Console Seat Ideas

[umecheme]

Anybody get real creative with improving access to the area under the console seat.  I'd like to put batteries under there, but it looks like it would be a nightmare to access as is with just the hole in the front. Anybody build a flip-up top to that?  I'm trying to figure out in my mind how I'd do it....

[mshugg]

Just about anything is possible.  Look at some of the consoles hinge the entire front, including the console seat, to allow access to a head below.  Hinging the seat would be doable. The trick would be planning the cuts so they fit the lines of your console, and adding indexing and reenforcement so the whole thing is structurally sound.  A picture of your console might shake loose some specific ideas.

[umecheme]

I'm leaning towards reinforcing it, and cutting and installing a rectangular deck hatch out of the top.  Minimize the fabrication and not have to worry about it leaking.

[Mwar410]

I have the console out of my 196 with a flip up seat. If it’ll work, Might be something I’m willing to part with.

[CTsalt12]

I have a 175, very similar boat.  My console seat had a livewell under it which Was not plumbed and I didn’t intend to use.  So I  cut it out and put my trolling motor batteries and house/start batteries there . It serves as an access hatch and opens up more storage in back of console.  There is a thread here somewhere

[boatnamesue]

I used to have the fiberglass center console with front seat before completely removing the console unit.  And the primary reason for removing it was the headache it caused whenever I needed to access the batteries and backside of electrical components.  So you're right, access is a nightmare with those types of center consoles.  I had 3 12v batteries fitted side by side directly under the seat and had a circular hatch in the console seat to access the batteries.  I reckon it's much less a nightmare if you only have 1 or 2 batteries.