Removing a setback for better access to the helm

[Aquarius]

Hi all, has anyone successfully removed the seat back in front of the helm on the 21 footers to get better access to the wiring underneath? After installing a chart plotter on my boat by using the power port leads I am now getting the N2K comm error which I assume is happening because I must have loosened a wire when pulling the panel to get access from the front of the helm. The openings on the front are much too small to get my hands into and the wires are a twisted mess inside. Seems like the seat back would be a natural access to actually do work under there but while the lower half of the seat has wing nuts that are easily removed the upper part seems to be held in place in some other way.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

@Aquarius ......obviously a stupid question but you don't have a storage compartment with access door in the starboard side of the walkway? I do in my SX195 and it allows access to the entire back of the helm. There may be solid glass behind that seat back and at first I thought cutting an access hole might be an idea but that could devalue the structural integrity of the cabin unless it was a small one.

 

[Gunner]

On my 190 the seat back hangs on two posts at the top and if you reach up from the seat access there is two large washers and wing nuts holding the seat back on. Remove wingnuts and pull up on seat back and it gives good access. I still added a door to the side later.

 

[Gunner]

Remove wingnuts pull seat out toward front of boat from bottom until the studs that had the wingnuts on are clear of the holes. Then pull seat pretty much straight up and off it should come.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

On my 190 the seat back hangs on two posts at the top and if you reach up from the seat access there is two large washers and wing nuts holding the seat back on. Remove wingnuts and pull up on seat back and it gives good access. I still added a door to the side later.

Q@gunner....you have a 190. Don't you have a storage compartment behind the helm with an access door or is that a new feature of 2019/2020 models. because when I open that door the entire helm wiring is right there.

 

[Gunner]

No 2018 AR190 had no door, 195 did that year. I removed the seatback to add a chartplotter and fuse block to helm. Since it was a large wasted space I added a helm door this offseasons. With seatback removed I had room to work but still no quick storage access which is why I added the door later on.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

No 2018 AR190 had no door, 195 did that year. I removed the seatback to add a chartplotter and fuse block to helm. Since it was a large wasted space I added a helm door this offseasons. With seatback removed I had room to work but still no quick storage access which is why I added the door later on.

@Gunner ...awesome. Did you post your mod on the forum?

 

[Aquarius]

@Aquarius ......obviously a stupid question but you don't have a storage compartment with access door in the starboard side of the walkway? I do in my SX195 and it allows access to the entire back of the helm. There may be solid glass behind that seat back and at first I thought cutting an access hole might be an idea but that could devalue the structural integrity of the cabin unless it was a small one.

Hi Canuck, not a stupid question just a stupid design. The 2015 212X and I assume similar boats of this ilk have no access door on the helm. The only way in is by taking off the control panels on the helm and trying to reach my big mitts into the holes while trying to see at the same time. I just got done taking off the speedo/rpm panel to try and get a better look at the back of the seat. There appears to be pairs of posts that look like small bolts poking through the fiberglass but there is nothing attached to the back of these bolts so I'm guessing it is glued in at the top. But I don't really get the point of gluing the top and having removable wing nuts at the bottom. There is a big open space behind that seat which would make it a much easier route to to the wiring.

 

[Gunner]

Are you sure it's not just hanging on brackets near top of seat back and is there a large cutout in fiberglass behind the seat or just the hole for the bolts?

 

[djetok]

Hi Canuck, not a stupid question just a stupid design. The 2015 212X and I assume similar boats of this ilk have no access door on the helm. The only way in is by taking off the control panels on the helm and trying to reach my big mitts into the holes while trying to see at the same time. I just got done taking off the speedo/rpm panel to try and get a better look at the back of the seat. There appears to be pairs of posts that look like small bolts poking through the fiberglass but there is nothing attached to the back of these bolts so I'm guessing it is glued in at the top. But I don't really get the point of gluing the top and having removable wing nuts at the bottom. There is a big open space behind that seat which would make it a much easier route to to the wiring.

Just pull out and up like @Gunner suggests

 

[Aquarius]

Wanted to follow-up on this post. Gunner is correct. It takes some contorting of the seatback to get it off but after removing the three wing nuts towards the bottom of the seat the top is held on by several brackets. So pull out on the bottom until the bolts are clear of the holes and then up. Getting it back on is equally tricky but doable. Much easier access to the wiring in the helm. Thanks all!