounted on the rotary mechanism, so that the point load from the legs of the chair can be spread over a large area, protecting the cylinders from pressing and washing.
Hard-floor boats (flat flora) often use a system of fast-acting locks that allow you to remove the seat in a second and free up space for cargo or overnight accommodation, but such systems require accurate fit and professional installation.
- 🔩 Fixed plate: It is cheap, reliable, but takes place permanently.
- 🔒 Quick-release locks: Convenience of transformation, but higher price and risk of corrosion mechanism.
- 🧱 Stressing the side: The seat is fixed between the sides without touching the floor (rarely, but it is found in specific models).
It's important to consider the landing height. The standard height of the rotating mechanism is about 13-15 cm. If you add the thickness of the transition plate, the seat will rise even higher. For people of tallness, this can become a stability problem, as the center of gravity of the boat will rise.
Design features of the turning mechanisms
The heart of any such chair is the rotary knot itself. In the fishing environment, the two most popular types of mechanisms are bearing and bushing: the first ensure smooth running and withstand heavy loads, the second are simpler and cheaper, but require regular lubrication.
Bearing mechanism It's preferable for salt water, because quality models have corrosion protection. Cheap ones quickly start to creak and get stuck with sand and salt. When choosing, pay attention to the material: silimine quickly breaks down, preferably galvanized steel or stainless steel.
There are also slider mechanisms, which allow you to adjust the distance to the oars or the dashboard without getting up, but it's much heavier and more dimensional.
| Type of mechanism | Materials | Load capacity | Resource (cycles) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busting | Steel/Plastic | 100 kg | ~5 000 |
| bearing | Stainless steel | 150 kg | ~20 000 |
| Slider-turn | Aluminum/Steel | 120 kg | ~10 000 |
| Premium (shock absorber) | Stainless steel | 180 kg | ~50 000 |
Secrets of maintenance of the mechanism
Even the best-quality pivoting mechanism requires maintenance. After each release on salt water, it must be washed with fresh water. Once a season, it is recommended to take apart the knot, remove the old lubricant and apply a new, specialized one (for example, based on lithium or silicone) to prevent acidification.
There's no need to skimp on this node. A cheap mechanism can jam at the most inopportune moment, for example, in a sharp maneuver or a heavy chop, when you need to quickly turn to face the wave.
Materials of manufacture and upholstery of seats
The choice of frame material and upholstery directly affects the durability of the chair. The frame is most often made of aluminum profiles or steel pipes. Aluminum is lightweight and does not rust, but is less durable at the break. Steel is stronger, but requires perfect coating, otherwise rust will appear very quickly.
Upholstery is a zone of constant contact with water, sun and fish slime, and the normal fabric will not live a season here. sea-skin or specialized tissue type Oxford They don't absorb water, they clean easily, they're ultrafine resistant.
The seat is made of foam, and it's important that it's high density, or it's going to turn into pancake after a month of active use, and some manufacturers use a mesh structure that removes moisture better and dries faster.
- 💧 Wet resistance: The material should not absorb water, otherwise the chair will become heavy and begin to mold.
- ☀️ UV protection: Resistance to sunburnout is critical, as the boat is often outdoors.
- 🧼 Chemical resistance: Upholstery must withstand contact with gasoline, oil and fish slime.
⚠️ Warning: Avoid chairs with wooden elements in the seat design (backs, armrests). Even treated wood in conditions of constant humidity and temperature changes on the water will begin to rot or crack.
To extend the life of upholstery, use special spray air conditioners for vinyl, which create a protective film that repels dirt and prevents the material from cracking on the folds.
Independent installation of the chair on the plywood floor
The rotary chair is a neat process, and the first mistake that newcomers make is to screw it directly into a thin plywood floorboard, and under the weight of the person and the dynamic load of the plywood around the fastener, it will crumble and then burst.
A transition plate (podium) must be manufactured or purchased; the optimum thickness of the plywood for the podium is 15-18 mm (birch, moisture resistant, FFS brands); the size of the plate should be such that it overlaps several adjacent floorboards, distributing the load; the standard size is 30x30 cm or 40x40 cm.
The process of mounting is this: first, the plate is attached to the floor of the boat with bolts with wide washers, then a rotary mechanism is installed on the stove, and it is important to use a counternut or a thread lock, because the vibration of the motor quickly unwinds the normal connections.
☑️ Checklist of installation
Sequence of action:Mark the installation centre at the junction of the floorboards.
2. Impose a transition plate.
Drill through holes through the stove and floorboard.
4. Install bolts from the bottom (head down, so as not to interfere).
5. Tighten the nuts through the wide washers.
6. Tow the mechanism to the stove.
If the floor in your boat is inflatable (NDM), you can not drill it, in this case, you use special fastening systems that are fixed for slings or sides, or you use removable platforms that can be quickly dismantled.
Overview of popular models and price categories
The market offers a wide range of solutions. The budget segment is made up of simple folding chairs with a rotating circle, lightweight, but without a backrest or very low backrest, and the mid-range is full armrests and adjustable backrests.
The premium class includes chairs with shock absorbers that quench the shocks against the wave, which are often used in professional fishing and at high speeds. Stella Marine or Atwood They are reliable but expensive solutions.
And you also have to consider the weight of the structure, because for light inflatable boats, every extra kilogram counts, and aluminum frames beat steel frames in weight, but lose strength under extreme loads.
The optimal choice for most anglers is a chair with an aluminum frame, bearing mechanism and upholstery made of marine vinyl leather on a transitional plywood plate of 18 mm.
Don't forget to fold your dimensions. If you plan to take off your chair often and carry it in the trunk separately from the boat, the ability to fold your back and armrests will be a crucial factor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I install a rotary chair on a boat without a hard floor (HDD)?
Yes, it is possible, but it requires the use of special removable platforms that are attached to slings or sides, or the use of inflatable seats with a built-in rotary mechanism.
How much weight can a standard fishing chair withstand?
Most high-quality models are designed for loads from 120 to 150 kg. However, the dynamic load when pitching can be higher, so always take a margin of safety. Cheap Chinese models may not withstand 80 kg of active fishing.
Do I need to clean the machine after every fishing trip?
After each saltwater fishing, the mechanism is necessarily washed with fresh water, grease is performed less often - usually at the end of the season or if the mechanism begins to make extraneous sounds, frequent grease can lead to adhesive sand.
Will the chair affect the speed of the boat?
The weight of the chair (3-5 kg) alone has little effect on speed, but the high back sailing in the headwind can significantly interfere with steering and slow down if you do not fold the back while driving.