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So here is where I stand on the project so far. I ended up having two pieces of 3/4" CDX (marine grade) plywood laminated together in a lamination press. Then I had the seat CNC cut out from a file. I am planning on filling and epoxying the seat then finishing it with gel coat.

With it cut out I did a little test fitting and found that I could push the seat back a good ways however, by doing that I was going to have to find a new way of mounted it other than the standard stainless bar that goes from gunwale to gunwale because it would interfere with the motor under full up tilt. Also if I could get rid of the cross bar I could remove the seat and have an open unobstructed transom again.

So I set out of Theft (West) Marine and found a set of Perko table brackets. These are meant to be mounted to the underside of the tables edge. Once the table is dropped into place and propped up there are detents in the hook that engage and lock into the hook block thus providing a positive support on the tables edge. I figured I could use them only by turning them 90 degrees they would act as a great seat back support. Now I am still up in the air about how to lock them in place. For my testing I have been leaving the seat back hooks loose and once they are in the hook block tightening the screws thus pulling the hooks tight and engaging the dentents. Then of course you have to loosen the seat back hook to get it out of the hook block. This works OK however, I am thinking about drilling out the detents so the seat back hook can slide into the hook block with out loosening the screws and then using screws that go through the hook and hook block where the detents are to lock them together.

In the end what is nice about the Perko table latches is once the seat back is removed you are left with an open transom and you do not have that support bar running across the transom.

As for the hinges, well I bought the hinges from Defender's Warehouse for $13 per and they are made of stainless and not chromed brass ones from Perko. They are made by Suncor and here is the listing.

The coolers came from Costco for $19 a piece and I am working on figuring out a system for locking them in place under the seat.

I will post updates as I make progress.
Seat up
[img]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/upfront.jpg[/img]

[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/up.jpg[/IMG]

Cooler removed
[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/upcoolerout.jpg[/IMG]

Detail across seat back
[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/acrossback.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/upback.jpg[/IMG]

Detail of the Hook and Hook Block
[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/updetail.jpg[/IMG]

Detail of the seat disengaged from the hook block
[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/Offdetail.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/DownandOff.jpg[/IMG]

Detail of the Hook Block..This is all that is left with the seat out
[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/hookblock.jpg[/IMG]

Coolers out seat bottom down
[IMG]http://www.whalercentral.com/images/Stern_Seat/Upanddown.jpg[/IMG]