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Is the PA seat adjustable? http://www.hobie.com/au/en/forums/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=32784	Page 1 of 1

Author:	de-tension [ Wed Oct 20, 2010 6:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Is the PA seat adjustable?
I just won a PA in a fishing tournament and I had a chance to check it out at home tonight. It seems really hard to open the tackle/cutting board hatch as the seat is too far forward. Is the seat adjustable? Can it move back a bit to make access to the center hatch easier? Haven't had time to really look into it yet. Thanks

Author:	Jim_MI [ Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
D-T: Welcome, and congratulations on your tournament prize! You will love the PA as a fishing platform. Your observation about the hatch access is dead-on. There have been lots of posts on this issue over the past few months - you can review them using the Search feature of this forum. One participant described a hardware fix that requires some minor surgery on the plastic seat to create room for your hands. See viewtopic.php?f=78&t=26621&p=110918&hilit=center+hatch#p110918 Good luck and enjoy your new PA.

Author:	de-tension [ Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:02 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
Thanks. I will have to make that modification. If something is a pain to use, you won't use it so I will fix that up when I get a chance.

Author:	Halibut hunter [ Thu Oct 21, 2010 4:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
Dt, If you take seat apart, You'll see you can comfortably move (with a little knowledge and a good drill press) your seat back 1-2", It will take 2-4 more stainless nuts and bolts , depending on how far, but it works fine. Just make sure to drill accurately.

Author:	de-tension [ Fri Oct 22, 2010 4:58 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
Thanks, I will likely go that option. I have long legs as it is so that shouldn't be a problem.

Author:	Jim_MI [ Fri Oct 22, 2010 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
Just curious - for anybody who has moved the seat back: Does this modification affect handling? My only complaint about the PA is that it has an annoying tendency to round up into the wind. I think that this is due to the "center of effort" (all the wind-catching stuff above deck, including mostly you, plus rods, cooler, net, etc) being relatively aft of the "center of lateral resistance" (which in view of the rudder location, rounded bottom and intermittent skeg-positioning of the Mirage Drive while pedaling, is probably located somewhere just aft of the Mirage drive). Ideally, these 2 forces should be balanced in the same location to keep the boat moving in a straight line when the wind blows. Seems to me that moving the seat back would aggravate the problem by moving the center of effort further back as well. Has anyone who has moved the seat back noticed that this makes handling in the wind more difficult?

Author:	Halibut hunter [ Sat Oct 23, 2010 6:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
Hasn't affected mine at all, and now, I can open center hatch. Again, we're talking 1"-2" not 1-2 ft.

Author:	Tom Kirkman [ Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:57 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
I moved mine back just 3/4 inch, which is the minimum you can move it in order for the new bolt position to clear the front round bar. Then you use two new bolts to secure the bar to the base. Takes 15 minutes. As someone else said, just make sure to be accurate with your drilling. That 3/4 inch doesn't sound like much but it makes all the difference in the world in being able to easily open and close the center hatch. And 3/4 inch isn't going to change the attitude or handling of the PA enough that you'd ever notice.

Author:	TroutNoDoubt [ Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:41 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
Can someone post pics of the latter modification? Bob

Author:	Thinwater skinner [ Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:50 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
2X on posting photos of the adjustments!! Please.

Author:	Tom Kirkman [ Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:50 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
I should have taken photos while I was doing this, but if you'll just pull your seat out and flip it over you'll easily see what you have to do. It's pretty obvious. Another local Pro-Angler owner has asked me to modify his and if we get around to it this weekend I'll make sure to take some photos. But really, all you have to do is just drill new bolt holes behind the present ones. Carefully mark them at least 3/4 inch behind the current ones and drill. A drill press is a requirement, in my opinion, as you do need for everything to be true and square - you're going through both sides of a rectangular bar.

Author:	danasp22 [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
I took pics and will explain if necessary to move the seat back 1" . This makes it so easy to open the tackle box cover. Stainless steel bolts of the same size (4) were used to bolt the frame to the seat after drilling the 4 new holes 1" toward the back. Take your time, drill straight and measure and mark then measure again. It is important that the holes line up so you can get the bolts started easily. After the seat rails are bolted secure, the second part of the frame is floppy so you have to drill throught the hole previously used hole to bolt the frame to the seat. Drill through the box frame making sure you are centered but not all the way through. Insert a 2.5x 7/16th bolt and a nylon locking nut and tighten. Do not overtighten the bolts that screw into the plastic seat. You are done. Refit your seat to your boat and enjoy the ease of getting to the hatch straps.......Thanks.

Author:	CurtnAz [ Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:04 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
I'm puzzled as to why another option hasn't possible been mentioned, or considered. I don't own a PA (but hopefully will some day) and I've gathered vast amounts of intel of how to rig, mods to make, etc.; most of them from this forum. The solution to moving the seat seems to move it an inch back by drilling extra holes; and then I think, there was a comment somewhere of having a swivel seat as well. Then, I remember this thread: http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=78&t=33246 and I look at the picture of where the bracket is bolted on, and think, geez, you could move the seat a lot more if you wanted to. It would mean the addition of some bolts to mount the pedestal, but why not have a smaller/lower mount, that swivels, and you could attach it to your seat and the boat, and possibly move the seat back another couple of inches....Wait a minute....what's this? http://www.basspro.com/Wise-Boat-Seat-Swivel/product/16129/-635834 Something like this could keep your CG (Center of Gravity) lower, allow you to rotate and reach items in the rear while maintaining a center position in the boat, and, move the seat, either by making new holes and moving it back, or, just moving it up an inch instead of back an inch which could resolved the issue. I do remember in the previously afformentioned thread, that moving the seat could cause strain on the mounts and possibly damage the boat, but, I suppose that is one of the risks you take when making alterations.

Author:	Tom Kirkman [ Wed Jan 05, 2011 8:01 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
There is a limit to how far back you can move the seat. There is a bulkhead a few inches behind the seat. You can't move back into that, nor swivel the seat but so far before you'd hit it. Plus, a swivel seat mount is going to make pedaling the mirage drive tricky. These are the little things you'll discover once you actually own a PA. Moving the seat back an inch simply makes accessing the hatch much easier. It's a small thing, hardly noticed, and won't upset the handling or use of the PA in any way. Moving the seat several inches or raising it higher, could indeed affect handling, structural integrity, etc.

Author:	CurtnAz [ Wed Jan 05, 2011 2:12 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Is the PA seat adjustable?
Makes sense. It didn't look like the aft bulkhead was as I as I suppose it is.

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