Is it possible to retrofit 3 seat bench in place of 2 in Ocean?

[andyinluton]

From memory we've done 6 trips to spain to stay in a villa with that set up, last time with 2x 16 year olds, 1x 13 and a 5 - It was survivable as they were kept separate, had chargers for iPhones & could get drinks out the fridge etc.
Believe it or not the portaloo that lives in the kitchen cupboard was still accessible & usable.

 

[Borris]

In theory it is possible to squish 9 seats into a Beach.

Probably best not to leave the sanctuary of your driveway with that set up!


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With room for more on top? Actually, I have more than enough hassle with the three small people that I cart around without contemplating taking their cousins as well. What I really need is a sound proofed glass partition instead of more seats.

 

[Borris]

See below for available space:

Actually that's not that bad although the back N/S seat looks a bit of a squeeze.

 

[andyinluton]

It cost £250 for the additional none matching seat - which I sold for £350 last year so a cheap solution to an occasional problem.

 

[Bellcrew]

Actually that's not that bad although the back N/S seat looks a bit of a squeeze.

I have also used this set up, thanks Andy for the idea, the rear seats used by grandchildren so head /legroom shortage was not a problem. We now have another quandary, a third baby is on the way, I concede that the only solution will be a full fat Beach.

 

[Borris]

I have also used this set up, thanks Andy for the idea, the rear seats used by grandchildren so head /legroom shortage was not a problem. We now have another quandary, a third baby is on the way, I concede that the only solution will be a full fat Beach.

The seven seat Beach is a spendid vehicle so I think you'd find it perfect for moving your expanding brood. It's so versatile that there's very few, if any vehicles that do a better job as a general purpose family hack.

As has been said before, it's a very good campervan with a huge downstairs bed and there's nothing that you currently do in your Ocesn that couldn't be done in a Beach. You'll just need to buy the stand alone fridge, cooker and design your own storage solution and I can assure you that there are big advantages to going down this route. Having owned an SE at the same time as our Beach we reluctantly decided to sell the SE as the Beach is so much more practical for us. We have eight grandchidren so have the seven seater option (we never need to transport them all at once as they are in three families). It works very well indeed for us and whilst the seven seat mode gets used from time to time, it's mostly used as a five seater with the swivels removed. The space inside is vast and is ideal for wet picnics, changing at the beach, moving stuff and the list goes on and on. I really cannot speak highly enough of this vehicle.

 

[methley]

We went an alternative route - a LWB Caravelle (7 seats) on which we put an SCA roof, effectively a LWB Beach. Works well for us.

 

[andyinluton]

I have also used this set up, thanks Andy for the idea, the rear seats used by grandchildren so head /legroom shortage was not a problem. We now have another quandary, a third baby is on the way, I concede that the only solution will be a full fat Beach.

If the addition is just a baby, I believe you can physically fit an isofix seat in the middle of the rear bench and still use the seat belts making it into a 3 seat bench. Someone that had done it posted on here a while back.

 

[Bellcrew]

If the addition is just a baby, I believe you can physically fit an isofix seat in the middle of the rear bench and still use the seat belts making it into a 3 seat bench. Someone that had done it posted on here a while back.

The bench would need to accommodate 3 grandchild seats, my children are lofty and would not fit the rear bench with the two other seats fitted, I will replace the Ocean next year, it will still have the two years of the extended warranty left, I think it would sell quite well.

 

[Borris]

If the addition is just a baby, I believe you can physically fit an isofix seat in the middle of the rear bench and still use the seat belts making it into a 3 seat bench. Someone that had done it posted on here a while back.

If you are talking about the three seat bench in the Beach, it only has Isofix on the two outer seat positions or at least our 2016 Beach does. We use the vehicle seat belt to secure the middle seat.

 

[Borris]

The bench would need to accommodate 3 grandchild seats, my children are lofty and would not fit the rear bench with the two other seats fitted, I will replace the Ocean next year, it will still have the two years of the extended warranty left, I think it would sell quite well.

I would be surprised if couldn't configure a seven seat Beach to suit all of your family. If you remove the Multiflex board there's acres of space.

The two swivel chairs also have Isofix. Our swivels also have the optional built in pop up child seats. They add an extra degree of flexibility.

 

[WelshGas]

Might be better to move house and ditch the grandchildren.

 

[Pando72]

Hi I am looking at getting a ocean and looking at fitting a double front passenger seat to allow me to carry 5 people has any one seen it done and can I add a swivel seat that will clear the cabinets

 

[Maxx]

Take a look at the Multimac site. Yes you need somewhere to store it but if you have 3 kids, you may already be planning a pop up tent or awning for storage. https://www.multimac.com/home

 

[babble]

i'm looking for a six seat option for my van, for occasional journeys only, when i wont be camping. I'm a single dad, with three girls, (12, 10 and 7) who i look after 50% of the time, so every other week. I now have a girlfriend with an 11 year old daughter. (who she looks after every other week too) So a lot of the time for camping it is just me, or me and my girlfriend, or me and my girls, but sometimes we might all need to go somewhere together. I have the 5th seat already, so it seems my best option is either a multimac on the back bench, or to move the bench all the way back (removing any stoppers) and squeeze in another seat on the back rails - but that seems to leave one seat with no leg room at all - so i think the multimac is the way to go.

i don't really want to change the front passenger seat to a double swivel one, because that's a bit permanent....

Pity there isn't some simple adaptation to get three kids in a row on the back seat. multimac seems like overkill....

 

[Amarillo]

i'm looking for a six seat option for my van

Double front swivel is the way to go.

Move the passenger seat battery and electrics to the drivers seat

Good evening all? I fitted a double front seat to my VW California a couple of years ago now and was looking to see if anyone knows who would undertake the task of moving the battery and electrics to my drivers seat. The main rational for this is to fit a swivel to the front passenger seat...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Borris]

i'm looking for a six seat option for my van, for occasional journeys only, when i wont be camping. I'm a single dad, with three girls, (12, 10 and 7) who i look after 50% of the time, so every other week. I now have a girlfriend with an 11 year old daughter. (who she looks after every other week too) So a lot of the time for camping it is just me, or me and my girlfriend, or me and my girls, but sometimes we might all need to go somewhere together. I have the 5th seat already, so it seems my best option is either a multimac on the back bench, or to move the bench all the way back (removing any stoppers) and squeeze in another seat on the back rails - but that seems to leave one seat with no leg room at all - so i think the multimac is the way to go.

i don't really want to change the front passenger seat to a double swivel one, because that's a bit permanent....

Pity there isn't some simple adaptation to get three kids in a row on the back seat. multimac seems like overkill....

Given the ages of all four girls there really is no easy answer.

Even if you were to fit a double swivel seat I'm guessing that if swivelled, there would be no leg room for the outer front seat passenger due to the proximity to the sink/kitchen unit.

Having two swivels in the rear of a Coast is possible and at least one forum member has done this but if memory serves, not for older children as that format severely restricts legroom to a point where it isn't practical.

It sounds like you could do with a seven seat Beach.


Ignore the integral child seats as they are of limited use and would be no good for older children. Never the less you can see the space and versatility. Unfortunately, I don't believe a satisfactory solution is possible in your current vehicle.

What ever you decide good luck.

P.s You will need to inform your insurance company if you go for a double front swivel. Also as the vehicle will have been modified to carry an extra person then you should inform the DVLA as well.

 

[babble]

Thanks for your reply. I would go for a beach, but i totally totally love the ocean/coast set up for one, two, or four, which is all I will be doing almost all the time. I just need a potential way to carry six a few times a year just to go places, not to then use the van for camping.

I've just taken the rear bench stopper out and it goes all the way back to the window almost, so i think I can get two extra seats in as described earlier in this thread, with even a little more space than shown in the photo. If that's the case I think that is the easiest option for now. The next one will be to fit a double cab front seat I think, as they are relatively affordable, and if it is official, i shouldn't have any issue getting it officially recognized. (i'm not sure though here in Belgium, so i will have to ask.)

 

[Bellcrew]

Thanks for your reply. I would go for a beach, but i totally totally love the ocean/coast set up for one, two, or four, which is all I will be doing almost all the time. I just need a potential way to carry six a few times a year just to go places, not to then use the van for camping.

I've just taken the rear bench stopper out and it goes all the way back to the window almost, so i think I can get two extra seats in as described earlier in this thread, with even a little more space than shown in the photo. If that's the case I think that is the easiest option for now. The next one will be to fit a double cab front seat I think, as they are relatively affordable, and if it is official, i shouldn't have any issue getting it officially recognized. (i'm not sure though here in Belgium, so i will have to ask.)

Even with the travel stops out the second swivel seat ends up very close to the bench, fine for a toddler and younger in their own seat but any taller and the child's legs would be seriously restricted.

 

[babble]

Even with the travel stops out the second swivel seat ends up very close to the bench, fine for a toddler and younger in their own seat but any taller and the child's legs would be seriously restricted.

I have a plan!! Watch this space....

 

[Loz]

I just need a potential way to carry six a few times a year just to go places, not to then use the van for camping.

Just hire something....

 

[Amarillo]

I have a plan!! Watch this space....

@andyinluton is the person to ask about six in an Ocean.

 

[babble]

Just hire something....

haha. yes. good point.

 

[andyinluton]

Ive dug out the photos 6 seats in a SE/ Ocean you can see the limited rear legroom on the passenger side bench seat, all the other seats were fine.

 

[babble]

Thanks! Did you have the stopper removed from the back, or just moved back? (it's a matter of a few inches i know....)

Also did you try and turn these two seats to fact backwards? I wondering if my two little ones might rather like that.