I'm puttin a sliding rowing seat in my skiff

[Thudpucker]

You talk about Cabin fever....It was so cold here all winter I was stuck in the house, with the slow Dial-up internet, so I spent a lot of time at the warm kitchen table and dreaming.

Finally the first warm day we had, I took the middle seat out of my little 12' skiff and made ready to put a rowing seat in its place.
This will be a Home-made, cost-reduced model.

This 'thing' (I havent made the seat yet) will slide back and forth on little wheels. I havent found them yet either. I'm so cheap, I'd have made the two rollers out of an old Wringer Washing machine rollers.
You just dont see that stuff around any more though.
So when the weather breaks I'll go prowling around in the Second Chance stores looking for some suitable wheels to adapt to a seat.
I might even find an Exercize Rowing machine to make stuff with.

It will be just a tad lower than the original seat.
The reason for that is my age and inflexibility are making my skiff sorta round bottomed and unstable at any speed.

I'll be able to row a little more efficiently, and slide the seat back to stretch out my legs.
This is not a necessary thing, its just a winter time cabin fever thought! I'll have it done pretty soon though.

I need some wheels for the seat to roll back and forth on, and I'll have to find a way to anchor the front and back of the frame to the bottom of the boat without comprimizing the structural integrity or the water tight security of the bottom.
Anything I dont like in a boat is soppy bilges!

If anybody else has any ideas on a project like this feel free to speak up. I'm not done yet and your idea might be just what I need.
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[idahopanfish]

[size 1](I need some wheels for the seat to roll back and forth on, and I'll have to find a way to anchor the front and back of the frame to the bottom of the boat without comprimizing the structural integrity or the water tight security of the bottom. )[/size]
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[size 1]Can you use the gunnels as your attaching point and build a rigid frame down to the level you will have the seat and for the "wheels" maybe a ballbearing setup or something like what is used for unloading freight (ramp with rollers)[/size]
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[Dryrod]

[center][font "Pristina"][green][size 4][cool]Skate boards have some neat wheels. They may help to scoot you along.[][/size][/green][/font][/center]
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[Thudpucker]

OK, good ideas from both you guys.
The "Drop-in" rowing seat is a pretty old idea. I think Wikipedia said it was from the 1800's and the intense Ivy Leage rowing tournaments.
There are plans for those on EBay and the various Boat Plan sellers.
I think they start about $295 and go up from there.
I'll pass on that for two reasons.
Money of course, and the Weight and cumbersome continence in my little skiff. I want some room left for me in there, and those Drop-in's are pretty long, wide and heavy.

Dry Rod, Skate board wheels are just what I was counting on finding in some of those Second Chance stores. I'll find a way to advertize to the Local kids for their leftovers too.

Right now I have an old Dish Washing machine and the wheels on it are fairly water proof. I dont know if they can stand up to the stress of my Bigassa going back and forth for some time.

I also have some Bed Casters that are pretty wide, but they are taperd from side to side so they have one single landing point.
I think that might be hard on the Deck after awhile.

I'm using some of the 'Snap-in' Flooring for a sliding surface. It's hard and weather proof. The pieces I have to use for the proto-type have been out in my burn pile for 10 months without any swelling or softening.

I'm all excited now. After sitting around fighting the cold and frozen pipes for several months I'm up and working again.

We've also had almost 8" of rain in the last two months so the resivours are filling back up again. If this keeps up, the power companies will be releasing water for the Trout stream by March.

OK, time to hit the Yard sales n' etc![]
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