Seat assembly for a personal watercraft

Abstract

A seat assembly for a personal watercraft includes a base configured for selectively connecting to a deck of the personal watercraft, a damper connected to the base, a straddle seat that is operatively connected to the damper, which permits movement of the straddle seat relative to the base, and a locking assembly movable between locked and unlocked configurations. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the base is locked to the deck. With the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the base is removable from the deck. A system for assembling a personal watercraft of a family of personal watercraft including at least a first personal watercraft and a second personal watercraft is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seat assembly for a personal watercraft, the seat assembly comprising:
 a base configured for selectively connecting to a deck of the personal watercraft;   a damper connected to the base;   a straddle seat operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the straddle seat relative to the base; and   a locking assembly operatively connected to the base, the locking assembly being movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration,   with the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the base being locked to the deck; and   with the base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the base being removable from the deck.   
     
     
         2 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the base defines an aperture;   the damper extends through the aperture;   a first part of the damper extends on a first side of the base between the straddle seat and the base; and   a second part of the damper extends on a second side of the base, the second side being opposite the first side.   
     
     
         3 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base is configured to engage the deck via a groove configured to receive part of the deck. 
     
     
         4 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one guiding member operatively connected to at least one of the straddle seat and the base for guiding movement of the straddle seat relative to the base. 
     
     
         5 . The seat assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one guiding member comprises a first guiding member and a second guiding member. 
     
     
         6 . The seat assembly of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first guiding member is pivotally connected to the base and pivotally connected to the straddle seat; and   the second guiding member is pivotally connected to the base and pivotally connected to the straddle seat.   
     
     
         7 . The seat assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the base, the straddle seat, the first guiding member and the second guiding member form a four-bar linkage. 
     
     
         8 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a coil spring connected to the damper, the damper extending inside the coil spring. 
     
     
         9 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the damper is an adjustable damper. 
     
     
         10 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the straddle seat includes a compressible top portion made of foam, and a cover covering the compressible top portion. 
     
     
         11 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the straddle seat assembly is toollessly connected to the deck. 
     
     
         12 . The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly includes:
 a locking member moveable between:
 a first position, in which the locking assembly is in the locked configuration; and 
 a second position, in which the locking assembly is in the unlocked configuration, 
   a biasing member biasing the locking member toward the first position.   
     
     
         13 . A personal watercraft comprising:
 a hull;   a deck disposed on the hull;   the hull and the deck at least partially defining a motor compartment;   a motor disposed in the motor compartment; and   the seat assembly of  claim 1  selectively connected to the deck.   
     
     
         14 . The personal watercraft of  claim 13 , wherein the deck defines an opening, and the base is configured to be connected to the deck to at least partially close the opening. 
     
     
         15 . The personal watercraft of  claim 14 , wherein the damper extends through the opening into the motor compartment. 
     
     
         16 . The personal watercraft of  claim 15 , wherein a lower end of the damper is lower than a top of the motor. 
     
     
         17 . A system for assembling a personal watercraft of a family of personal watercraft including at least a first personal watercraft and a second personal watercraft, the system comprising:
 a hull;   a deck having a plurality of seat connection points;   a motor;   a group of straddle seats including a first straddle seat and a second straddle seat, the first straddle seat corresponding to the first personal watercraft and the second straddle seat corresponding to the second personal watercraft,
 the first straddle seat being configured to connect to the deck via a damper; and 
 the second straddle seat being configured to rigidly connect to the deck; 
   wherein when the first personal watercraft is assembled using the first straddle seat:
 the deck is disposed on the hull; 
 the hull and the deck at least partially define a motor compartment; 
 the motor is disposed in the motor compartment; and 
 the first straddle seat is selectively connected to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points and the damper, 
   wherein when the second personal watercraft is assembled using the second straddle seat:
 the deck is disposed on the hull; 
 the motor is disposed in the motor compartment; and 
 the second straddle seat is selectively connected to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first straddle seat is part of a first seat assembly, the first seat assembly including:
 a first base configured to connect to the deck via the plurality of seat connection points; 
 the damper connected to the base; and 
 the first straddle seat operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the first straddle seat relative to the first base, and 
   the second straddle seat is part of a second seat assembly, the second seat assembly including:
 a second base configured to connect to deck via the plurality of seat connection points; and 
 the second straddle seat rigidly connected to the second base. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first seat assembly further comprises a locking assembly operatively connected to the first base, the locking assembly being movable between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration,
 with the first base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the locked configuration, the first base being locked to the deck; and   with the first base being connected to the deck and the locking assembly being in the unlocked configuration, the first base being removable from the deck.   
     
     
         20 . A method for attaching a straddle seat to a personal watercraft,
 the watercraft having a hull, a deck disposed on the hull, the hull and the deck at least partially defining a motor compartment, and a motor disposed in the motor compartment,   the method comprising:
 connecting a seat assembly as a unit to the deck, the seat assembly comprising:
 a base configured for selectively connecting to the deck; 
 a damper connected to the base; and 
 the straddle seat operatively connected to the damper, the damper permitting movement of the seat relative to the base.