The swordfishing grounds are anywhere from 25 to 45 miles out from Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada, Florida, and Capt. Nick Stanczyk has been in search of a way to make his daily trek offshore more comfortable. His 42’ Freeman Boatworks center console already has a smooth riding hull, and Nick wanted to take it to the next level with the best available seating technology. He turned to Allsalt Maritime, who helped him swap out his fixed seat pedestals with Shoxs suspension mounts.
The Shoxs X4 pedestal that Nick uses has 4” of suspension travel, which is plenty to absorb the pounding waves that a charter captain must endure as part of the job. The constant impacts cause fatigue, aches and long-term chronic injuries, as any experienced boater already knows. Having more time on the water is critical to Nick’s livelihood, and securing top-of-the-line gear is a worthy investment.
The installation began by removing the existing helm seats and mounts, then enlarging the hole to accommodate the larger-diameter Shoxs pedestal. The height was set, and the helm seats were reinstalled on top. Once the air pressure was adjusted to exactly the level that Nick preferred, he took the boat and upgraded seats out for a test spin. Declaring the ride “100%” smoother, he’s ready to take on the Florida Keys swells in any conditions.
The Shoxs mount is designed to seamlessly replace nearly any fixed seat mount. The pedestals have a unique movable bottom flange that lets the installer set the height correctly, no matter where the existing helm seats are mounted. The base of the pedestal can recess into a fiberglass or aluminum box or riser. Nearly any marine seat can be mounted on the base, so boaters who love their existing helm seat can keep it.
For more information, check out allsalt.com/landing/x-series.
