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Hey everyone - I'm looking for comments and/or suggestions about this proposed seating layout in my C19. I cut out some cardboard to see how it would look and used Photoshop to tweak it up a bit.

From your drawing it looks like you have cut the size of the engine well down, I would be a bit concerned about that as one of the great things about the C19 is the inability for water to enter the boat through engine well. The forward bulkhead looks very low which would concern me at sea.
I know standing in my C19 the gunnels are a very good seat because they are so wide, have you reduced the size of your gunnel? they seems narrower than mine? If I find I need some extra seats down the back I will install some fold down seats. The only trouble with permanent seats down the back is they would get in the way of fishing, depends what your main use fo rth eboat will be though.
Cheers
MarkC

I was just going to voice the same concern that Mark did.

I think (but I could be wrong) that the motorwell sides and bulkhead are cut too low for safety. Being the same height as the transom, it won't keep water out of the boat like it should. How high would be the minimum I'd ask Jacques. I've never looked at the plans, but I 'd bet the motorwell is designed higher than that.

My concern echos Mark's you have cut down Bulkhead E. This is a safety problem. If you run into heavy following seas the water will come into the boat and could swamp you.

Second you no longer have the angled board for the motor well which adds strength to the transom.

Third at speed 3500 rpm most engines put out 80-85 decibles this is pretty uncomfortable for someone sitting right next to the motor. Like Mark said it would be better to put some folding seats in front of the lockers and give your guests some relief from the motor noise. I know boatmakers put seats there, but they are not very practicle.

Tom

Go out and buy as many boating magazines as you can get. Notice where the models are sitting.

Next, get on the internet and look through people's albums, and notice where they are sitting.

Any seat in the aft quarters looks great, and utilizes space well, but never gets used. Putting in the full bulkhead with some side benches will give you more usable seating.

That said, Im a creativity guy, so if you aren't going to be out in the blue water, go for it. Just be sure to install a monster bilge pump or some meaty scuppers to keep the safety people happy.

E

Thanks for all the feedback. Here's a photo of where I got the idea.

Notice the big difference in the depth of the transom cutout? Also the seats and backrests are higher in relation to the deck compared to your mock-up. Could you raise that bulkhead 6" or so in the center and do something like that knee brace thing on the motorwell sides?

How about making the inside hand rest angle towards the center and bumping up the height of the front of the splashwell. This could give the rider a little more thigh room. With a four stoke, you could stand to sit there under idle or maybe even while trolling or puttering about. Wouldn't be my first seating choice at WFO though.

Might want the allow the seat to flip up for extra storage or a bait well.

See angled seat on this Pioneer 197 Sportfish.

Why not at least consider a compromise. Raise the motorwell sides and front half way between where you have it and the designed height. Yes it will spoil the perfect arm rest height but we have bigger concerns than arm rest and appearance. It's a shame to use all that wood to make a very high side panel just to throw it all out the window with an un seaworthy motorwell. If I had anchored at molasses Reef last summer in that design the following waves (against the current), would have flooded the cockpit. There were no pioneer 197 sportfish at the reef that day. My wife is sea sick susceptible and she was fine that day. It was not a rough sea. Just a bit choppy but the seas were against the current, a dangerous occurence anchoring offshore. Exactly the program for this boat.

From the C19 study plans:

“Some of our pictures show optional quarter seats but a fixed or removable bench can also be installed all across the boat, in front of the motor well.â€

I think the safety issue is easily mitigated by good judgment at sea. and I for one like to take bean bags when running offshore for the day in a center console. They always go at the transom, on the dry side for the best possible ride in the boat, besides the helmsman's.