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Amazing 6 seat California Beach configuration!

E

Esandar#1

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186
Location
South West
Vehicle
T6 Beach 150
Amazing 6 seat California Beach configuration!

We’ve just driven to / from the Austrian Tyrol for a half term ski trip and wanted to share with other Beach owners the great 6 seat configuration we discovered. (Apologies if this has already been covered here)

This year, as there were 3 adults and 3 children travelling, we experimented by setting the van up with one extra seat mounted in the middle of the back - secured on sliding rails 2&3 (rather than on either 1&2 or 3&4). We had the extendable part of the flexiboard folded down and the bench seat pushed back against it. This still gave us loads of room ‘in the boot’ for all our bags, ski boots etc.

We packed in such a way that we could partially recline the 3-seater bench seat - giving the children a more comfortably angled position for sleeping - as and when needed as we were driving through the night both ways. Having the extra seat in the centre allowed the person sitting in that seat to face forward and extend their legs into the gap between the driver and passenger seats which could both also be fully pushed back to give max leg room up front. The middle seat could still be reclined allowing that person to sleep in comfort too, but in the normal position enabled easy chat with the two up front (which, with three adults, was nicely inclusive).

Our youngest – aged 10 – had plenty of leg room in the middle position on the bench seat whilst whoever sat on either side of the back seat had more leg room than anyone could need! The 6th seat could also be rotated 90 degrees and reclined to allow an extended position across the back of the two front seats (feet facing sliding door) - whilst still allowing us to pack a very large bag behind the front passenger seat, but in the end we didn’t need / use this option.

As I’d also bought a set of skis ahead of the trip, I was delighted to find these fitted neatly through the drawer holes under the bench seat on the offside without impacting the leg room of the passenger sitting in that seat. We took out the deckchairs and table for the trip, and flat packed some clothes in plastic bags which easily slipped into the voids in the zipped section of the tailgate, maximising all luggage space!

We only booked our ferry the day before each crossing and got very good prices using DFDS who I think are a great service provider. Our route down - via Ghent, Brussels, Cologne, Stuttgart, Munich - avoided French motorway tolls and didn’t require a vignette in Austria, keeping travel costs down. Our Beach was actually such a pleasure to drive that I’m not sure I’d ever be able to do this trip in a normal car again!

Our 6"4' tall 3rd adult had plenty of legroom wherever he was sitting, and the kids didn’t complain at all during the 20 hour trip. I think we will be leaving our Beach set up for use in this way to see how it works in everyday life and of course, when we want to head off on our first camping trip of the year, it will take me 5 minutes to take the 6th seat out! We bought our Beach for its amazing versatility. Able to switch between delivering the best of Campervan and MPV / Caravelle qualities, it has once again delivered with aplomb! We love our Beach even more now!
 
I will add some later. The key benefit was that all six passengers had max leg room and were forward facing which you cannot get with the sixth seat in any other position. If you have it rear facing (in any position) it limits how far back you can push the drivers and passengers seat. All the kids wanted to sit in the 'special seat!'
 
I will add some later. The key benefit was that all six passengers had max leg room and were forward facing which you cannot get with the sixth seat in any other position. If you have it rear facing (in any position) it limits how far back you can push the drivers and passengers seat. All the kids wanted to sit in the 'special seat!'
On the Ocean/SE many people position the fifth seat adjacent to the kitchen, essentially the same position as you describe in the beach, gives decent access and as you say improved leg room between the front seats.
 
The 6th seat could also be rotated 90 degrees and reclined to allow an extended position across the back of the two front seats (feet facing sliding door) - whilst still allowing us to pack a very large bag behind the front passenger seat, but in the end we didn’t need / use this option.

The additional single seats must only be used in the locked positions facing either forwards or backwards. swivelling 90 degrees is ok for use when stationary but not whilst the van is being driven.
 
The additional single seats must only be used in the locked positions facing either forwards or backwards. swivelling 90 degrees is ok for use when stationary but not whilst the van is being driven.

Is that a quote from the handbook Andy?
 
Is that a quote from the handbook Andy?
I'm sure its in the handbook somewhere, I seem to remember theres a sticker on the seat as well next to the swivel release stating the same.
 
Amazing 6 seat California Beach configuration.

We packed in such a way that we could partially recline the 3-seater bench seat - giving the children a more comfortably angled position for sleeping - as and when needed as we were driving through the night both ways.

I wasn't aware you could partially recline the 3 seater bench seat. How did you do this and lock it in this partially reclined position? Have I found something new about my van that I didn't know?
 
I wasn't aware you could partially recline the 3 seater bench seat. How did you do this and lock it in this partially reclined position? Have I found something new about my van that I didn't know?
All you have to do is pull the centre strap for lying down the back for the bed let it will recline slightly then let the strap go.
 
I wasn't aware you could partially recline the 3 seater bench seat. How did you do this and lock it in this partially reclined position? Have I found something new about my van that I didn't know?

I pull the plastic handle (above centre drawer) partially out and let the bench seat recline to about 45 degrees where it stops. You can still fasten all the seat belts and it automatically locks back into the normal position when you pull it forward...
 
All you have to do is pull the centre strap for lying down the back for the bed let it will recline slightly then let the strap go.
And does it lock in the selected reclined position?

When reclining, the seat back reclines whilst at the same time the seat base appears to elevate itself to a higher level to form the front section of the bed base. It therefore follows that if you partially recline the bench seat back you are also partially elevating the seat base itself to a position part way between the normal locked bench seat position and the fully deployed bed. If it can be locked in this position then that's one thing but if you can't I suspect it would be dangerous to use whilst in motion. I can't remember what the hand book says and as I've just got out of the bath I'm not going outside to check.

Can anyone advise? I think I need to do some more playing.
 
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Boris, I've popped out and had a play for you. It appears there are two ways to 'recline' it. I am pulling forward the fixed plastic handle and simply pushing the back of the seat back. The base stays locked in position at normal height, and the back rest automatically locks back in if a force is applied from behind. This is also the handle that you use to fold the seat back completely forward if you need to do that.

The other way is pulling one of the two straps that are under the seat - but that actually seems to release the same mechanism which allows you put the bed into position. (The other strap is the one that that either allow you to move the bench forward or back). We use the recline option very rarely - only when travelling through the night so the children can relax / sleep in a more natural position. They are always wearing seatbelts and I am happy that the back rest locks into position automatically (if pushed forward) and that the bench seat remains very firmly anchored.
 
We use the recline option very rarely - only when travelling through the night so the children can relax / sleep in a more natural position. They are always wearing seatbelts and I am happy that the back rest locks into position automatically (if pushed forward) and that the bench seat remains very firmly anchored.

It *needs* to be upright for travel. You are putting passengers at risk of submarining otherwise. Not necessarily death but serous internal injuries, paralysis etc.

Just to add also on travelling with rotatable seats. Again you risk very serious injuries if these seats with three point belts are used 'sideways'. They must face forwards or backwards (if recommended by manufacturer). Not least as the forces on the structure of the seat are different in this way but mainly from a seatbelt slicing across the neck or other soft parts.
 
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Boris, I've popped out and had a play for you. It appears there are two ways to 'recline' it. I am pulling forward the fixed plastic handle and simply pushing the back of the seat back. The base stays locked in position at normal height, and the back rest automatically locks back in if a force is applied from behind. This is also the handle that you use to fold the seat back completely forward if you need to do that.

The other way is pulling one of the two straps that are under the seat - but that actually seems to release the same mechanism which allows you put the bed into position. (The other strap is the one that that either allow you to move the bench forward or back). We use the recline option very rarely - only when travelling through the night so the children can relax / sleep in a more natural position. They are always wearing seatbelts and I am happy that the back rest locks into position automatically (if pushed forward) and that the bench seat remains very firmly anchored.
Thanks Esandar,
I obviously need to investigate how the seat works more thoroughly. I've had this Cali for nearly two years and I didn't realise the bench did this.
Once again many thanks.
 
It *needs* to be upright for travel. You are putting passengers at risk of submarining otherwise. Not necessarily death but serous internal injuries, paralysis etc.
I clearly need to find out more about how this seat works but I tend to agree that using it whilst reclined and in motion would probably increase the risks in an accident.
 
It *needs* to be upright for travel. You are putting passengers at risk of submarining otherwise. Not necessarily death but serous internal injuries, paralysis etc.

I eventually found a reference to anti-submarining (in relation to seat design), though I guess anypassenger relaxing or sleeping in any reclined seat position is at this slight risk in the event of a serious collison.

On a lighter note my Google search taught me a new dating definition of the term Submaring: Comparable to ghosting, “submarining” is when a person you’ve been seeing disappears without reason, and then reappears without reason, as if they’d been simply lurking below the surface of your romantic interest. For example, if someone you’ve been dating ghosts you, then casually reaches out three months later asking you to the movies, that’s submarining, Marie Claire UK says.


Believe it or not, if you’re the victim of submarining, your former flame actually gives you the power upon their return. While you’re likely bewildered as to why this person is back in your life, you alone can decide whether to give the romance another chance, or jet on forward with your life.


Who would have thought I'd learn this from a VW California forum posting! The best bit of our discovery was putting the sixth seat in the centre, forward facing!
 
I had never realized that the distance between floor rail 2 and 3 was the same as between rail 1 and 2 or between 3 and 4!
Would love to see some pictures ..

I also see a possibility for a 7 seater with side kitchen:
From back to front: remove the multiflex board completely, then the 3 seater bench, then a seat between rails 3 and 4, then a middle seater between rails 2 and 3 (with legroom over handbrake).
It would give about 40cm of space on the side of the van opposing the sliding door...
at the cost of very little trunk space however...
I might give this a try, just for fun.
 
It doesn't really work as the single seats are actually quite long & you cant overlap them on the rails. We have used our SE in six seat mode before as follows: no multiplex, 2 seat bench back as far as it will go, single seat on rails 2&3 then single seat on rails 1 &2.

I don't know if the three seater bench moves back further than the two seater but in this configuration the single seat nearest the bench has about zero leg room. you cant move the single seat further forward because the rails are not long enough to fit the front seat onto if you do.

I think the a simple improvement VW could do is to make the middle rails longer, so a single seat could go right up to the front seats.
 
After awkward loading of aging in-laws over Christmas with the 5th seat in it's 'proper' place blocking the door of our Beach (2 seater bench) I tried the centre slots.
The stop needs removing before this works, but the result is far better, with the door clear and a little more leg room.
IMG_20171231_115905.jpg
This photograph is before I had put the rail covers back on.​
 
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After awkward loading of aging in-laws over Christmas with the 5th seat in it's 'proper' place blocking the door of our Beach (2 seater bench) I tried the centre slots.
The stop needs removing before this works, but the result is far better, with the ford clear and a little more leg room.
View attachment 30237
This photograph is before I had put the rail covers back on.​

Fold it flat & it makes a half decent table as well.
 
I once squished 4 rows of seats into my Beach in the configuration 2,1,1,3. In theory it could be configured 2,2,2,3. Leg room would be severely restricted.

539bcc5fbd370d41b1486dd08b53fdd7.jpg



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