Loose captains chair

[ncnmra]

I'm surprised that I couldn't find any reference to this issue. I have a 2008 212X and the captains seat has been loose from when I got it. The point where it is loose is the bottom post, where it enters the pedestal ring which attaches to the floor. The ring on the floor is solidly attached.

I took the bolts out to get the ring off, expecting there to be a nut or something to tighten, but was surprised that the pedestal post is only held in place by a lip around it. I'm assuming that it is designed such that the floor pressing up on it is supposed to keep it flush against the ring to prevent it from moving? In my case, it appears that it has "rubbed off" parts of the floor. The seat actually freely rotates at that spot. I thought originally that was by design, but I see now that there is a knob to adjust the rotation.

Has anyone seen or fixed this? I'm tempted to drill some holes through the ring/post and put some nuts/bolts through it to lock it in place. I think that ideally it should be welded, but I don't have the skills/equipment for that.

Additionally, does anyone know what the bolt in the last picture is for? I found it under the seat when I took it out. I think it is from the center of the post somewhere?

 

[mrcleanr6]

i just had mine apart early this spring to blast and paint it so not long ago but i am just going off memory here. i dont believe my post rotated in that base. i believe its a press fit from garelick the mfg. the seat is the only thing that should rotate on the post. some ss through bolts may work but that is just going to corrode over time and the post still wont be solid. it will just keep the post from spinning. the right way to do it is to have someone weld it for you. i doubt it would be too hard to find someone that can do that.

 

[ncnmra]

Thanks for the reply! Interesting that it would be a "press fit".

Excuse my ignorance, but why would SS Bolts corrode over time? Isn't the pedestal held in place with SS bolts?

I will see if I can find anyone in my area that has the ability to weld aluminum.

 

[Quad]

Thanks for the reply! Interesting that it would be a "press fit".

Excuse my ignorance, but why would SS Bolts corrode over time? Isn't the pedestal held in place with SS bolts?

I will see if I can find anyone in my area that has the ability to weld aluminum.

I think there's a concern about aluminum and stainless steel having an adverse galvanic reaction which would cause corrosion.
Stainless Steel & Aluminum: Why You Shouldn't Use Them Together and Proper Precautions To Take If You Do | Albany County Fasteners

 

[mrcleanr6]

well i guess it depends where you are. if your in salt then stainless and alum corrode on one another. the alum will start pitting and rot away where they contact. honestly it would prob be fine for years if you bolted it but i would def leave that as option 2. really the right way and most solid way would be to have someone weld it. just google welders near me and you'll probably be surprised what pops up. or i bet a friend knows a friend knows a friend kind of thing.

the mount bolts are stainless but the post and base are anodized which help protect the alum form corrosion. when you dirll that your going into fresh bare alum so it would corrode faster than the base

 

[ncnmra]

Got it. Thanks for the great information. I'm in fresh water, but will look for the welding option first. In the meantime I read that putting a sealant on the bolts first would likely help on the corrosion front.

My second worry with the bolt solution is to how to actually drill it, since there isn't much room to get a drill close to the edge, as well as invariably the stresses stretching the holes.

 

[Quad]

Got it. Thanks for the great information. I'm in fresh water, but will look for the welding option first. In the meantime I read that putting a sealant on the bolts first would likely help on the corrosion front.

My second worry with the bolt solution is to how to actually drill it, since there isn't much room to get a drill close to the edge, as well as invariably the stresses stretching the holes.

I think you're hitting the nail on the head - even if you bolt it, eventually the holes will widen causing a wiggle, and likely a more severe failure over time. Welding bonds the metal and it won't be able to wiggle, which will prevent the future wear and failure.

 

[mrcleanr6]

silicone on the bolt and in the hole does help slow it down a little but its def not a cure. in any case you wont need to worry about it in fresh water.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

I'm surprised that I couldn't find any reference to this issue. I have a 2008 212X and the captains seat has been loose from when I got it. The point where it is loose is the bottom post, where it enters the pedestal ring which attaches to the floor. The ring on the floor is solidly attached.

I took the bolts out to get the ring off, expecting there to be a nut or something to tighten, but was surprised that the pedestal post is only held in place by a lip around it. I'm assuming that it is designed such that the floor pressing up on it is supposed to keep it flush against the ring to prevent it from moving? In my case, it appears that it has "rubbed off" parts of the floor. The seat actually freely rotates at that spot. I thought originally that was by design, but I see now that there is a knob to adjust the rotation.

Has anyone seen or fixed this? I'm tempted to drill some holes through the ring/post and put some nuts/bolts through it to lock it in place. I think that ideally it should be welded, but I don't have the skills/equipment for that.

Additionally, does anyone know what the bolt in the last picture is for? I found it under the seat when I took it out. I think it is from the center of the post somewhere?

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@ncm

I'm surprised that I couldn't find any reference to this issue. I have a 2008 212X and the captains seat has been loose from when I got it. The point where it is loose is the bottom post, where it enters the pedestal ring which attaches to the floor. The ring on the floor is solidly attached.

I took the bolts out to get the ring off, expecting there to be a nut or something to tighten, but was surprised that the pedestal post is only held in place by a lip around it. I'm assuming that it is designed such that the floor pressing up on it is supposed to keep it flush against the ring to prevent it from moving? In my case, it appears that it has "rubbed off" parts of the floor. The seat actually freely rotates at that spot. I thought originally that was by design, but I see now that there is a knob to adjust the rotation.

Has anyone seen or fixed this? I'm tempted to drill some holes through the ring/post and put some nuts/bolts through it to lock it in place. I think that ideally it should be welded, but I don't have the skills/equipment for that.

Additionally, does anyone know what the bolt in the last picture is for? I found it under the seat when I took it out. I think it is from the center of the post somewhere?

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@ncnmra ......I have seen this before when owners do not loosen the seat collar enough to swivel nit and the post is twisted loose at the bottom.

 

[Quad]

@ncm

@ncnmra ......I have seen this before when owners do not loosen the seat collar enough to swivel nit and the post is twisted loose at the bottom.

Does that cause the seat to swivel freely instead of its normal detents?

 

[212s]

The extra bolt looks like the stopper - the captain's chair has a bolt in the tube to stop it from spinning around past about 100 degrees and hitting the throttles. I think it's a safety design so you don't spin around when the boat's moving. I removed mine so I can slide the seat forward a bit to clear, then swivel it around 180 degrees to face aft. But I never loosen the seat until we're anchored or floating with the engines off so it's safe.

Remember to loosen the locking collar knob before turning the seat on both the captain and/or the co-captain's chair if equipped.

 

[212s]

Does that cause the seat to swivel freely instead of its normal detents?

Sounds about right...nothing to stop the whole tube turning.

 

[212s]

@ncnmra ......I have seen this before when owners do not loosen the seat collar enough to swivel nit and the post is twisted loose at the bottom.

I almost did that myself. Getting down on the floor to see what's under there helps a lot.

 

[ncnmra]

Thanks for the help guys. I have a metalworking friend that I took this to in hopes that he would weld it (he's good with Aluminum). He had hesitations in welding that part because he said that it looked like "cheap cast" aluminum. Instead, he used S/S cross bolts with retaining compound, and finished with epoxy. It seems quite strong. I would have preferred a weld I guess, but I went with his expertise.

@212s, yeah, I figured that was the case. I have been boating with the seat completely loose for 6 years, I thought it was by design. Seemed pretty silly to me. Eventually, I got down on the floor to look for some adjustment knobs and noticed the rotation clamp and figured "hmmm.....this is NOT normal". In any regard, I did not reinstall this stopper, as I like the freedom of rotating the seat arbitrarily.