Two front deck seats

What is the minimum distance two seats need to be apart in order for both people to comfortably fish? My little Tracker doesn't have a wide front deck and I'm a big guy so I don't know if I have room to pull it off. I have the options of moving the seats back, which would give me more room, but it would increase the distance to the TM but I think I have enough cable to move back, plus I'm going to upgrade before spring.

My plan this winter is to trick my Bass Tracker out to be a all season, all technique crappie rig. I plan to get a i pilot link TM, install rod holders front and back and try to squeeze two seats onto that deck.

I guess one cheek hanging over the water will make me pay more attention. :)

If I'm not mistaken most are around 34" apart. I no longer have it but this is how my Bass Tracker was set up. Just before I sold it I did away with the double seat base. I added 2 individual mounting plates to the deck it self. I mounted them back from the bow a few inches behind the center seat post. This seemed to work better for me. Fairly easy to do as the front deck unscrews easily. Good luck hope this helps.Attachment 280244Attachment 280245Attachment 280246

I would recommend you look into a Millennium Side Kick dual seat bracket. It will let you vary the distance between the seats and the distance back. I and my clients love mine.


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If the deck on the tracker indeed comes up easily like crumpdoc says then I would go with double seat bases, at least 31 inches apart. I have a sidekick for my small boat and the only issue is when slid all the way together at 30 inches (base to base) you have to face the stern, climb in the seat and swing to the outside over the sides of the gunwales to face forward. If you don't think mounting double seat bases will be easy enough, then look into a low profile double seat mount, that way you can still get into the seats with out climbing over the tubing frame and enter the seats from the middle. Again, this is my opinion based off my experience in a small aluminum boat with a narrow deck 52" wide, my deck is riveted down and mounting double seat bases would require using fast rivets to secure.

Also, keep in mind the further you move your seats back the further your rod holders will be in the boat, meaning if you fish 14 foot rods and 3 feet of rod is in the boat then you only have 11' of rod out away from the boat and TM.

Thanks for all the replies. You all have given me plenty of food for thought. I haven't taken the deck out of my boat so I don't know how easy they are to remove. I'm quite certain that it's just screwed down to the aluminum frame underneath. I think on a Tracker that the front deck is plywood and the rear deck is aluminum.

Crumpdoc, the pictures are awesome, thanks for that.

I think it looks great


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Individual floor seat bases is the way to go. A little winter project, that really isn't expensive, nor too time consuming. The feeling of not having to worry about center bars, supports, allows for a safer and better fishing platform.
As for the width, the wider the better. Also, you want to fish comfortably and safely, so don't fret it. Longer rods can be purchased to make up for the inches of comfort that you have gained!!

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"2 buckets and 2 big guys" makes an effective template ...

Don't forget to spin both ways to see where your knees bind during testing ...

And "knees binding" means against rod holders, rod butts, other "big guy", etc ...

Rickie

Having two seats up front is awesome but I wanted to mention something; when you install your two new bases into the deck, don't just screw them down thinking they will hold you. Last weekend I was thrown into the water when my seat base broke loose from the deck. 53 deg water on a 27 deg day is COLD! It was hard as heck to get back into the boat so thank God I was wearing my PFD at the time and had help climbing back in. After I got dry and warm back at camp, I reinforced the base by drilling 3/4" holes for each screw location and using large toggle bolts through the deck. All the rocking back and forth combined with the moisture from carpet etc seeping into the screw holes finally took it's tole so don't make this mistake, do it right the first time. Here's a pick of the broken base...

Attachment 280293

I just got done putting in two bases into a tracker. Mine is 99 model, 15.5 foot. The front deck screws off no trouble. I would take the others advise with templates to see where you want to sit at.