so i have a few idea but wondering if anybody can come up with anything better, i have a simple set up, just a 16ft fiberglass canoe with trolling motor set up, now ive made nice seats for it but my father just recently went through the ringer with cancer but i want to get him fishing again but he cant sit in the seats i have for more than a half hour. ive thought of maybe an office chair i can remove but worry about it being to top heavy, throw me some ideas if you got any

A folding lawn chair (the kind with the webbing) can work. I used to use them in my little tin boat for my wife. Depending how your canoe is constructed, you may be able to use some zip ties to keep it attached to the boat. They are feather light and very stable. I hope you figure out a way to get your dad fishing.

Ronnie

Bean Bag chair.

The easiest solution is to get a larger, more stable boat. If you can afford it, now is the time to get one. If you can't, you probably know somebody that has one that you can borrow.

I have the same setup and bought a couple foldup seats and some kitchen chair cushions and put the setup right on the canoe "seat". The seats I bought are in the camping section of walmart, they are simply a seat and a backrest and they fold up and even have a couple pockets in the front, perfect for pliers.

Man I wish I could help you. I do hope that when I'm older and in poor shape my daughters find a way to get me out on the water.

The problem with a canoe, or any narrow boat, is that when you put in a taller seat you raise the center of gravity and the boat becomes less stable.

A wider, more stable boat is obviously your best bet, but can you afford it, tow it, store it? That's a lot to consider.

I will say that I have a friend who's father-in-law is in his 80s. He recently bought a brand new pontoon boat, not because he wanted a pontoon, but because his fishing buddies are in poor shape and a pontoon is the only way he could figure to get them out on the water. Too cool.

Good luck and I home you figure out something that works for you and your dad.

You state that he cannot sit for long, but do not explain why. Does his butt get sore? Does his back need more support? Sometimes a gel seat cushion helps immensely, since they distribute pressure evenly upon the butt. But, they are heavy. A four inch thick gel seat cushion can weigh ten pounds or more.

If it's support for the back, Alpster has an excellent suggestion with the webbed lawn chair. Light, sturdy, and will dry quickly if it gets wet.

Does your father have the strength to use a belly boat ? A semi horizontal position in a bean bag while slow trolling sounds pretty relaxing to me. My wife is in the same situation basically and she has decided to fish in the club this year as my partner. Last year I won Angler of the Year for the first time and it was a sweet accomplishment for me. This year however i will be putting my competitive streak aside to ensure that my wife is comfortable and truly does enjoy the outings. I hope you find some solutions to help your dad have some positive outdoor experiences.

There are outriggers that can be bought or even made that make a canoe very stable

outrigger link

Trade the canoe in FOR A JON BOAT AT LEAST 48 " WIDE SO YOU CAN PUT A FOLDING CHAIR IN IT FOR YOUR FATHER. A canoe is way too unstable to do what you want to do. JMHO