Watercraft seat

Abstract

A seat for a watercraft having a hull with a hull bottom having a first contoured shape. The seat includes a base having a second contoured shape that is operable to be slidably engaged with the first contoured shape of the hull bottom. The seat is operable to slide in forward and aft directions within the hull, and the seat and the base can be removed from the hull.

1 . A watercraft comprising:
 (a) a substantially unitary hull having a hull bottom with at least one elongated raised portion extending in forward and aft directions;   (b) a seat comprising a base, the base including at least one recess shaped to receive the elongated raised portion of the hull;   (c) wherein the seat is operable to slide in forward and aft directions along the hull bottom and is substantially restrained against lateral movement when the raised portion of the hull is received in the recess in the base.   
   
   
       2 . A watercraft according to  claim 1  wherein the recess and the raised portion are configured such that the seat is selectively vertically removable from the hull when the raised portion is received in the recess. 
   
   
       3 . A watercraft according to  claim 1  wherein the seat further comprises a seat bottom and a back, the back being selectively movable relative to the seat portion. 
   
   
       4 . A watercraft according to  claim 3  wherein a rear portion of the seat bottom is pivotably connected to the base. 
   
   
       5 . A watercraft according to  claim 4  further comprising at least one adjustable strap extending between the seat bottom and the back for selectively fixing the position of the back relative to the seat bottom. 
   
   
       6 . A watercraft according to  claim 3  further comprising a bottom support on a forward portion of the seat bottom, the bottom support being configured to vertically support the forward portion of the seat bottom. 
   
   
       7 . A watercraft according to  claim 6  wherein the bottom support is pivotally connected to the forward portion of the seat bottom, the base includes a plurality of spaced cavities, and the bottom support is configured to be selectively received in the each of the cavities, whereby the elevation of the forward portion of the seat bottom can be varied by positioning the bottom support in different ones of the spaced cavities. 
   
   
       8 . A watercraft according to  claim 3  wherein the seat further comprises a seat bottom and a back, the seat bottom comprises a bottom frame with a bottom panel disposed thereon, and the back comprises a back frame with a back panel disposed thereon. 
   
   
       9 . A watercraft according to  claim 1  wherein the seat is selectively removable from the watercraft, and the base is configured to stably support the seat when the base rests atop a substantially flat horizontal surface external to the watercraft. 
   
   
       10 . A watercraft according to  claim 1  further comprising means to selectively prevent forward and aft movement of the seat along the hull bottom when the raised portion of the hull is received in the recess in the base. 
   
   
       11 . A seat for a watercraft having a hull with a hull bottom having a first contoured shape, the seat comprising a base having a second contoured shape that is configured to be slidably engaged with the first contoured shape of the hull bottom such that the seat is operable to slide in forward and aft directions along the hull bottom, the seat and the base being removable from the hull. 
   
   
       12 . A seat for a watercraft according to  claim 11  further comprising a seat bottom and a back, the back being selectively movable relative to the seat portion. 
   
   
       13 . A seat according to  claim 12  wherein a rear portion of the seat bottom is pivotably connected to the base. 
   
   
       14 . A seat according to  claim 13  further comprising at least one strap extending between the seat bottom and the back for selectively fixing the position of the back relative to the seat bottom. 
   
   
       15 . A seat according to  claim 12  further comprising a bottom support on a forward portion of the seat bottom, the bottom support being configured to vertically support the forward portion of the seat bottom. 
   
   
       16 . A seat according to  claim 15  wherein the bottom support is pivotally connected to the forward portion of the seat bottom, the base includes a plurality of cavities, and the bottom support is configured to be selectively received in the respective cavities, whereby an elevation of the forward portion of the seat bottom can be varied by selectively positioning the bottom support in different ones of the cavities. 
   
   
       17 . A seat according to  claim 12  wherein the seat bottom comprises a bottom frame with a bottom fabric panel disposed thereon, and the back comprises a back frame with a back fabric panel disposed thereon. 
   
   
       18 . A seat for a watercraft comprising:
 (a) a base;   (b) a seat bottom pivotally mounted to the base;   (c) a seat back that is selectively movable relative to the seat bottom; and   (d) means for selectively adjusting the elevation of a forward portion of the seat bottom relative to the base.   
   
   
       19 . A seat according to  claim 18  wherein the seat is for a watercraft of a type having a hull with a hull bottom having a first contoured shape, the base has a second contoured shape that is operable to be slidably engaged with the first contoured shape of the hull bottom such that the seat is operable to slide in forward and aft directions within the hull, and the seat is restrained against substantial lateral movement when the base is slidably engaged with the hull bottom. 
   
   
       20 . A seat according to  claim 18  wherein the means for selectively adjusting the elevation of a forward portion of the seat bottom comprises an adjustable seat support pivotally connected to the seat bottom. 
   
   
       21 . A seat according to  claim 20  wherein the base includes a plurality of spaced cavities and the seat support is configured to be selectively received in each of the respective cavities, whereby an elevation of a forward portion of the seat bottom can be varied by selectively positioning the seat support in different ones of the cavities. 
   
   
       22 . A seat according to  claim 18  further comprising means for selectively adjusting the position of the seat back relative to the seat bottom. 
   
   
       23 . A seat according to  claim 22  wherein the means for selectively adjusting the position of the seat back relative to the seat bottom comprises at least one adjustable strap extending between the seat back and the seat bottom. 
   
   
       24 . A seat according to  claim 18  wherein the base is configured to stably support the seat bottom and the seat back when the base rests upon a substantially flat horizontal surface external to a watercraft.