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rtgogo
04-04-2009, 08:58 PM
Anyone installed seatbelts in the buckets to keep you from bouncin around in chop?

Carl C
04-04-2009, 09:15 PM
What would happen if the boat flipped and you were strapped in? Probably a broken neck. I would leave the seat belts to the canopied boats.

f_inscreenname
04-05-2009, 08:48 AM
That an the bouncing around the belt would chafe real bad.

Carl C
04-05-2009, 08:56 AM
I was laying in bed and reading an issue of Powerboat last night and they tested a 140 mph poker run Fountain. All of the seats had full harnesses. It did NOT have canopies but did have a deep cockpit. First time I've seen that and I thought of this thread.

ChromeGorilla
04-05-2009, 09:13 AM
My thing is.... if your boat is wrong side up you got a serious problem anyway.... I don't think a lap belt is gonna make it any worse.... It's just a bad deal anyway you slice it.... Our boats have such a low free board, they go upside down it's just plain bad... lap belt or not....

I say go for it. Lucky for me gravity likes me..... I takes a lot to get my ass bouncing off the seat... my wife on the other hand.... :rlol:

Cuda
04-05-2009, 09:39 AM
My thing is.... if your boat is wrong side up you got a serious problem anyway.... I don't think a lap belt is gonna make it any worse.... It's just a bad deal anyway you slice it.... Our boats have such a low free board, they go upside down it's just plain bad... lap belt or not....
I say go for it. Lucky for me gravity likes me..... I takes a lot to get my ass bouncing off the seat... my wife on the other hand.... :rlol:
But gravity will still like you if the boat is upside down.:biggrin.:

Carl C
04-05-2009, 09:39 AM
I would much rather get tossed out than be strapped into my boat if it flips. If you must do it get high back buckets and full harnesses. JMO but wouldn't anything less result in a certain broken neck? Getting tossed you will instinctively roll into a ball and have a good chance of avoiding serious injury. Of course the lanyard is always a must and life jackets too when running fast or in the rough. All JMO. Good thread.

ChromeGorilla
04-05-2009, 09:50 AM
Getting tossed you instictively be like a rag doll.... aint no tucking and rolling going on with the forces involved....

Even see people ejected from a boat on video.... total rag dolls...aint no tuckin and rollin going on....

mattyboy
04-05-2009, 09:56 AM
if the seats are not holding you in place in chop you need to either change the seats or make foot rest so you can wedge your self in.

where would you attach the belts?? to the seat ???seems to me if you go upside down or get tossed belted into the seat they are gonna find you with a seat strapped to your ass, if you attached it to the boat itself then you stay with the boat not sure if that is a good thing or not , I would be worried in an open boat about the internals of the belt latch being exposed to the marine environment and not working when it needed to.

Carl C
04-05-2009, 09:56 AM
Getting tossed you instictively be like a rag doll.... aint no tucking and rolling going on with the forces involved....

Even see people ejected from a boat on video.... total rag dolls...aint no tuckin and rollin going on....

Yeah I guess I have seen video of that. I was thinking more of what happens in a skiing wipe-out; And skiers reach speeds of up to 70 mph on a hard cut. Still a good thread. Would like to hear more opinions.

mattyboy
04-05-2009, 10:02 AM
sorry skiers are already out of the boat not a good comparision

Carl C
04-05-2009, 10:36 AM
sorry skiers are already out of the boat not a good comparision

True, I concede that, but would high back bucket seats and full harnesses be a good idea in, say, a 22 Classic? Tamburello runs such a set-up in his 18C but is is out of necessity.

mattyboy
04-05-2009, 10:46 AM
his is a special setup, designed specifically for him, and I think it is a great setup to let him enjoy his donzi :yes:

think about the forces exerted on the seat and seat bases and backs in a stock classic bucket seat pedistal setup if you are pushing pulling on every bump think they are setup for those forces???if you are strapped in, in a stuff i think instead of you just hitting the dash it will be you and the seat hitting the dash and if you and the seat leave the boat how does that lifleine compensate for the flotation of the foam in the seat will it float you face up??? strap your seat to your back and jump in the lake see what happens??

rtgogo
04-05-2009, 04:34 PM
OK...so....good points on the seatbelts in regards to the marine exposure, harnessing to the boat/seat issue, boat upside down, etc. The seat, steering, floorboard combo in my 22zx just doesn't give a snug feeling wahtsoever. Interesting idea with the foot pedestal. I took it a bit further and thought of maybe installing the front rubber straps of a pair of skies, but figure that would look too crazy and i don't have that kinda power....yet.... I definetly need to find a better way to wedge myself in. If the seat would go just alittle closer to the dash, I think I could pull it off. Any idea on mods to the pedestal bracket that would allow me another couple of inches of travel forward while retaining the center of gravity on the base? Thanks.....

CHACHI
04-05-2009, 05:27 PM
Getting tossed you instictively be like a rag doll.... aint no tucking and rolling going on with the forces involved....

Even see people ejected from a boat on video.... total rag dolls...aint no tuckin and rollin going on....

I agree.

ken

Sam
04-05-2009, 05:37 PM
Getting tossed you instictively be like a rag doll.... aint no tucking and rolling going on with the forces involved....
Even see people ejected from a boat on video.... total rag dolls...aint no tuckin and rollin going on....

What Chrome says is true, I have the misfortune of being tossed out :eek: of a few race boats. By the time you know what happened your hopefully coming to the surface in one piece and glad you had your life jacket on :biggrin.:.

BUIZILLA
04-05-2009, 05:46 PM
there was a blowover yesterday that unfortunately killed the driver at a S&F event.... no life jacket, and for sure no seat belt (which I find to be a ludicrous topic)..... his body has not been found yet...

rest in peace Dave...

Sam
04-05-2009, 05:54 PM
A little off the subject but some interesting footage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsZ0f0Kjoio

mattyboy
04-05-2009, 06:10 PM
OK...so....good points on the seatbelts in regards to the marine exposure, harnessing to the boat/seat issue, boat upside down, etc. The seat, steering, floorboard combo in my 22zx just doesn't give a snug feeling wahtsoever. Interesting idea with the foot pedestal. I took it a bit further and thought of maybe installing the front rubber straps of a pair of skies, but figure that would look too crazy and i don't have that kinda power....yet.... I definetly need to find a better way to wedge myself in. If the seat would go just alittle closer to the dash, I think I could pull it off. Any idea on mods to the pedestal bracket that would allow me another couple of inches of travel forward while retaining the center of gravity on the base? Thanks.....

the seats on the 22zx sometimes seem to be an issue, Frank Civitano had bolsters made for his 80 mph 22zx

chappy
04-05-2009, 06:42 PM
Big fan of safety measures here, but if belts were a good idea, all of our boats would have them.

mattyboy
04-06-2009, 06:30 AM
Big fan of safety measures here, but if belts were a good idea, all of our boats would have them.


great point

BigGrizzly
04-06-2009, 08:44 AM
Just as bad is the seat belt proposal law for motorcycles. Seat belts in a capsule, may be ok but in an open boat is flat out dumb.

Carl C
04-06-2009, 08:57 AM
Seat belts in a capsule, may be ok but in an open boat is flat out dumb.

Exactly what I thought. In the event of an accident I'd rather take my chances getting tossed out. The bouncing around isn't that bad and I run 2-3 footers regularly. My main concern is making sure my passengers are holding on. I've installed extra grab handles.

Carl C
04-06-2009, 09:05 AM
This Fountain has full restraints on every seat. :confused:

Tony
04-06-2009, 09:24 AM
I agree.

ken

No truer words have been spoken!!!

:kingme: :kingme: :kingme: :kingme: :kingme: :kingme: :kingme: :kingme: :kingme: :kingme:

:beer:

Ghost
04-06-2009, 09:31 AM
My instinct is that no belt is better with a small, open boat. Rag doll for sure, but unattached to something, if you survive the impact itself, the right lifejacket would have a good shot at keeping you alive in the water.

When wiping out badly on a ski or a wakeboard, you want that thing off of you so it doesn't wrench knees or worse. Having something as massive as a boat attached and having your upper torso be the part sticking out is not what I would want.

With a canopy, I would do a 180 on the belts. Tractors with roll bars say wear the belt. Those without say don't put it on for any reason.

VetteLT193
04-06-2009, 09:39 AM
This Fountain has full restraints on every seat. :confused:

You sit REALLY low in that boat and they run over 90 with base power. 140 MPH with optional power. At a buck forty in a deep cockpit I'd rather have my azz strapped in if it goes over because that's the only chance you have of making it.

It also has suspension seats standard... who knows how springy they are in rough water, it might be really unsettling being bounced around without a good belt.

mattyboy
04-06-2009, 09:46 AM
You sit REALLY low in that boat and they run over 90 with base power. 140 MPH with optional power. At a buck forty in a deep cockpit I'd rather have my azz strapped in if it goes over because that's the only chance you have of making it.
It also has suspension seats standard... who knows how springy they are in rough water, it might be really unsettling being bounced around without a good belt.


:yes: :yes:

that is a horse of another color, nothing like a Donzi Classic or 22zx

Carl C
04-06-2009, 10:26 AM
You sit REALLY low in that boat and they run over 90 with base power. 140 MPH with optional power. At a buck forty in a deep cockpit I'd rather have my azz strapped in if it goes over because that's the only chance you have of making it.

It also has suspension seats standard... who knows how springy they are in rough water, it might be really unsettling being bounced around without a good belt.

I agree 100% but was still surprised to see it. This one does run 140 MPH! No seat restraints will be going in my 22 ever.

mattyboy
04-06-2009, 10:30 AM
just wondering how many "hookings" and ejections in step boats would be eliminated with belts?? the lanyard would need to be addressed if the driver is held in place some kind of deadmens switch on the throttle or wheel??

look at this one and think what would have happened if they were belted in??

http://media.boatmad.com/gallery/v/multimedia/General-Videos/accidents/ejection.wmv.html

rtgogo
04-06-2009, 11:35 AM
Gentlemen.....Didn't realize the can I would open with my question. Don't want to kill the thread, but bottom line is that I don't have any intention of buckeling up in my boat, but stupid questions tend to spark good converstion on the board resulting in good ideas and alternatives to my dumb idea so thought I'd give it a try and seems to have worked so far. My primary objective is to find a solution for for my passengers which don't have the benefit of holding onto the steering wheel. I'd like to be a lil more snug driving, but the grab handles on the sides of the cokpit don't lend themselves to have a good hold for passengers bouncin thru the chop. I'd appreciate ideas on placement for added grab handles to the back of the bucket seats, dash, or anywhere else that may help. As Always....Thanks guys.......