Build a deck-box seat

A garden planter gives Steve Beioley inspiration for a waterproof stowage box and seating

A garden planter gives inspiration for cockpit seating

I own a 35ft Pedro motor cruiser with the steering position on an aft deck. For some time I’ve been looking in vain for a deck box to provide stowage and also to serve as additional seating. These seem quite common in the USA but are hard to find in Britain and the few possibilities available seem over-expensive for what is just a simple box.

In the course of searching the internet it occurred to me that a GRP garden planter might be adapted to fit the bill. I found a suitable design at Euro-planters which seemed robust, of the right size (1000 x 400 x 400mm) and sensibly priced (£190 including delivery). They were very helpful, reinforcing the box and providing it in the RAL colour of my choice to match the superstructure of the boat.

The next step was to construct a lid. To keep it simple I opted for a lift-off lid with no hinge. This I constructed from a 15mm sheet of marine ply edged with a strip of 12mm sapele to provide an overlapping rim. I then overlaid the top with a series of strips in sapele to provide a ribbed finish to the surface which would help shed water.

All the wood was glued with epoxy and the whole structure coated with epoxy to weatherproof it.

Several coats of varnish followed to provide UV protection and give a nice finish. This resulted in a very robust structure, though

possibly a bit on the heavy side.

To make it easier to manhandle the box I attached two blocks of sapele to the sides, glued with epoxy and screwed through to a strengthening plate on the inside. Two rope handles threaded through holes in the wooden strip provide a convenient handhold.

In due course a canvascovered rectangular seat cushion will be commissioned to provide added comfort for sitting down. Further improvements could involve some form of locking mechanism, possibly a simple bolt through the edging strip.

All in all a cost effective, attractive and useful addition to my aft deck and a welcome project during the tedium of lockdown.

Steve Beioley built a combination stowage box and seat (left) for his motor cruiser (above)

Glassfibre garden planter box with some reinforcement proved the ideal base for the project.

Upside down view of the marine ply lid that was cut to fit the box and was then surrounded by a hardwood lip.

A pair of hardwood blocks were attached to the ends of the box (screwed through strengthening plates on the inside) and holes drilled for rope handles.

Hardwood sapele strips were next attached to the upper side of the lid to provide a self draining seating surface.

With wood sealed with epoxy and protected by several coats of varnish the finished box looks very smart in situ on the upper deck.