installing captain's chair

[byoung4653]

I have a 1985 Ablin 36 with backk to back bench seats on bridge. They are too low to see over to bow. Lookins for suggestions for installation of captain chair. Looks like best is on bench hatch cover but worried about tipping over in roll. The captain chair has pedistal with bolt or screw mounts. I would like to keep hatch cover intack as it is original with the boat, you know teak. Thanks for any suggestions.

[mike66]

Hi. Our 40 has pedestal bases installed with a U shaped notch in the seat hatch top to accommodate the post. They screw in to a teak base that is epoxied to the cabin top, and the screws are long enough to penetrate into the cabin top. I had to replace my bases last year because the old ones were wobbly with wear. They are standard Todd units. I forgot the height I ordered, but they work great. It'll be another 6+ weeks until I could get you a photo. It does limit access to the rest of the front of the bench seat, but works for us. When I replaced the posts I used CPES epoxy to saturate the wood bases and the cabin top screw holes. Bedded the bases with 4200. Should be watertight. Good luck with whatever you come up with.