I'm new to reservoir boat fishing and seeking some advice on purchasing a boat seat - specifically either the Bob Church/Airflo aluminium types or the TLD seat types. These seem to provide better back support (I'm quite tall) and easier to store/transport. I mainly fish Welsh reservoirs such as Llandegfedd/Brenig but also Chew and Grafham.

Any advice most welcomed! Thanks

i use a TLD and find it very comfortable... im over 6ft tall... i either ratchet strap it to the existing bench seat in the boat or to one of the planks some fisheries provide... much more comfortable and easier to transport than one of the big aluminium jobs...

Cheers,

Stevie

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if it was that easy they'd call it catching!

Am interested in the ratchet straps. I have had trouble fixing my seat on the boat seat and have resorted to using 2 turnbuckles fixed between the clamps. This means a bit of fiddling around to move the seat. Any ideas where those ratchet straps can be bought?
Mind you the turnbuckles are good value at £8 for 2.

You can buy the swivel/strap arrangement from Grafham Water Lodge. I think it's the best part of £40 though.

In fact, you can get a really good seat from most chandlers for about £50 with more padding than the TLD. Most of them have the 4 mounting holes that will take the swivel/strap arrangement, resulting in a seat that's better than a TLD for about £90.

Graham

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hasthelargehadroncolliderdestroyedtheworldyet.com

****** that... get yourself to a place like the range or halfords... only be about a tenner... or try a pound stretcher... im sure mine came from somewhere like that... in the car section...

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if it was that easy they'd call it catching!

The ratchets straps are in expensive ie less than £10 for 2 on ebay.

I have a Wise high back chair ( see marinescene.com or ebay ) cost c £60 ish

A swivel c £10 and I got a bases plate which attaches to the seat base / swivel and through which the ratchet starps go 9 c £25 ish from Rutland Lodge .

The straps need replacing about once per season

The whole lot cost less than £100 and has been in regular use for 3 years, the Wise chairs seem much better made than the saggy green ones aimed at the fishing market

The Airflo seat is good, but a bit heavy. I prefer one that sits across the thwart as the higher fishing position is better. I made my own out of a mahogany plank and will post a picture if I can be arsed to dig it out of the garage and photograph it.

If you can do a bit of DIY, definately go down the route of buying a seat and swivel plate from a chandlers.

In addition you just need some stainless steel nuts and bolts, a piece of wood (marine ply best) or metal plate for the base and a couple of straps.

I reckon I built mine complete for about £65- about half the price of a TLD!

Have a look on the internet- I think I got my Wise seat and plate from Marine Scene or similar.

I've made my own seat, 2 rectangles of ply hinged together with a piece of chain to act as the support, add a Lidls ratchet strap and your in business. I'll stick a pic up tomorrow. I think it cost me about a fiver, it's lightweight, sturdy and above all cheap.

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

In a previous existence I was a teacher and when they demolished my school to build a new one all the old cloakroom benches (8ft of prime mahogany plank) were going begging. Following a pattern from Trout and Salmon I made this. A mate donated the rod holder which keeps it well clear of anchors, oars, feet, bags and clumsy mates. All told it probably cost me about a tenner for the foam, screws and bits and bobs. Not very light, but very comfy!