Leaning Post Build

    I am finally getting around to making my boat more user friendly and next up is some sort of leaning post. I shopped around for a one off piece and found prices to be typically around $500. That seemed a little outrageous to me SO I decided I could do better.


    R&D:

    Too tall...

    Almost perfect, let's add the cushion and see how much it changes

    Perfect!

    Bent up some schedule 40 1.5" pipe and cut the ends at 45 degrees. Notice the old seatback frame

    Cut all 4 legs, the front 2 are cut at 45 degrees and the rear supports are fish-mouthed to fit underneath the top rail.



    Yesterday I got some time and decided that my original design, being nearly as large as the livewell footprint itself, was just too big. I like to use the livewell lid for a seat when I'm H&L rigging. I therefore decided to cut 10" off of each leg of the big U shaped piece. Therefore shortening it and allowing me to continue using the livewell for a seat. I then grabbed some 2" flat stock and cut 2 of the 4 feet, beveled, drilled and countersunk them:

    Edited 2 times, last by mrmike ().

    Looking good Mike, I hear ya on pricey boat bits. The bare consoles (some used) were in the $855 to $1400 hundred dollar range for my inflatable project. I had a bunch of old resin and glass to get rid of so I built my own as well.


    Cheers, Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Quote from Don Paul

    Looking good Mike, I hear ya on pricey boat bits. The bare consoles (some used) were in the $855 to $1400 hundred dollar range for my inflatable project. I had a bunch of old resin and glass to get rid of so I built my own as well.


    Cheers, Don



    It's outrageous, my grandpa always told me, "car parts = x, boat parts = 2x, plane parts = 3x". I'm quickly finding out that he was right. Don it was your build thread that motivated me put this up, I had been taking pictures along the way anyway so why not put them on here to let others see and possibly learn.

    I've been slacking in my diving BUT my leaning post is coming along nicely.





    Started by cutting/bending/welding up the frame. Then let it sit and anneal for a couple months to regain some strength. Picked up some 1/2" starboard and cut it to fit, mounted with screws from the back. I wanted to add some rod holders so that I could remove a 6 rod holder I have mounted on the engine well... 5 more will go on the TTop that will be the next addition to the boat. Test fit it on the boat and it is awesome! Everything I could have asked for (and at only about $200). I brought it back out to make/attach a cushion. The cushion has been the most frustrating part. The pleated vinyl in the boat is no longer made, however the colors are still produced. The solution: cut up the two rear cushions that have been in storage since 1996. Ordered up what additional vinyl I will need as well as a new piece of foam. Hopefully it turns out as good as I'm hoping it does. Today I have been working on learning how to digitize an image of the 1996 proline logo so that I can have it embroidered in the teal center stripe of the cushion. Price to have an image digitized and embroidered was $110. By learning to digitize it myself (thank you youtube) it will be $12. Stay tuned for more pictures


    Yes the boat is a mess, between lack of use and several projects it has gotten pretty gross. Major cleanup and deck paint coming this spring!

    Very nice Mike, you have some real fabrication sills. It looks simple, but I know making anything with four "legs" is harder than it seems. It's so hard to have it balance perfectly with all four legs touching the base flush. It really looks good.:thumbsup2:

    Thanks guys! pictures edit out all of the curse words and screwups but I am slowly refining my skills. My dad deserves a lot of credit, his welding saves my ass a lot of $$$.

    That's a fine piece of work.
    I was lucky. We have a lot of junk around here on the farm. I found a stainless steel frame for some processing line in our plant and it was a perfect fit. Right height and it had a base that I just glassed onto the floor.
    But it doesn't look near as nice as yours.

    Now I wish I had NOT sold my boat!!! Never thought of doing what you and Don have done, if i had seen these threads a year and a half ago I would have started all the work myself and would have kept the hole in the ocean :@ but then again :@:nono:
    But seriously some serious inspiration to venture into trying things out rather than spending stupid money

    A bad day at sea is better than a good day in the boatyard
    George Steele

    Looks super raw man. We need to go and dive soon and get fish blood all over :)


    The vision for the cushion is way above and beyond. Awesome idea, great execution


    I really agree with Nate, a table is as hard to build as a door is to hang. Soooooo infuriating.

    i like to spear fish

    It's completed and installed, I'm about 95% satisfied with it but that's because I'm super critical of myself, function wise it's damn near perfect. However, I am not a pro at upholstery... check out the pics:


    Industrial size spool of vinyl thread doesn't fit on sewing machine so I had to devise a way to wind smaller spools... "Makita makes sewing MANLY"


    Completed cushion:


    Installed in the boat:

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