A Comfortable Pirogue (Boat) seat ..ya can make

[Scooter]

Didn't intend for it to be white...it's almond and seems darker on the can and indoors. Yeah it's lighter than expected but can always be repainted.

Was thinking of putting a couple of screws in the rib to center the chair. Rubber/felt feet would be good too.

 

[islandpiper]

I have had a helluva time reading plans lately. I started out to build one of Uncle John's nice pirogue seats and this is what I ended up with. I had to make a few modifications and got the design down to just three chunks of wood, but it looks almost the same, don't you think?

Piper

 

[Kayak Jack]

With a proper cutout in the seat, Piper san, that could be a self propelled potty chair.

If it were a Japanese craft, you could name it the Benjo Maru.

"Benjo" is Japanese slang for crapper.

 

[islandpiper]

I will get around to a UJ seat one of these days and it willl ge good to sit on, I'm sure. But, in the meantime, this one took 3 1/2 minutes to make, including the three cuts on the table saw, and the six deck screws I shot into it. Necessity is the mother on invention.

Years ago, when I lived 450 miles north of Kayak Jack I made some snowshoes and learned to weave the fillling out of Seine Twine. This would make a really nice seat, especially in this jungle climate.

Piper

 

[VTFogg]

I just purchased these seat plans the other day. I would really like to change them so that the seat can recline all the way back. That way I can quickly lay back in my pirogue to go under trees that have fallen across the rivers. Do any of you have any ideas on how this might be done? I wish I had the engineering talent so many of you do.

Thanks for suggestions. - VTFogg

 

[dangermouse01]

I just purchased these seat plans the other day. I would really like to change them so that the seat can recline all the way back. That way I can quickly lay back in my pirogue to go under trees that have fallen across the rivers. Do any of you have any ideas on how this might be done? I wish I had the engineering talent so many of you do.

Thanks for suggestions. - VTFogg

I dont have one of those seats or the plans, but I would think that if you left out the dowel across the back that acts as a stop, and used some 1" nylon strap and a release buckle on each side, kinda like in the above image, it would work. I would put the buckle down at the end that is closest to the seat. Just so it would be easier to reach. That set-up would also allow you to adjust the angle of the back.

DM
mike

 

[Kayak Jack]

With my luck, as I tried to lay back the seat's quick-release wouldn't, my feet would go up in the air, catch on that overhead by-passing branch, and I'd tumble out of the end of the boat, where a gator would be waiting with a bottle of Zatarin's in hand and a large smile on his face.

 

[oldsparkey]

What I do is to lean forward or move forward and drop the seat back to get under the branches. This puts all of my weight lower and in the center of the boat.

As the branch passes then get back up. "O" Remember to raise the back of the seat or you will be sitting higher then normal without a back rest. Most of the logs or branches around here I can leave the seat back up since it is lower then I am ( normally it is about mid shoulder blade level or slightly less depending on how you make it ) , just scoot forward.

Chuck.

 

[Dogwood]

I got all the parts for my seat cut, sanded and ready for assembly. I see where to put the 1/4" shear plates, but what are they for? What's their purpose?

 

[oldsparkey]

If you are referring to the bottom section , when I made the 1st one I had to butt a piece of wood in there for the higher part to support the back and with epoxy on the joint I reinforced it with them as a safety measure.
I used what I had here and pieced it together instead of getting a board to cut one whole piece from.

Another way to look at it .. If you cut the whole section from one piece of wood then the grain is going in the direction of the seat section and with the backrest support coming up ( almost 80 degrees) it helps to reinforce that section to protect against any stress cracking or breaking.

Or I could just say .. :roll: . That is the way I made it. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Chuck.

 

[Dogwood]

I glued the 1/4" shear plates to the sides and glued and screwed the dowels in place and now I see that the shear plates are adding strength to the back. If a lardass leans back real had, those shear plates will keep the back of the chair from breaking...I hope.
I made a booboo by not paying attention to the instructions and I used my 3/4 " paddle drill bit to make my holes for the dowels, but I did them both the same instead of both on the 'inside' like the plans say. I'm not good with following instructions, but I Mickey Moused it with wood putty and I'll try to cover that mess up with paint.

 

[oldsparkey]

The main thing is that it workes for you and adds comfort to your paddling trips , is that happens .. you made it right no matter how you did it. :lol:

Chuck.

 

[islandpiper]

Well, i just got all the parts sawed out, FINALLY, for my UJ boat seat. I got to try Joey's in the swamp in February and now i am motivated. Mine is the Heinz 57 model with pine uprights, ply legs, and spanish cedar slats. Just a pile of parts now, but looking forward to a nice boat AND CAMP seat.

piper

 

[islandpiper]

OK, it may be time to post pics and have a contest for the prettiest and the ugliest UJ boat seat. I'll enter in the ugly catagory.

piper

 

[beekeeper]

OK, it may be time to post pics and have a contest for the prettiest and the ugliest UJ boat seat. I'll enter in the ugly category.

piper

Not an UJ seat, but it is a seat and it fits in the ugly category. I'm using it temporarily to determine my best seat location and height.

I hope to see lots of pictures. I have my plans and want to start soon. Love to see different versions for ideas, and inspiration.

beekeeper

 

[islandpiper]

Well, here's the ugly seat. No work of art this one, just a place to plant my butt while paddling.

and closer:

I ended up leaving the front feet the design height and cutting off the back ones in order to get the seat back angle i liked. the next one will be re-engineered just a little bit.

piper

 

[oldsparkey]

Looks good to me......

Chuck.

 

[Wannabe]

Fine furnature there.
Bob

 

[jdupre']

Nice job, Keith. A handcrafted seat is fitting for a handcrafted boat.

 

[islandpiper]

Joey, you have seen my boat.....the seat isn't quite that fancy. :? :? :lol:

piper