Opinions wanted: keep the sleeper seats or go with an alternative?

[Saxe Point]

The original vinyl on the both the port and starboard sleeper seats in my 1986 Double Eagle 16 is completely finished. Cracked and the foam is exposed etc. Either I pay to get them reupholstered or I do something different.

Reupholstering is not cheap and costs about the same as new sleeper seats, roughly $1000.

The boat rarely has more than 2 people in it and it is a fishing boat. This means I'm thinking of possibly doing what others have done, namely ditching the sleepers altogether and going with two regular boats seats on swivels mounted to the tops of the "boxes" that the sleepers sit on. (Might also need a small pedestal to get enough height.) I could get simple checker plate aluminum tops easily made for the tops of the boxes. Hinged with locks, they would be handier and more secure storage than I have right now. Seats would bolt to the checker plate tops. Another advantage is that stepping on top of the checker plate to get in to the boat won't kill my seats like it has with the sleepers. Swivelling seats also seem better than sleepers for all fishing purposes, especially when trolling. Finally, it will free up a bit of fishing space.

This might be cheaper, but maybe not. But I'm wondering if it's a better option.

I'd be grateful to hear opinions from anyone as to the pros and cons of making this change, whether you have done something similar or not.

 

[bigbruce]

My Campion had a pedestal on the driver's side and a sleeper on the port side. Worked great for the odd time I had a 3rd person in the boat. Was also a big advantage for those sunny days when the fishing was slow - drop that sleeper seat and have a snooze...

 

[Rum Buddies]

My Campion had a pedestal on the driver's side and a sleeper on the port side. Worked great for the odd time I had a 3rd person in the boat. Was also a big advantage for those sunny days when the fishing was slow - drop that sleeper seat and have a snooze...

This is a really good setup for a smaller boat, opens up the back quite a bit.

 

[Mighty Sylvan]

I have always thought two pedestal seats with coolers behind them attached to the floor with the bottom corner brackets would be a good idea. Fish cooler, storage, seat all in one.

 

[doubleeagle]

go with 2 pedestals

 

[vanisland]

Reupholstering is way more expensive than just buying new sleepers. I got quoted 300$ tax in for a brand new weise sleeper from Trotac and that was one of the higher end sleepers from weise. I have a sleeper on one side and pedestal on the other and it works great. If I wasn't going to have more than a few people in the boat at a time I would have 2 pedestal seats. Heres a pic of my setup on my 17 DE.

 

[Dave S]

What's the height of the canvas top at the wheel?

 

[halimark]

How often have you slept on the sleeper seats, boat is 16 ft so not thinking overnight. When I had my 16 DE spend many an hour snoring on the sleepers waiting for a hali to click a reel? Now with my 18.6 DE I have 1 sleeper and 1 pedestal mounted on a box as you describe. I still spend many a sunny day on anchor snoring on a sleeper, not pulled out but still comfy. Evaluate your need as we all spend different amounts of time in our boats. I spent 12 straight days mainland North Island hunting last year from my 18.6 DE, space was at a premium. I am out in the dark and return in the dark. Some only go out for a tide or a couple hours. 1 sleeper and 1 pedestal on box works perfect for me. I still have another pedestal in my shop as a spare, also think $1000 may be high for 2 sleepers for 16 DE, search the web deals are around. Good luck on whatever you choose.

HM

 

[Duffer]

I used to love pulling up to the dock and having a nap on my sleeper seat in the afternoon when the fishing slowed down. Then go back for the evening bite!

 

[Dave S]

This is the layout I have in my Arima and it works great. I like the storage under the port side seating.

 

[Saxe Point]

What's the height of the canvas top at the wheel?

No canvas right now! That's another thing that I need to get, but after the seats. My hull is in great shape though!

 

[Saxe Point]

Here's my seats that I'm talking about. They're actually in worse shape now. Gives an idea of the layout.

 

[Bigfishpa]

This is what I did to my Hourston after taking out the sleeper seats

 

[Charter Tofino]

My Campion had a pedestal on the driver's side and a sleeper on the port side. Worked great for the odd time I had a 3rd person in the boat. Was also a big advantage for those sunny days when the fishing was slow - drop that sleeper seat and have a snooze...

I have my Tyee setup similar. I also have a cooler with a cushion for storage behind the driver seat that works as a bench seat for the odd time it's a full boat and for storage.

 

[Saxe Point]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I think I'm going to dump the sleepers and put in a couple of swivel seats. So that leads to my next question. Diamond plate or glassed marine plywood for the covers for the boxes? Would diamond plate be a lot more money? I could probably make wood covers myself. Thoughts?

 

[vanisland]

I would just remove the boxes all together and put in pedestal seats, would free up a lot more space that way, but just my opinion.

 

[Rockfish]

I think you are on the right track. If you find your boating and fishing life style interests evolve to include lots of travel, sleeping, marine camping and overnighters; you are going to want more than a 16 footer and to save for a little larger boat with a cabin, small galley and head, or at least a cuddy with a bed.

Aluminum diamond plate covered boxes and cabinet and internal hatch doors are bullet proof and will give you a better radar reflection on a glass boat which could just save your life one day. That is what is on my boat. If you leave it outside all winter, Aluminum can require maintenance to keep them from oxidising or removing oxidation, especially if there is not some sort of clear coat/sealer/wax on them.

There are also factory marine doors and hatches mostly made out of plastic. If you want storage access you could build the boxes out of marine plywood and the access doors out of plate or install factory hatches but they also are not cheap. You could also finish the boxes in plastic laminate on the plywood or buy laminate covered plywood or color match glass finish the boxes to match your boat. Plain marine painted plywood may eventually crack and look ugly and so can a less than well done glass finish. There is even some marine plastic construction board you can cover them in. It is not cheap and the name of it escapes me at the moment. It would add structural strength and won't chip, crack or delaminate/separate from the plywood if correctly installed. There is a lot of it in my boat (black/dark gray) covering the inside of the transom and gunnels etc. It was installed by the previous owner who knows what he is doing during a major refit. You can see it in last years Sooke thread in some of the pictures of fish Silver Spring posted

http://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum/showthread.php?21419-Sooke-2013-Fishing-Reports/page74

and it is strong enough for many applications on its own, but don't think I would use it by itself on a box I was siting on top of when crashing back down off a wave.

PS as VanIsland says pedestal seats especially the really expensive ones with hydraulic dampeners to ease the pounding on your body are awesome and you would not need to make a box/cabinet. Wish I had them in my boat, but the seats on platforms/cabinets give me a lot of storage and one seat folds up to provide more galley work area on top of the cabinet.

PS again, on my boat only the helm seat swivels as that makes it easy to get out of the seat first when docking the boat and the passengers in the other fixed seats facing aft don't beat you and get in the way if the are not experienced with docking and tying off to the dock etc before the boat drifts away from the dock in a wind. If they know what they are doing I want them standing up prepared and ready to help.

 

[wolf]

I have some bucket marine plastic seat that would work on sliders/swivals with pedestals i you are interested i personally like bigfishpas set up especially for storing stuff as you know in a little boat storage is usually an issue I have done a few boats projects like yours and put "boxes in and lockable storage /fish holding place. this is a guys boat whos on this forum not hard to do used cardboard to cut templates etc and seal with sika and good marine paint....

Good luckWolf

 

[Peahead]

The original vinyl on the both the port and starboard sleeper seats in my 1986 Double Eagle 16 is completely finished. Cracked and the foam is exposed etc. Either I pay to get them reupholstered or I do something different. Reupholstering is not cheap and costs about the same as new sleeper seats, roughly $1000. The boat rarely has more than 2 people in it and it is a fishing boat. . Another advantage is that stepping on top of the checker plate to get in to the boat won't kill my seats like it has with the sleepers. Swivelling seats also seem better than sleepers for all fishing purposes, especially when trolling. Finally, it will free up a bit of fishing space. But I'm wondering if it's a better option.

I'd be grateful to hear opinions from anyone as to the pros and cons of making this change, whether you have done something similar or not.

I used to have a 1990 DE 17 - my vinyl was in good shape but the sleeper hinges and wood were in not so great shape. I chose to repair them as it was economical and I actually like the sleepers as they were quite versatile for my uses . Here is what I would have done ( and why) if I had kept the boat:

1st choice: Like Vanisland's or Kelly's 's example, put in one new sleeper port and a pedestal at helm starboard OR

2nd choice: two new sleepers

The reason for having one (or both) sleepers as opposed to pedestals is that for every pedestal installed you lose storage space under the seats unless you build hinged box under a "pedestal"
One pedestal on starboard side only would provide more cockpit/stern room.
Having at least one sleeper provided me the option to nap in my boat for an hr or so either waiting for people to arrive at my marina or in-between projects while working on the boat. Also at anchor for short nap or even a few overnighters with 2 of us 2 sleepers were great to have. Yes if you are creative you can sleep 2 on a 17 ! At times I expanded the port sleeper seat open and had 3 kids sitting across the sleeper like a bench seat.

For me in the 10 years I had the DE I felt at least one sleeper was the way to go for my multiple uses of the boat.

PS don't put any money into the old sleepers upholstery - the foam, wood and hinges will eventually go on you and likely right after an expensive upholstery job

 

[mhbradley]

This is the layout I have in my Arima and it works great. I like the storage under the port side seating.

Dave that Arima is a very nice looking fishing boat.