Last Updated on July 1, 2022 by Brian Drew
Owning a boat can be a pure pleasure as you can spend your time in style. When you are out on the water, spending a good part of your day, you need more than just a powerful motor and a big boat.
You need good seats. No matter how much fun you are having, you are bound to sit down and when it is on the right set of seats, there will be nothing more relaxing.
Wide Range Of Options
When it comes to boat sets, there are quite a few options one can choose from. The owners want class, style, and comfort all packaged into one and the manufacturers are willing to give that. Here are some of the types of sets one can find today:
Ponton seats – These are one of the best boat seats you can buy, designed to be used both individually as well as a set. These seats can fit together and you will get bench-like seating. This can accommodate more people without taking up more room. The seats have storage boxed underneath too.
Bolster Seats – These seats are used more commonly in cruisers. They can be used both for the passengers as well as the captain. Two such seats can be put back to back to save more space. These come with storage space underneath too.
Folding Seats – A simple yet maintenance-free seating. Fold down the backrest and the seat can be stored easily. Used more by utility and row boats.
Bucket Seats – Perfect fit for the captain of the boat.
Buddy Seats – These seats can be attached between two bucket seats to form a bench-style seating. This can accommodate more people and is commonly used in walleye and bass boats.
Bench Seat – Simple and easy to maintain seats. Can accommodate many people and is used in bass and walleye boats.
Casting Seats – When you are out fishing, you need a seat that can offer good stability. This seat gives you just that so that you can stand and have a good catch even on rough waters.
Helm/Pilot Chair – Can be mounted on a pedestal and is a perfect fit for the captain.
Fighting Chair – While fishing, you can get lucky and get a big catch. Reel it in without worrying about your seating as these chairs have inbuilt rod holders and are designed to fit on large boats.
Leaning Post – These provide enough support while fishing and fit into the center console of the boat
Cooler Seat – A cooler with a seat on top, makes a perfect addition to the boat.
Swingback Seat – When you want to face the other way around, just swing the backrest the other way and you have a comfortable seat facing the way you want.
Measure It Right
Ensuring you have the right seats does not stop with selecting the most comfortable seat available. You need to have the right measurements too. Here is a small guide to help you measure for pontoon seats:
- The first and foremost point to remember is, to measure within the rails. If there are any rail supports on the boat, they have to be considered too, while measuring.
- Start measuring from the port to the starboard rails. Add another inch to the measurement, to account for the vinyl.
- Next measure the distance between the side gate and the rear rail
- Then measure the distance between the front rail and the side gate
- Take note of the corners of the ponton seats you are considering. Some can be rounded while others can be squared. If they are rounded, take note of the radius of the corner seats. This measurement is important to ensure the seats fit in well.
- Once you have all these measurements, you can choose seats that will fit in. the seats you buy should neither be too small nor big when compared to the measurements. Only then will it fit in well.
Install Them
Now that you know which seats to buy and in which size, here is how you should install them:
Tools Required
Before you begin the installation process, ensure you have all the tools required. You don’t want to stop mid-way due to the lack of the right-sized wrench.
- Adjustable wrench
- Rubber mallet
- Screwdriver (manual or electric)
- Electrical drill and drill bits
- Hole saw
Pointers
Here are a few pointers to ensure your installation process is smooth and problem-free
- Always check the seats before you begin installing. If there are damages, return them or don’t accept the delivery
- Be careful while opening the box as you don’t want to damage the items inside
- Take out the seats, place them where you want them to be fixed, and mark. These marking will be your guidelines while drilling and fixing the seats
- Check the area to be drilled into. Ensure you won’t be drilling into any wires or tanks
- Use washers that are wide. This will prevent cracks and damage. Lock in the nuts with these washers, so that the seats don’t move
- Add the bolts as you drill each hole so that the bracket stays in position. If you hold your free hand, it may move and even a small shift can make the measurements go wrong.
Get Started
Once you are sure of the seats, have the tools, and have marked the areas, here is what you should do:
- Seat cushions will have hinges at the bottom. Remove them one by one, ensuring you know which hinge goes where. It helps to mark or place them in a certain way to avoid confusion. This is important as you need to replace the hinges in the right places
- Place the hinges underneath the seat and screw them into place. Do not tighten the screws just yet.
- Turn around the seat in such a way that the base of the seat is facing down
- Now place the bottom of the seat next to the base. Re-attach the 3 screws by slowly screwing them into place by hand. Do not tighten them either.
- Now tighten the base hinge screws into the base. Next, tighten the screws in the bottom of the seat.
- Ensure it is done in this order so that the seat fits in properly
- Now assemble the seat back into its base by screwing the threaded posts into the inserts, by hand. Do so by hand, until you feel it stop
- Now place the seat back into the recessed channel. Ensure the posts are protruding beyond the base as they need to be secured
- Next place the fender washer, followed by the lock washer, and then only the wing nut. Tighten it securely and your seats are ready!
Conclusion
This is the standard procedure to install a pontoon seat. Though there are other varieties, the basic assembling process is the same. You need to be careful when you screw in the seats and tighten it only at the end. Care must be taken that you place the hinges back in the right spot, to avoid the wrong balance.
Always ensure you get the markings right before you can drill the holes. A slight deviation is good enough to ruin the entire seating. Though alterations can be made later, it is not a simple task and can cause damage to the boat.
