Helm Seats for 1982 34 Marine Trader DC

[geoleo]

Have a 1982 34 Marine Trader DC. Flybridge Helm seat is a bench with a loose back cushion on starboard side. Lower helm is worse. Just a loose cushion atop a wine cabinet below ---right in front of the sliding door! No back cushion . Both are very poor situations. Wondering what others here might have done??? I don't want to cut boat up much. A captain chair /helm seat could be bolted to the bench at the flybridge if the top of the bench is reinforced. It could stay there. Permanently. Couldn't swivel much. Lower helm could have the same(captain/helm bolted to top of wine cabinet blow) but probably needs to be removable as its in front of the sliding door to the salon and would be an eyesore when not cruising----yet would be bulky to store elsewhere---there is not room for a floor mounted helm chair between the wheel and the wine cabinet ------.....Suggestions please...Thanks,

 

[dennisspain]

I built a shallow plywood box to fit on my fly ridge bench and then bolted a swivel chair to the box. I can lift the box and chair together to gain access to storage under the bench.
Can't help with the wine cooler problem, I don't have a wine cooler. Wine cooler, really?

 

[dennisspain]

Sorry fat fingers flybridge not fly ridge[emoji15]

 

[geoleo]

I built a shallow plywood box to fit on my fly ridge bench and then bolted a swivel chair to the box. I can lift the box and chair together to gain access to storage under the bench.
Can't help with the wine cooler problem, I don't have a wine cooler. Wine cooler, really?

Thanks
Its not a cooler--its a pull out drawer with wine bottle holes sorry

 

[winty]

I removed the box seat and replaced with a pedestal chair. When the chair is in the aft position the opening door clearance is the same as the original cabinet.

 

[mgrennie]

Previous owner glued down a piece of plywood where my flybridge seat was, and reverse bolted pedestals with swivel chairs. I like the idea of the storage boxes though. I may do that, or a much better job glassing down a panel to match the rest of the floor.

I have my lower helm seat, but have not decided how to mount it. I like my tool box, or I was going to cut the bottom drawer off the original seat. Need to mount the wheel further forward, too.


All my friends were interested in was that stupid litter bucket.

 

[jleonard]

I came up with a very simple solution to the flybridge seating situation.
I made a simple box out of 2x6 so it fit inside the teak moulding on the original seats. We covered the boxes with white vinyl. I made a plywood top that fits inside the box, and my first mate made a cushion and covered it with sunbrella and we stapled it to the plywood.
It work out to be the perfect height for driving and lounging (I often run the boat in my relaxed position thanks to autopilot).
Plus we get an extra 6 inches of storage under the seats.

 

[geoleo]

I came up with a very simple solution to the flybridge seating situation.
I made a simple box out of 2x6 so it fit inside the teak moulding on the original seats. We covered the boxes with white vinyl. I made a plywood top that fits inside the box, and my first mate made a cushion and covered it with sunbrella and we stapled it to the plywood.
It work out to be the perfect height for driving and lounging (I often run the boat in my relaxed position thanks to autopilot).
Plus we get an extra 6 inches of storage under the seats.

Looks like just another bench-just a higher one

 

[jleonard]

Looks like just another bench-just a higher one

It is plus there is plywood behind the backrest so I have back support. I stay very stable in it regardless of sea conditions.
I like it better than a helm seat.