# Need help selecting folding swivel seat



## Yukon77 (Jan 30, 2013)

Outfitting a 18.5 foot Sotar for very long river trip. Need to select a folding swivel seat for the front passenger and for operating the small kicker when used. I'm considering the Tempress All-Weather low back seat utlilizing their quick disconnect base. Tempress Marine After Market and OEM Products ... Fish-On!

The raft isn't being trailered, so the quick disconnect feature is appealing. Also, they are not all that heavy. After inspecting, it looks to me like it would be very simple to add some waterproof closed cell foam to custom pad the seat if desired. 

My one passenger has expressed interest in having a comfortable swivel seat for this long trip. I'm torn between the low back version and the high back version - but oddly there is only 1.5 inch difference in the seat height. I'm guessing that the low back would be less likely to interfere with the PFDs. 

I know there are other seats out there that have more padding; however, folding, bulk and weight are important considerations. I "could" splurge on the weight issue for the front seat but of course it must be compatible with 100% PFD use. Any thought suggestions would be most appreciated. Thanks.


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

I've go the NRS swivel and my wife who takes a lot of pitures loves it -- only use it uo to Class II. IIRC, NRS says not for whitewater. So, that might be an issue with the one you are considering. I don't know if the not-for-whitewater is based on structural issues that allow swivel or the possibility of getting swiveled out of your seat (and boat) in big water.


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## [email protected] (Jun 1, 2010)

I like this seat and base in my dory, 4 years and 50 river days later still works and looks good. I would not use this in a class 4-5 river, up to class 3 should be fine(I would not use any swivel or quick release base for class 4-5). I also would not use a swivel base that does not lock in place, it lets the passenger get thrown around a lot in rough water. This is a suitable seat for passenger only.


http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/Boat-Seats/Fold-Down-Boat-Seats%7C/pc/104794380/c/104705280/sc/104341680/Cabelas-Molded-Fold-Down-Seat/1323122.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Ffold-down-boat-seats%2F_%2FN-1100614%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104341680%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMM%253Bcat104705280&WTz_l=SBC%3BMM%3Bcat104705280%3Bcat104341680
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/Boat-Seats/Pedestals-Bases%7C/pc/104794380/c/104705280/sc/104492880/12-Way-Locking-Seat-Swivel/699907.uts?WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104794380%3Bcat104705280%3Bcat104492880


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

Check out this one that has aluminum hinges and much cheaper than the one in your link. Wise Premium Mid-Back Seat - Sportsman's Warehouse


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## tpalka (Oct 31, 2003)

I will share my setup, which I'm very happy with. I got the seat for my older fishing friends, so that they could have better support while sitting on the cooler while I row them down the river.

Ron from RiverBoatWorks built the platform for me -- the seat looks very much like the NRS Swivel, but Ron attached it to a poly deck with mount points. It's super easy to attach to the frame, very stable, and I couldn't be more pleased with it.

This setup isn't on his web site, but call him for more info. Here's a link to the seat with a pedestal (which I know isn't what you want):

Raft Seat Pedestal - Custom Raft & Fishing Frames

Cheers,

tom.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

I'd be going with the Tempress seats my self. I have the NRS style seat (same as the Bighorn's cabela's, basically) and they are ok. The tempress padding is much thicker and more plush. I had them in my old DB and loved them. I plan on replacing my action seats over the next year...FWIW nearly all DB manufacturers use tempress seats as OEM, they really are the standard for comfort and durability.

I haven't paid any attention to hi vs low so I can't help there. Good luck!


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## Yukon77 (Jan 30, 2013)

Thanks folks.


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## GreenTongue (May 21, 2009)

My experience is that the NRS style is more comfortable, but the tempress is built stronger. I like the quick disconnect option as well. I mounted it directly to the top of my engle cooler, which was a really hard decision at the time, but really glad I did it. No undoing a bunch of straps every time I want to get into the cooler.


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