Taylor Made Platinum Series 50-Inch Lounge Bench Seat, Beige

Taylor Made has been building marine furniture for decades, and this Platinum Series lounge seat is a good example of why their bench seating sets the standard on the water. You get a full 50 inches of length, 22 inches of depth, and a 30-inch overall height. That's a real bench, roomy enough for two adults to stretch out or three to sit shoulder to shoulder while you're running to the next spot.

The bones of this seat are what matter most. The frame is rotationally-molded marine grade polyethylene, so it won't rot, won't rust, and won't soak up water the way a plywood-cored seat does. That's the whole point of a molded base. When water gets under a boat seat, and it always does, you want a frame that just doesn't care. The vinyl is marine grade too, stitched with polyester UV-resistant thread so the seams hold up to seasons of sun instead of chalking and splitting on you.

Underneath the vinyl is mildew resistant polyurethane foam, shaped for actual lounging rather than the flat slab you find on budget benches. The beige finish is easy on the eyes in bright sun and pairs with just about any deck or upholstery scheme, whether you're rigging out a pontoon, a deck boat, or a runabout with a bench across the stern.

Two features really earn their keep here. First, there's a storage compartment built into the base, so the space under the cushion isn't wasted. Life jackets, dock lines, a ditch bag, whatever you need to stash goes right underneath. Second, Taylor Made molded drainage channels into the base. Rain, spray, a wet swimsuit, it all runs off and out instead of pooling under the cushion where mildew gets started. On an open boat that lives on a lift or a trailer, that drainage is the difference between a seat that lasts and one that smells like a locker by August. Together the storage and the drainage turn a simple bench into a spot that actually works hard for you, holding your gear dry and shedding the weather at the same time.

The hardware is done right, which you'd expect at this level. Aluminum seat hinges, stainless steel staples, and stainless mounting fasteners, so nothing turns to rust powder after a season in salt air. It's non-adjustable and non-foldable, and that's fine. It keeps the structure simple and solid. There's no headrest on this model, so it sits clean and low across the beam.

A word on mounting, because this is a substantial seat and you'll want it bolted down properly. On a fiberglass deck we always recommend backing plates under the mounting points instead of bolting straight through the gelcoat. It spreads the load and keeps the deck from stress-cracking around the fasteners. On a pontoon deck, make sure water has a clear path away from the drainage channels so it doesn't get trapped underneath. And measure your sightlines before you commit to a spot. At 30 inches tall, whoever's at the helm behind it should still see cleanly over the bow.

Size-wise, that 50-inch length is a comfortable fit on 22-foot and larger boats where you've got the beam to give it. On a tight 18-foot bowrider it'll crowd the cockpit, so measure your space first. For pontoons, deck boats, and larger runabouts, it drops right in as a stern bench or a helm-side lounge. Rinse the vinyl with fresh water now and then, keep the seams clean, and throw a cover on it when the boat's parked. Do that and this bench will give you a lot of good seasons out there.