Tiara Yachts was in need of a new type of fold seating for one of their large luxury boats. At the time current folding canvas seats and other jump seat designs were considered too flimsy and not up to Tiara quality standards for a boat that goes for $500,000 or more. My job was to improve the design over the current canvas foldout to provide occasional seating that was more up to Tiara quality standards for stability, fit and finish. It had to seat two, fold neatly into a specific space and have the minimum capability to hold 2 – two hundred pound people. I coordinated the design with one other designer and an engineer to work through the overall form with the proper kinematics that met the folding requirement of the project. In the process of design we were able to incorporate a enclosed standing leg to support the weight and two cup holders (an added bonus). When stowed the seat allowed for fishing of the back of the boat.

1. Case Studies: Tiara Yacht Fold out Seating

2. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Project Lead
Program Management
Industrial Design
Working Prototypes
3D Release
Production Launch
Project Brief:
Tiara Yachts was in need of a new type of fold
seating for one of their large luxury boats. At the
time current folding canvas seats and other jump
seat designs were considered too flimsy and not up
to Tiara quality standards for a boat that goes for
$500,000 or more. My job was to improve the
design over the current canvas foldout to provide
occasional seating that was more up to Tiara quality
standards for stability, fit and finish. It had to seat
two, fold neatly into a specific space and have the
minimum capability to hold 2 – two hundred pound
people. I coordinated the design with one other
designer and an engineer to work through the
overall form with the proper kinematics that met
the folding requirement of the project. In the
process of design we were able to incorporate a
enclosed standing leg to support the weight and two
cup holders (an added bonus). When stowed the
seat allowed for fishing of the back of the boat.
Production Design

3. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Research – Mechanical Design
Ideas that convert to something
else
Mechanical Design in nature
Modern Mechanical things
Folding and unfolding things

4. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Research – Seating in boats
Storage under seat
Flip out design from flush
mount
Stationary seating
Bolster design for
comfort while fishing
Flip Mechanism for
sitting Front or back
Stationary seating
Flip Mechanism for
sitting Front or back

5. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Concept Sketches
Seating Form studies
BOM components
Roller seat concept
Some sketches are by Charles Marzette

6. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Initial 3D Concepts

7. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Full Size Foam Core Mock-up
Prove-out of mechanicals, fold out movement,
and ease of folding action.

8. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Full Size Working Prototype
Prove-out of Mechanicals and Stability. Made of
Plywood “egg crate” assembly for the mounting
surface, vinyl wrapped foam pad, Plywood
leg/closeout and actual laser cut metals for pivot
fold-out mechanism.

9. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Final 3D and Renderings of
Concept
Supplied Alias data for final surface release of final
design.
Flush look in stowed position.
Useful padding doubles for back
rest and “lean-on” surface when
fishing standing up.

10. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Final 3D and Renderings of
Concept
Supplied Alias data for final surface release of final
design.

11. Case Study: Tiara Yachts Fold Out Seating
Production Design
Production Design
Production Launch
Cup holders in the
“available” space –in
the fold-out seat
mounting area to the
transom.
Mechanisms minimized
to maximize pinch
protection.
Supporting Leg doubles
as flush close-out
surface to design in
stowed position.