tractor seats

[robdalej]

starting to feelmy age standing on the back of a boat for hours on end. I started to think about getting a tractor seat and attaching this to the counter. Has anyone any advice on wether this is an idea or not, any snags? either this or buy a cruiser stern with a seat, I think not!

[Guest]

We have 'taff' seats on our boat which are regarded in some circles as dangerous because if you fall over them you go in inevitably head first so I'm guessing such an arrangement would be seen in the same light.

 

Do you have a trad stern? we once viewed a trad sterned Shotbolt Engineering boat that had a neat little fold down 'shaped' seat inside the cabin allowing you to sit down at the tiller but outside of the tiller arc. Perhaps you could retrofit something like this?

[robdalej]

Yes its a trad stern and I had thought about the falling in bit but as it would be mounted on one post only as opposed to a taff rail i wiould hope that would be safer, had considered a fold down seat inside the hatch but that is rather a narrow access so I would thinkm it would make getting in andout a bit difficult, thanks for input anyway

[Guest]

Yes its a trad stern and I had thought about the falling in bit but as it would be mounted on one post only as opposed to a taff rail i wiould hope that would be safer, had considered a fold down seat inside the hatch but that is rather a narrow access so I would thinkm it would make getting in andout a bit difficult, thanks for input anyway

 

My own view is that such an arrangement is not actually dangerous - given the number of rails of various types around narrowboat sterns there are around, falling over one is a pretty rare event (Though of course it does happen). To me it's about being aware of the risk and being careful. We only generally sit on our 'taff' seats either when moored and enjoying a bottle of two of Pinot Grigio, or if under way on long quiet straight stretches as sitting someone on either side of the tiller inevitably means they are in the way when you need to steer the boat to any significant degree.

 

The same would apply with a tractor seat.

[gbmud]

Something suspended for comfort? My brother made this for his local pub some years ago, I am sure he would be open to a commission.

 

 

Chris

[Ally]

We fitted a 'captains Perch' tractor style seat on one of our customers boats....very nice it is too, and they will make a specially shaped cushion if you want. Choice of colours, comes with a deck fitting, and best of all is removable if you don't want it on at times....very quickly removable too. They even turned up extra tapered fittings to suit the slight angle to the stern of our boats. Very impressed, customer loves it.

[OldGoldy]

, had considered a fold down seat inside the hatch but that is rather a narrow access so I would think it would make getting in and out a bit difficult,

 

What about a flat wooden seat on a pivot, say, about a 60deg arc, much like the swing out carousels in 90s kitchens?

 

This would not impede access in and out because the seat would pivot back behind the rear cabin half bulkhead.

 

Just a thought!

[CanalWalker]

no roof, no seat? poor design indeed!

[RickB]

Yes its a trad stern and I had thought about the falling in bit but as it would be mounted on one post only as opposed to a taff rail i wiould hope that would be safer, had considered a fold down seat inside the hatch but that is rather a narrow access so I would thinkm it would make getting in andout a bit difficult, thanks for input anyway

Hi, joined this forum just now as I see you were a previous owner of the boat I have, Brimstone the David piper one....great boat.....

[JamesWoolcock]

If the seat is within the arc of the tiller, we call them 'suicide seats'.

I'm thinking that Paul Barber of PJ Barber Boatbuilder Ltd, quite rightly, won't fit them.

Then Paul's a good sensible man. And I hope there are others too.

 

James

[magnetman]

Yes very dangerous if something unexpected happens like the rudder gets caught on something or gets pulled over by heavy reversing. Boat in reverse tiller whips round hits steerer they tumble over the seat into the water behind or get pinned against seat and injured...hmmm.

 

I have a tractor seat on one of my boats but as it is a cruiswr type stern wider than a Nb the seat is just outside the arc of the tiller so it is safe.

And I have long arms so I can reach the tiller

Edited September 14, 2016 by magnetman

[MtB]

Yes very dangerous if something unexpected happens like the rudder gets caught on something or gets pulled over by heavy reversing. Boat in reverse tiller whips round hits steerer they tumble over the seat into the water behind or get pinned against seat and injured...hmmm.

 

It can be worse than that.

 

If the steerer goes in as you describe with the boat in astern, they tend to get sucked under the counter by the reverse water flow and into the propeller, where they get mashed up and badly injured or killed.

[Bettie Boo]

Quick question, for someone with a trad stern wanting a suicide seat, why couldn't they just install a much shorter tiller arm?

 

This isn't for us, as Dave sits on top of the back hatch, and I stand on my little box off to one side so I can see over the roof (I'm not in the arc of the tiller arm with my box, as the back end is wide enough to do this in our case)

[PaulG]

I've got one of those plastic folding steps that I use so that I can get up and sit on the deck at the side of the hatch when we are on a long haul up the river.

I was sort of thinking of getting a bar stool so that I can sit in front of the tiller as an alternative (trad stern).

[magnetman]

Quick question, for someone with a trad stern wanting a suicide seat, why couldn't they just install a much shorter tiller arm?

 

This isn't for us, as Dave sits on top of the back hatch, and I stand on my little box off to one side so I can see over the roof (I'm not in the arc of the tiller arm with my box, as the back end is wide enough to do this in our case)

Short tiller arms can be very tiring to use

[Rob-M]

I've had my seats cut off as I would never sit on them to steer and they generally got in the way. The only time I have missed them is using them as a step to get off in a lock.

[mark99]

We made this for sitting at rear of trad.

 

Open hatch and wedge it on top of roof between handrail and slide hatch guides.

 

 

 

 

 

Passenger uses the botes rear retractable step to park their rse on the comfy foam red throne on the roof next to steerer.

Edited September 14, 2016 by mark99

[Ray T]

I cannot lay claim to this, but another idea:

 

 

[Bettie Boo]

I cannot lay claim to this, but another idea:

 

Steeringseat.jpg

 

Simon made something very similar to this Ray, it was a Perfect seat as the bottom flipped up if no bum on it, IIRC

[TheBiscuits]

It can be worse than that.

 

If the steerer goes in as you describe with the boat in astern, they tend to get sucked under the counter by the reverse water flow and into the propeller, where they get mashed up and badly injured or killed.

Point of order m'lud.

 

Technically that would be minced, not mashed.

 

The end result might still be just as unpleasant though.

[TheBiscuits]

And just to add the obligatory link and picture to the article about the Harecastle Tunnel death in 2014:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2711749/Wife-screamed-hours-help-husband-hit-head-disappeared-water-pitch-black-canal-tunnel.html