Blaster freestyle seat build

[LBE]

So I wanted a seat that was lower than stock and shorter as well. Most of the Osiders that are on B1's are running seats with the hump shaved down and shotened in the rear. After ridding w/o a seat one day (for tuning purposes) I realized how encumbersom the stock seat can be. SO here is the build.
I must first say that I used a seat that I had put handholds in already, so the seat box had the hand hold cut outs. I recomend against the hand holds in the seat box, weakens the box too much.

With the seat cover removed and all the foam removed from the base, separate the seat box and seat base. For purposes of this discussion I will refer to the seat base as the white plastic piece.

Pic 1-3:
Cut the seat base almost completely off from at the first "rise" section. On mine, I also trimmed the bottom where the plastic moulding on the seat would have bolted to, but you can leave that. (On mine it exposes the lower front seat brackets when installed.)
When cutting the seat base, make sure that the lip sticking up is as high as the small flat part toward the front. (Also See pic 5)

Pic 4: With the base cut you can use the stock front 2 bolts to mount the base to the box. Yous may look a little different, my seat box was cut before for the hand holds, thust the notched looking sides.

Pic 5:

A view from the rear, you are actuallly looking at the lip on the seat base from the rear. Mabey easier to see why later on. My seat box was already cut short in this pic, but we will get to that in a min.

[LBE]

Pic 1-3:
The lowest I could make the seat was only as low as the topside of the seat bracket mount (pic 4). So using a saws-all I cut the seat base "level" with the plateau where the seat bracket mounts. Looking at how the cardboard, you can see the "high spots to cut.

I made a template out of cardboard to get the shape for the new seat base. Here is where you can see why we left the up lip on the seat base piece. It will add support and a finished look later on.

[blaster800]

nice thread !

[LBE]

I went to a local shop here that makes all types of plastic stuff. I'll see if I can find a link to post.
I bought a small rectangular sheet of 1/4 in med density abs. I think it was $12.
I cut the plastic to match the cardboard template using the sawz-all and a grinder for fine trimming. I set it on my seat box/base piece to fit and trim.
With the plastic sitting on the seat box/base you can see if the lip on the base is the right height.
Pic 3: OOPS, I cut a little low in the rear, nothing some turf won't cover up later.
Drilled 2 holes in the rear of the plastic where the seat bracket mounts, and mounted the new plastic pice. and then drilled 2 holes in the front corners to hold the front. Mount the rear first, then put the seat on the ski and mark the front holes. The reason is: the original base is flimsy, the new plastic piece will be the backbone. But the original base can be positioned so the front hooks grab better.
(Hope that makes sense)

[LBE]

So thats pretty much it for the mew seat. Cover and padding are up to you.
I used 1 thin layer of turf for the front part (wrap) portion of the seat. I then used 2 layesr of the thick HT on the plastic. Sanded the edges with 60 grit (the thick HT is verry easy to shape) to get the shape I wanted.

I covered mine in HT, obviously. I don't sit, nor do I intend to sit much on this seat. I wraped the seat and continued the turff over the seat box.

Time to test it out!!

Pic 5:
The stocker looks huge

Not that weight is a huge issue, but this seat is light!! and it won't absorb water like the stock foam!

[ROTATION]

Very X-2ish

[LBE]

A few more notes:

Boarding with a shorter seat is sssooo much easier!

If my seat box was not already cut, I would not have done the handholds. This seat is low, and I don't see them as usefull for tricks. I'm gonna put a strap on the seat for Heart attack type tricks.

I made a lot of cuts! I cut a little at a time so I wouldn't have to make any repairs. This thread should help you avoid that. That said, I should not have cut the front lower portion off. I don't like that you can see through the ski by the front lower brackets.


Start cuttin!!!

[Big Kahuna]

my only question is I thought on the B1's that when you went to roll, you had your feet locked in and you were actually using the seat as leverage when you went into the rotation...............

[Idok]

nice work!

[LBE]

I have been working on this seat quite a while, mostly in my head I guess. Without any major fabrication this is as low as I can get it. I juess if I used less padding I could go lower, but I'm really pleased with it.
Overall cost is minimal, and I think it still looks good.

To answer you question Kahuna; When I roll the Blaster, I roll it thae same as a super jet. As long as the feet are locked in, I don't need the seat for leverage.

[wydopen]

thats a cool sticker on your couch:rolleyes:

[h20rocket]

seen this blaster on ebay, reminded me of this thread

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/YAMAHA-WAVE-BLASTER-MODIFIED-RACE-JETSKI-WAVEBLASTER_W0QQitemZ270174909099QQihZ017QQcategor yZ31267QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[FL-cracker]

Nice work! Looks very functional to me. Stock seats get very heavy when they are water logged.

Did you notice if the boat handled any different?... You should do some other mods to save some weight... I think you would like what you end up with!

[5810]

looks good

[LBE]

Nice work! Looks very functional to me. Stock seats get very heavy when they are water logged.

Did you notice if the boat handled any different?... You should do some other mods to save some weight... I think you would like what you end up with!

The ski feels light to me. I'm a surf ridder so weight is not as big of a concern, Strength is. The 760 makes it feel lighter!

[cattledog]

great job going to do same thing i never sit on my blaster i ride it a lot without seat, but it is dangerous with all the sharp objects and seat pins i think the blaster would be even better without seat and seat hump a better x2

[Prem1x]

I was going to give you props on this in Pismo. Very original thinking. I liked yours and I think Derricks, who had another Hydroturf-padded seat but he could reach into the side and grab a tow rope out and stuff. That was cool.

[WRX Dave]

Just found myself an old seat to try my hand at this.

[D Slicker]

I just traded my SJ hull for a complete blaster. Looks like I have another project.

[cattledog]

if you have a blaster a short seat is way better than stock seat , just wanted to post this so this great thread is on top again

[COwakerider]

bump to the top so i can find this in a week or so... :)

[SASQUATCH113]

I plan on buying another seat soon, so I am definitely gonna give this a whirl. Thanks for all the pics and steps. I hope mine turns out just as good as yours...doubtful though.

[Mag]

Awesome work and write up LBE:headbang:

I recently got another seat to experiment with and my bud sent me a link to this thread. The look is exactly what I wanted, you did the hard work for me-figuring it out! Thanks!

[kraqus]

Dude You rock with this Mod!
I side mount my blaster 70% of the time, when I get tired I board it from behind and I hate that bump that hits you in the face every time you try that.
However, with the seat that low then I can see it a breeze to side mount it.
Very original and looks good too....
This is a MUST for surf riding....absolutely!
I can have 2 seats now.....Yeah!

Benny

[SASQUATCH113]

I precut my extra seat I just got. I will be cutting some starboard I have lying around today and getting some bolts to secure it down. Then I will mass order turf for my blaster as well as this seat.

Dozen cookies for LBE

[LBE]

I LOVE cookies!

[beachjunkey]

This was a killer mod LBE. Too bad I left my seat unlatched on the long way home from Wilkey's one night and haven't gotten around to doing another :wallbang:

[crab]

I LOVE cookies!Me 2

[str8pinned]

hey what the hell is the trick to getting the molded diamond turf to form around corners? im tryin to do the chin pad on my 650sx and its not workin out to well.

[seajm]

ttt

[NJrider]

bump hopefully a blaster will fall through for me. first mod right here. double bump!

[ghostrider117]

i'm gonna try this also.

[SoCal_WaveBlaster]

i dont understand this thread...the seat is short enough as it is...
a handle i understand, but cutting it down makes no sense to me at all

[LBE]

i dont understand this thread...the seat is short enough as it is...
a handle i understand, but cutting it down makes no sense to me at all

#1. no one sits on a Blaster seat.

A shorter seat makes the ski easier to board, as well as gives you more space to move your feet when surf ridding.
Cutting it down helps with can-cans. I would say it better for learning can-cans beacuse it is not as easy to get hung up on the seat when your legs are coming across. (See pic) Also gives you a little more room for indian airs.

Escondido....Come out to Oceanside and you can try the seat out for a day. Maybe it's not for everyone, but I would never go back.

[SoCal_WaveBlaster]

#1. no one sits on a Blaster seat.

A shorter seat makes the ski easier to board, as well as gives you more space to move your feet when surf ridding.
Cutting it down helps with can-cans. I would say it better for learning can-cans beacuse it is not as easy to get hung up on the seat when your legs are coming across. (See pic) Also gives you a little more room for indian airs.

Escondido....Come out to Oceanside and you can try the seat out for a day. Maybe it's not for everyone, but I would never go back.

maybe its not in my may cause im tall. but it does make sense now...
and im down to ride fridays and saturdays, i just never go out now cause i dont want to take the chance of no one being there since my friends ski broke and he's too lazy to fix it :)

[ghostrider117]

i wanted the back of the seat gone. this is what i came up with.
it's all turfed and will get one more layer on the hood .i used a plastic board called color core and a stainless hinge.i retained the stock latch.
this turf that i'm using is super soft.

i had a couple of x-2's and i like boarding them on my chest.

[MCrider]

i spy a 3d

[ghostrider117]

cant even give it away.:nana:
also known as 3-p.o.s

[customride0105]

well i was working on the same project and i came up with something like this.
the only thing i suck with truff. soo now im in the process of tearing the turff back off and im making a bracket at the back on the fiberglass peice so i can screw down the seat cover. and the ft will be stapled on. its 4 inches tall

[customride0105]

for got pics,

[ghostrider117]

nice

[customride0105]

new and improved seat. first time covering a seat...

[scottie mac]

Brad,

When you turfed the rails, how did you make the template? Or is there a technique I need to know? I want to do my surf ski's rails turfed just like yours, grey diamond cut hydroturf.

Any suggestions would be great.

Scottie

[kraqus]

new and improved seat. first time covering a seat...


That is pretty slick man.....PIMPING!


Benny

[zimmy]

That seat turned out great! do you have any build pics?

[NVJAY775]

REALLY good looking seat. Mine's at the upholstery shop now, just getting recovered and the bump mellowed out. That seat makes me want to chop it.