Dinghy cup holders

[stevemitchell]

This seems like something I could have solved long ago, but over the years, have never found a single solution that has worked well. Either I have overlooked the most basic thing ever, or there is a big gap in the market....



I have a Highfield dinghy that has two seats, some seat bags which I added, and a front v-berth like locker. I have not found a single place to put a cup holder anywhere in the boat.

The hanging bags have a single cup holder like stretch pocket on the front, but it is very difficult to get anything in or out of it. And there are only 2.

Are there products that you've come across, or smart engineering you've come up with, for something to hold a cup in your dinghy? Attached to the PVC somehow? The transom? Another seat bag that is better?

I don't like spilling my drinks all the time. To prevent this, I just drink faster, but for some reason, that results in more spilled drinks.

 

[kchace]

You could attach a suitably sized piece of starboard to the fabric of the seat bags by screwing in from behind then attach a normal fold up cup holder to the starboard.

Ken

 

[Gabe n Em]

Are your seats smooth? We've been really pleased with these.

Both pictures taken just now. Yes, the second one really is sideways... And empty, which reminds me....

Made by toadfish. No affiliation, they were gifts from friends

 

[caltexflanc]

Those seat boards look smooth. These thing stick to almost anything.

https://www.seasucker.com/collections/cup-holders.

Or you could cut a hole in the seat(s) and install a standard cup holder insert. Lucky for us, our dinghy came with one built in at the helm.

 

[FlyWright]

Here's a pic I took from my 2020 Quarantine Cruise. On the stbd side, you can see a piece of king board that's screwed through the aluminum seat. It holds my cupholder, camera mount and iPod/cellphone mount. All items are screwed into the board with countersunk holes from below. Cost next to nothing to make and doesn't get in the way. I used the rigid cupholder portion from this.

BTW, not recommended for drinks in cans or glasses at planing speeds! Bottles behave better in the wind. DAMHIK

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/liquid-caddy-xl-cup-holder

 

[menzies]

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s3/boat-cup-holders-51077.html

 

[stevemitchell]

Are your seats smooth? We've been really pleased with these.

Both pictures taken just now. Yes, the second one really is sideways... And empty, which reminds me....

Made by toadfish. No affiliation, they were gifts from friends

Unfortunately they aren't. They're textured a bit. I've tried suction cup stuff and it won't stick. However, those Toadfish things look pretty awesome and I want one for my flybridge location!

Those seat boards look smooth. These thing stick to almost anything.

https://www.seasucker.com/collections/cup-holders.

Or you could cut a hole in the seat(s) and install a standard cup holder insert. Lucky for us, our dinghy came with one built in at the helm.

Yeah unfortunately they are not smooth. They're also pseudo-hollow, so I would worry about compromising their integrity by cutting a cupholder sized hole in them.

Here's a pic I took from my 2020 Quarantine Cruise. On the stbd side, you can see a piece of king board that's screwed through the aluminum seat. It holds my cupholder, camera mount and iPod/cellphone mount. All items are screwed into the board with countersunk holes from below. Cost next to nothing to make and doesn't get in the way. I used the rigid cupholder portion from this.

BTW, not recommended for drinks in cans or glasses at planing speeds! Bottles behave better in the wind. DAMHIK

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/liquid-caddy-xl-cup-holder

Ah I really like this idea. Might have to get a slightly shorter width cushion seat bag but it could work quite well.

You could attach a suitably sized piece of starboard to the fabric of the seat bags by screwing in from behind then attach a normal fold up cup holder to the starboard.

Ken

Not a bad idea either. I could definitely do that now with the seat bags I have attached.