Seating Configuration Question

So I'm looking at my recently gifted 18' Dyne and realize that I have nothing but a hull and this website called Hydrodyners.com. Merging the two will hopefully produce something pretty cool. My question is related to seating. I have looked at dozens of pictures on this site and others and it seems like most 18' have bucket seats facing forward with some combination of other seats facing aft and backing to the front seats. Is this related to weight distribution or is it primarily done for water ski purposes? Has anyone done a more "traditional" seating arrangement such as twin buckets forward and a bench seat in the back also facing forward? As I have mentioned before, this boat probably won't be used fo much skiing (at least until the kid gets older), rather for entertaining and scooting around the lake.

I like the seating arrangement that I have seen on some old Donzi Sweet 16's. There is a picture on their website at: <a href="http://www.donzimarine.com/DonziWebsite/Site/Boats/Classic/16classic/16cpage.html" target="_blank">http://www.donzimarine.com/DonziWebsite ... cpage.html</a>

I would like to configure this way unless it would screw up the weight distribution from the original design.

Any suggestions or pictures of existing would be awesome!

Thanks,

JB

 

The show ski related 18's I have seen typically have a bucket for the driver, with a bench next to it facing rear for the spotter. And this is all they have.

An option I have seen on some of the 18's was a swivel bucket instead of the bench.

Ocassionaly, you also see a bench in the rear.

My personal preference (as a skier) would be the driver bucket, spotter bench (can fit two people if you don't mind getting cozy), and a forward facing bench in the rear that is easily removable.

 

Here's mine (second pic.). The home made bench is not the most comfortable. The driver seat is surprisingly comfortable even though it is not a bucket. I'm thinking of having another one built and take out the bench or maybe have one made like whats in the first pic. My favorite seating arrangement was in a dyne that was for sale on the east coast about 5 or 6 years ago. It had a driver and forward facing passenger seat then behind them was two side facing bench seating (kinda like the old Ski Centurion outboards had). This looked like the best seating option for an all around use.

Rob

 

I am doing two forward facing buckets, then a rear facing bucket behind the passenger-side forward facing bucket, and then a bench at the back that will be shaped to fit around the ski pole, and which will lift out for access to the bilge area.

 

Our family tends to go the hard core route.

 

I have driven a new style 18 with the configuration you mention. It was fine, but it had a fairly light motor on it. The boat will plane slower and get on plane faster with the weight forward. The boat will plane fine with bench seat passengers.

Do a mockup of a rear seat with some boat cushion and you will see that the seat will need to be quite low or it will look odd.

Here is a pic of the new style boat with a rear bench. It has a higher rear deck, so the seat can be higher:

 

Here was the set up I had. The rear buckets worked awesome. They were mounted on stainless hinges that let them flip forward to access the rear door panel. You could also remove them by knocking out the mounting pins. I had the passenger seat mounted on a slider only. I thought about making it a swivel, but I choose not to because I know they always seem to get woobly with time.

Greg

 

Here are some picutures from this site that show a rear bench:

 

I always liked the rear forward facing bench because you can haul five adults pretty confortably.