Making a 3rd seat

Advice
#1

I’d like to put a 3rd seat in our OT Disco 158, but I don’t want to purchase an overpriced plastic seat. Any thoughts on plans to make your own? I have some ideas on one I could make from ash that would slip over the gunwales, but I thought this topic would have been brought up over here previously…but didn’t see a thread in an advanced search. IAC, any ideas on a good 3rd seat to build? Or cheap ones to purchase?



I could also just go with a foldable sports arena seat that my little guy could sit on on the floor of the boat, too…but water would soon soak him, I believe…



Thanks for the help.



Doug

#2

how about an inflatable kids chair …

– Last Updated: Jan-25-13 11:06 PM EST –

..... how big is your kid ??

Try a web. search and check them out . Some are pretty stable due to their footprint size , got arms back rest and all . Cost maybe 12.-20. bucks for a decent one (like felt skinned plastic for more comfort) , and it's one more thing that floats plus light weight !!

#3

Replace the yolk for a permanent seat
I have read of many people who will get a replacement seat and take the yolk out of the middle and cut the length so the front of the seat bolts into the same holes the yolk came out of then drill a new set of holes for the back and it puts the middle seat right about at the right position to balance the middle person

#4

Milk crate cut down to seat height
The “real” ones work best.

#5

Ed’s canoe parts
If you want to buy a seat that is a good price and great quality, then I recommend Ed’s:



http://www.edscanoe.com/canoeseats.html

#6

One consideration w/ thwart replacement
Putting a seat where the thwart used to be, with one rail of the seat frame using the same holes as the thwart puts the seat awfully high. However, if you hang the seat in any of the usual ways to achieve proper height, there’s very little “thwart effect” and the hull becomes more flimsy.



Since this seems to be a seat for a small child, I’d go with the cut-down milk crate or a very short-legged camping chair. If you want a permanent seat, I’d try to keep the thwart right where it is if possible. Many of Wenonah’s solo canoes have a thwart immediately behind the seat, much too close for my taste, but it shows that a seat and thwart CAN be very close together and still do the job. That way you can mount the seat at the proper height AND not sacrifice hull rigidity.