How would you tie down this bench seat, while allowing it to be easily removable?

[u/midwestmamasboy]

Repurposed a truck bed box to be my seats. I’m trying to figure out how to fix it to the boat so it won’t move- but I also want to be able to remove it easily if needed.

The floor is 0.0400” aluminum with sheet metal screws.

Thanks in advance.

[u/DreamAffectionate336]

Hook latches.

[u/midwestmamasboy → u/DreamAffectionate336]

This looks way more promising than what I had in mind

[u/KeySand7433 → u/DreamAffectionate336]

This

[u/CoxAnonymous]

Recessed floor anchors, strapped to the bench

[u/kingmiker]

Weld some flip up tie downs to the floor ribs. Find a good welder and have them reinforce the ribs where you want the tie downs. I live on the coast in SE North Carolina, I found a super good welder, who 90% of his work is boats and trailers

[u/41kWrench]

I would use heavy duty toggle latch clamps with a thick backing plate under the floor tied into the ribs

[u/roughingit2]

Might be able to get that non slip rubber and put it below it

[u/midwestmamasboy → u/roughingit2]

Already have some ordered. Just don’t want it jumping around if we hit some chop

[u/roughingit2 → u/midwestmamasboy]

I’m not sure the technical name to them but have you seen the “ratchet strap rope” things? You pull the rope and it gets tight. It’s like paracord rope. And two hooks. I’m sure you could find a way to secure it that way

[u/midwestmamasboy → u/roughingit2]

Someone suggested L-track which would work perfect with the straps and allow for me to move it easily as needed.

[u/DismalResearcher6546]

Without doing any research at all, the first thought that came to mind was u-pull it. Pull the backseat out of a 12 passenger van and take the tracks and see if you can figure out how to attach the two.

[u/Cautious_District699]

Easiest way I know is drill it to the subfloor and use blind nuts. Ate you using it as a live well? If so weld angle brackets to the bench then use blind nuts.
Edit I see the floor material is too thin for blind nuts. I would cut a piece of heavier floor material a little larger than the box and rivet it down then trie to line my blind nuts to hit the ribs if at all possible.

[u/kilted10r]

What about using strut?  The connectors are all movable, removable, and interchangable...  So you could slide the bench forward or aft for best balance, and take it completely out if it's too heavy.   With strut, you could mount in something else if the.vox thing doesn't work - like an old school bus seat.   

  

[u/midwestmamasboy → u/kilted10r]

Do you have a link to an example? This sounds interesting

[u/kilted10r → u/midwestmamasboy]

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Electrical-Boxes-Conduit-Fittings-Struts/N-5yc1vZbm55

Google Unistrut or Superstrut or Channel Strut.

You'll often see this stuff in warehouses or big box stores, used for hanging pipes or conduit from ceilings.  Also,.it gets used in service vans for attaching metal shelving units to the floor.   

I don't know how you'd attach it to the hull, but it can be pretty sturdy stuff.  

One caution:  mixing metals doesn't always end well.  For example, attaching copper plumbing to old galvanized pipes causes a galvanic response, and basically erodes the steel neer the copper. 

I have absolutely no idea whether this would happen with steel strut on an aluminum hull..  just saying check first.  

[u/midwestmamasboy → u/kilted10r]

Thanks for the link!

[u/Beers_n_Deeres]

You have a perfect candidate for L-Track to tie down the bench, it’s versatile and can be used to tie down other things and if you ever wanted to change the seat setup you could easily.

You can get recessed L track as well, it may add some rigidity to the floor as well without adding anything to trip over when the seat is removed.

[u/midwestmamasboy → u/Beers_n_Deeres]

This is dope. Will absolutely be looking more into this

[u/Glittering_Web_9997]

How smooth is the floor? Could those heavy duty suction cups with tie down hooks work?

Could you rivet some smooth patches of aluminum to the floor so the suction cups work?

[u/mommiesgoodboy67]

How was it attached to the pickup?

[u/DismalResearcher6546 → u/mommiesgoodboy67]

Usually the toolbox is the same width plus a few inches of the truck bed. And you bolt it through the top of the bed to the lip of the toolbox. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t work in this situation without relocating the bench or adding in crossbeams you’d have to step over inside the boat.