Fishing or resting on the water ceases to be a pleasure when the back is sloppy after an hour of being in the water. PVC boatStandard inflatable seats, which come with a kit, rarely provide the necessary comfort, especially during long transitions or waiting for a cool one. Which is why the question of how to make a homemade chair in a PVC boat yourself becomes a priority for every experienced boater who values his health.
Creating your own seat not only improves ergonomics, but also distributes weight in the cockpit, which is critical to the sustainability of the vessel. Unlike factory-wide solutions, your design will fit perfectly into the dimensions of a particular model, whether it is a vehicle or a vehicle. Flagship, hunter homemade flat-boat.
In this article, we will look at all the steps to creating a reliable and comfortable seating position, from the choice of materials to the final installation, learn how to avoid common errors that can lead to corrosion or damage to cylinders, and get proven drawings for the project.
Selection of materials and tools for construction
The first step in making a quality product is to find the right components, and the frame is most often made from the right components. sea-aluminum Or AISI 304 stainless steel, because these materials are highly corrosive, and the use of conventional ferrous metal is unacceptable, because even high-quality painting will not save it from aggressive aquatic environment and salt spray.
For the seat and back, moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of at least 12-15 mm is ideal, which subsequently needs to be treated with protective compounds. composite Or it's tough plastic, but it's easier to process and cheaper, and it's going to require yacht vinyl or a special fabric to upholster. Oxford with PU impregnation, resistant to ultraviolet.
Don't forget to prepare the fasteners: bolts and nuts must also be made of stainless steel. Conventional fasteners will rust in one season, leaving unpleasant rust marks on the floorboards and cylinders. You will also need tools: an electric jigsaw, a drill, a grinder and a set of keys.
Use Teflon tape or sanitary silicone when assembling threaded joints to prevent unwinding from vibration on the wave.
Design and calculation of seat dimensions
Before cutting materials, you need to make accurate measurements of the interior of your boat, the width of the seat should be such that it does not rest on the cylinders when landing, but also do not leave large gaps that will lead to a bolt. The optimal width for one person varies from 40 to 50 cm, which ensures sufficient comfort without losing usable area.
Landing height is critical to the stability of the boat. A seat that is too high will raise the center of gravity, which can be dangerous in sharp maneuvers or strong winds. The standard is a seat height of 35-40 cm from the floor (floorboard). If you plan to make a seat with a backrest, note that it should not interfere with rowing or control of the engine in a reclined state.
And the design phase also addresses the functionality, and many anglers integrate into the base. tackle-driveThis is a tool that saves space and keeps accessories on hand, and the drawing is best done on millimeter paper or in a simple CAD program to visualize the mounting nodes and docking of the elements.
Manufacture of the frame and the base
The assembly process begins with the creation of a support frame. If you use an aluminum corner or pipe, cut the workpieces according to the drawing. The elements can be joined by welding with argon (for aluminum) or mechanically on bolts. Mechanical connection is preferable for DIY projects, since it does not require special equipment and allows you to disassemble the structure for transportation.
All sharp corners of metal profiles must be carefully treated with a file and grinded. Any barb or sharp edge poses a potential threat to the safety of the body. PVC material After the frame is assembled, it is recommended to coat it with powder paint or anodize it, if aluminum is used, for additional protection.
The seat base (stove seat) is cut out of plywood. The shape can be rectangular, but for greater comfort, the front edge is often rounded so that it does not press on the hamstrings. In plywood, holes are drilled in advance to attach to the frame and to mount the soft seat.
☑️ Checking the frame's readiness
Skin and creation of a comfortable seat
Comfort on fishing depends on the quality of the soft element. Simple plywood quickly tires your back, so you need to use foam or furniture polyurethane foam 3-5 cm thick. The material must be moisture resistant, otherwise it will absorb water and become a hotbed of mold.
It is important to use stainless stapler brackets, because the usual quickly oxidize and stain the fabric with rust. The seams can be additionally glued with water-resistant glue for the fabric to prevent moisture from entering the filler. For the back, the angle of inclination is better adjusted or fixed at 95-100 degrees for optimal support of the lower back.
The Secret to Long-Term Upholstery
Use perforated foam or make holes in it with a diameter of 1-2 cm. This will provide ventilation and rapid drainage of water if you are rolled by a wave.
The finished seat is attached to the frame on bolts with wide washers so that the hats do not push the soft part. Between the metal of the frame and the bottom of the plywood seat, it is useful to lay a thin layer of rubber or linoleum, which will create a shock-absorbing cushion and eliminate the creaks that inevitably occur when wood rubs against metal on the wave.
Requirements to cylinders and paiolas
The most important step is to put the finished product in a boat, and there are several ways of fixing, the choice of which depends on the design of your vessel. stringer This is done with special brackets that cover the profile of the stringer and are pressed with bolts.
Fixing directly to the cylinders requires special care: it is strictly forbidden to use sharp hooks or elements that can damage the fabric when compressed strongly. The optimal option is to use wide slings with carabiners or special soft mounts covering the cylinder. The pressure on the contact point should be distributed over the maximum area.
For removable structures, a stainless steel dad-mama system is often used, where the back end is glued to the floorboard and the chair is simply inserted into the slots, which allows you to quickly dismantle the seat to make room for overnight stays or transportation of bulky cargo.
| Type of attachment | Materials | Difficulty of installation | Risk to the boat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thongers. | Aluminum/Steel | Medium | Low. |
| To the cylinders (slings) | Textiles/Plastics | Low. | Medium (with the wrong stretch) |
| Insertion in floorboard | Metal | High (requires flooring) | Low. |
| Trants. | Wood/Metal | Low. | Low. |
Protection from moisture and final assembly
Once all the components are assembled, the final processing is done: wood elements, even if hidden under the upholstery, are better covered with olifer or yacht varnish, this will create an additional barrier to moisture, metal parts, especially welded seams, are checked for chipped paint and tinted.
Be sure to check all the threaded connections. The constant vibration of the motor can cause the nuts to unscrew spontaneously. Use grooved washers or a sealant for threading. Once you put the chair in the boat, run a test on land: sit, sway, simulate the movement of the wave, and listen to the creaks.
⚠️ Attention: Never use water-absorbing materials (such as unprotected or impregnated foam) to upholster your seat, and the wet chair will become heavy, cold and may rot, spoiling the air in the sealer when transported.
The final touch could be to install additional accessories, such as a fishing rod holder mounted on the armrest or a pocket for trifles on the back of the back, which greatly improve the ease of use of a homemade chair.
The basic principle of assembly is that there are no sharp corners and only corrosion-resistant materials, and saving on the quality of the fastener will lead to the loss of the entire product in the water.
Frequent errors in self-manufacturing
Many newcomers make the mistake of making the chair too wide "just in case." In a cramped cockpit, an extra 5-10 cm on each side turns the landing into torture, forcing them to sit in a twisted position or constantly touch the sides.
Another common mistake is ignoring the weight of the structure: a homemade chair made of thick steel and an array of oak will carry several tens of kilograms of excess weight, which is critical for a small PVC boat. Try to use lightweight aluminum alloys and modern composite materials.
⚠️ Attention: When drilling plywood holes under the fastener, always use a kennel. If the bolt hat protrudes above the surface, it will quickly wipe the seat skin or damage the fishing gear.
Also worth mentioning is the backrest height mistake: too high a back creates sailing, and when you move against the wind, the boat can start turning around, and it will be difficult for the angler to hold its course, especially on small motors.
FAQ: Answers to Masters' Questions
Can you use conventional plywood without processing?
Not recommended, even moisture-resistant plywood (PSF) will eventually begin to delaminate from contact with water, and be sure to use varnish, olifa or epoxy to protect the wood.
How much weight can a homemade chair withstand?
With proper calculation and use of aluminum 2-3 mm thick, the design can easily withstand up to 150-200 kg. The main thing is the reliability of the mounting units to the boat itself, not the strength of the seat itself.
Do I have to make the chair removable?
For inflatable boats, a removable option is preferred, making it easier to dry the paiola after fishing and allowing for space for overnight stays or cargo transportation.
How to replace marine plywood if it is not on sale?
A good alternative is 10 mm thick sheet plastic (PVC plastic) or composite panels, which are not afraid of water at all, but require a special tool for cutting and drilling.