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Has anyone turned their rear middle seat into a step???


DylanR

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Looking to make my rear middle seat into a step. Not actually using the seat just the location. Some sort of fabrication with a gatorstep Malibu logo would be cool. 

Thoughts??  

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My back middle seat is wider than yours....so this may not be exactly what you are thinking. I did more along the line of what the new G's and new LSV23's have by adding a step into middle of the seat rather than turning entire seat into a step. I cannot post pics on here, but here is a WW thread where I did the mod with pics from start to finish, just ignore the ignorant comments from the idiots that like to just look at pics and make comments and tell you your an idiot for doing what you are doing before actually reading what is being done and why, lol.

http://wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=808487

Here is another thread on PN:

https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/forum/nautique-topics/general-nautique-discussion/548299-ideas-for-adding-step-into-back-seat-vinyl

That said...I have a friend that has a 2013 VLX and he turned the entire middle seat into a step like you are talking about. He basically removed the existing middle seat and then got a piece of HDPE board, cut it to size and used a router on the edges to make it look nice and then put GatorStep over it. Turned out really good and if my back seat was not as long (width wise), I probably would have done the same thing since I rarely have people sitting on back seat either.

Great mod IMO and will save vinyl from tearing in the long run

  • Like 3
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3 minutes ago, Infinitysurf said:

My back middle seat is wider than yours....so this may not be exactly what you are thinking. I did more along the line of what the new G's and new LSV23's have by adding a step into middle of the seat rather than turning entire seat into a step. I cannot post pics on here, but here is a WW thread where I did the mod with pics from start to finish, just ignore the ignorant comments from the idiots that like to just look at pics and make comments and tell you your an idiot for doing what you are doing before actually reading what is being done and why, lol.

http://wakeworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=808487

Here is another thread on PN:

https://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/forum/nautique-topics/general-nautique-discussion/548299-ideas-for-adding-step-into-back-seat-vinyl

That said...I have a friend that has a 2013 VLX and he turned the entire middle seat into a step like you are talking about. He basically removed the existing middle seat and then got a piece of HDPE board, cut it to size and used a router on the edges to make it look nice and then put GatorStep over it. Turned out really good and if my back seat was not as long (width wise), I probably would have done the same thing since I rarely have people sitting on back seat either.

Great mod IMO and will save vinyl from tearing in the long run

Turned out pretty darn nice.  Well done!

  • Like 1
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They did this on the new 23 LSV, sounds like a great idea until you actually have to sit there.   Seriously, its not comfortable.   Nothing like a hard piece of plexi glass to sit your rear end on...

20170821_143658.jpg

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32 minutes ago, Fman said:

Nothing like a hard piece of plexi glass to sit your rear end on...

That’s funny... I made the same argument about the transom seats in the Supra SL and everybody acted like I was speaking a foreign language. 

  • Like 2
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Wow that turned out great!

But for me I basically want to be able to remove it if needed anytime... I don’t want to drill it down or mod it into my existing seat. I’d like to be able to put my center seat back in if needed.

The pull out seat worked well on both of my Axis boats but was annoying in the middle of the boat just to get to use the step. 

I would like for it to be a bit raised and sit  flush with the other seats. That might be difficult to do. 

Im not really concerned about it being uncomfortable. No one ever sits there and it’s a 23ft boat... they can find another spot. Lol 

Edited by DylanR
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7 hours ago, Fman said:

They did this on the new 23 LSV, sounds like a great idea until you actually have to sit there.   Seriously, its not comfortable.   Nothing like a hard piece of plexi glass to sit your rear end on...

20170821_143658.jpg

That is quite a color scheme.  Does that seat slide out revealing a second step? 

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19 hours ago, Fman said:

They did this on the new 23 LSV, sounds like a great idea until you actually have to sit there.   Seriously, its not comfortable.   Nothing like a hard piece of plexi glass to sit your rear end on...

20170821_143658.jpg

Yep, I got the idea from seeing the step in the seats on the new LSV and the G boats. But that is the beauty of being the captain...I don't ever have to sit there :yahoo:

I rarely have such a large crew that someone does have to sit in center of back seat and its the least used seat in my experience if I do have a decent size crew. Either way, I rather someone be a little uncomfortable....and my vinyl stay looking perfect with no splitting seams from people stepping on my vinyl to get up to transom walk-thru. Everyone likes something a little different.

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12 hours ago, DylanR said:

Wow that turned out great!

But for me I basically want to be able to remove it if needed anytime... I don’t want to drill it down or mod it into my existing seat. I’d like to be able to put my center seat back in if needed.

The pull out seat worked well on both of my Axis boats but was annoying in the middle of the boat just to get to use the step. 

I would like for it to be a bit raised and sit  flush with the other seats. That might be difficult to do. 

Im not really concerned about it being uncomfortable. No one ever sits there and it’s a 23ft boat... they can find another spot. Lol 

I am sure you could mod something together using HDPE or something similar. That stuff can get pretty heavy if you add a good bit of it (the weight of my back seat literally doubled cause of the 2) thick 12x12 pieces I added under the vinyl), so making a "box" so its built up and flush with other seats may end up making it pretty bulky/heavy. I have seen people mod the back of their existing seats too so you can just flip it over...maybe that would be an option for you, basically just add Gatorstep to bottom of seat as long as the area under seat is flat so it does not crease the vinyl when you have it flipped over.

If you dont care about it being even tho....you could get a single piece of HDPE cut to size, put Gatorstep on it and be good to go. When you want the seat just swap them out. Like I said, I have a friend that did that in his VLX and it turned out pretty nice. Very functional

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Does he just lay it over the vdrive opening? I guess one could make some sections on the underside an inch or so on the 4 ends to keep it from sliding... maybe get a super thick piece of hdpe to make it sit more flush. Then gatorstep it... think they would do they Malibu logo in it? 

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11 hours ago, DylanR said:

Does he just lay it over the vdrive opening? I guess one could make some sections on the underside an inch or so on the 4 ends to keep it from sliding... maybe get a super thick piece of hdpe to make it sit more flush. Then gatorstep it... think they would do they Malibu logo in it? 

I believe that GatorStep has the rights to do the Malibu logo...many companies cannot due to it being a trademark symbol, if I am not mistaken, I believe that Gatorstep has permission tho since they do the factory boats?

Yes, he removes the middle seat and lays down his fabricated piece....he installed a few blocks on underside so it "locks" into the v-drive opening so it does not slide. I got my HDPE from InterstatePlastics.com, I believe they make up too 2" thick....they will cut to size you order. I always get it a little bigger than I need and then trim to size I need. I just text my buddy and asked him to send me pics of the way he did his VTX, if he sends me something I will forward the pics to you from number you PM'ed me.

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  • 1 year later...

I’m still considering doing this... when I contacted gatorstep they asked for a statement for it to be permissible by Malibu. Malibu wouldn’t ok it. 

You could always put your own design there. 

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It’s a little too thick because it’s one part no give foam instead if Malibu 2 part and  3 part bolster.

had to remove EVA foot pads of bench so it would slide under upper backrest pad because the stiffer foam doesn’t compress easily to slide under 

we matched factory foam height as one piece instead of two, if it was 1/4 inch to one half inch  shorter it would be better if your going with the more no give foam

1/4 less and it will go under with some difficulty and may still need to remove foot pads, 1/2 less and would have to remove foot pads 

the harder thicker foam is awesome to step down to for balance when your on one foot 

drawback-harder to sit on but in most situations unless you have big crew, rarely does someone sit there  , but it’s not so bad that someone would get up and move for more comfort 

If your going to keep your boat, I highly recommend you get vinyl,  2 yards per color , possibly 3 or four yards if you have a main color with little trim colors, long before 5 yrs is up as they were out if my black trim color. 

Its only $44 /yd app.

even if you sell boat, what a nice gift or price inclusion to the next guy who is the one who will actually use it if you move boat , what a great selling point that you have the vinyl for him for the future 

 

6D826038-A08A-4F20-B674-2CD609E38E54.jpeg

B65AD2F7-2531-4B4A-ABBA-BC9399040749.jpeg

EF3C23CE-D24E-4C4C-8DE9-86D456E49C58.jpeg

Edited by granddaddy55
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