Hi all, New member here...
 

Just wanted to say "hi". I just bought a '87 V-20 Cuddy so I decided to join this forum after looking around a bit. Seems to be a good bunch of people and some real enthusiasts. Hoping to get to know more about these fine boats. It's my third Wellcraft, so I know they are well-built and it's hard to go wrong. The main thing I have to do is replace the seats. The PO already removed and scrapped the originals, so I'm not exactly sure what style of seat was originally there, or what I might replace them with. I'd like to keep it as open as possible, but I need seating for 6. Other than that, there are some minor electrical items to sort out and I have to get the engine started, it's currently winterized and the boat sat for 5 years. I'm reasonably handy and should be able to work through most of this stuff with a little help from some of the knowledgeable people in this community. Well, that's enough for now. Thanks.
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Stan

Welcome, Stan. You have an outboard or I/O in your V?

Welcome Stan and congrats on your purchase.

Welcome to the site....yes definitely a good group of guys and enthusiastic bunch as well here. Good question from Nipper about having an i/o or an outboard as far as seating is concerned as the engine cover on an I/o will not allow a bench seat across the back.

This is a picture of the 1987 brochure which is a helm seat and then a back to back....I think at the time you could have got it with two helm seats though which gives you alot of floor space but obviously only 2 places to sit.

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/gallery/...20steplift.jpg

To be honest seating six in a permanently installed seats may be difficult....I guess you could go with two sets of back to back seats, passenger and helm and then a bench seat in the back or jump seats on each side of the engine cover if it is an i/o. If you do some searches you will also see alot of guys opt for the folding aluminum or ss deck chairs which have their advantages of being removable.....

If you do go back to back dont buy the standard 10" high bases that most everyone sells....especially if you do it for a helm seat....way too low on a V-20 and you wont be able to see crap....14" or 16" base is much better.

search the gallery and you will see all the different arrangements possible....post up some pics when you have some.

Hi Stan and welcome :hi:

What RWilson2526 says makes a lot of sense, especially the part about a higher base. Another thing to think about would be 6 helm type seats, 2 in the very back (one on each side of the boat and 4 up front in two rows. Two on the port side and two on the starboard side. You could also make the seats removable, like they have on bass boats where the pedistal sits down into a socket mounted on the deck... that way you can remove the seats when they are not needed for more room.

Red skys at night...

Two people sit on starboard gunnel, two on port, one on engine box - POOF - seats 7. :nut:

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040728/pb6.jpg
You could get creative and seat a lot more than 6!


I think just using the standard two back to back and loungers two seats wedged between the engine cover and the sides. That is if this is an I/O boat. If it is an outboard, maybe one of those cooler/fishbox with the back rest seats would fit nice.

Here's what I like to use when additional seating is needed...the main reason is the versatility...sit 'em in the boat when needed, lift 'em out when not...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90...gBoatChair.jpg

Very comfortable and stable in seas...have been in choppy stuff in near-shore situations w/no tipping...wide-stance footing...they come in less expensive aluminum or little higher dollar stainless...

Reel is correct, I now have the world of fixed seating on my boat, however when I beach her on the sand bar and Islands, I wish I had some portable seating. So the choice is yours, I am scavenging Craigs for chairs like Reel posted I will buy one or two maybe if the price is right.

I gotta note here I don't let these out of the boat for use on the sand :bat:...one reason they last so long...we put some upright beach chairs and loungers in the cuddy to use on the beach...