Does your sofa/lounge have this?

[KyleR]

I have only seen this hard plastic lounge base on a couple of 396s in our search. Does anyone here have this option who can definitively tell me what this is? I know that with this option there is only one recliner vs two. It looks like storage but I couldn't figure out how to open it!

Thanks so much!!
Kyle

[Viper]

Hatches under the cushions?

[tomschauer]

Someone changed that sofa. The cushions are not original. On the far right, you can see the "foot rest" that would have popped up with a pull handle or lever between the cushions. There was originally another pop up foot rest to the right of that one. Not sure what they did.

[KyleR]

That's what we were thinking but we have seen several 396s with this same setup. The one in the pic is not the one we're buying, it is just one of the others we found online. (The pics we took of the one we are looking at came out bad and didn't show the detail as good.)

And you're right, the one part of couch on the right does pop up/recline with a little leather pull handle, but only one reclining section - not two.

But since we have seen it on three separate 396s it seems that it must have been an option. Just can't figure out why or what it's for?

[KyleR]

Added new and better pics to show more detail.

[KyleR]

I had some time last weekend so I thought I'd get to the bottom of this weird seating arrangement. Under the front lip of each section of the couch there are a few small brackets - each held on by a couple of screws. So I removed the screws and brackets and low and behold I found this!! It was like a hidden Easter egg! So much storage!!

[pepmyster]

Thats very smart of them!!!!!!!!!!

[Midnightsun]

Carver and Bayliner were masters at using space on board however there is always more to be found. Some simple modifications have always helped me gain much valuable space on board on all the boats I have owned over the years. Glad to see you discovered this mystery hole.

[KyleR]

Thats very smart of them!!!!!!!!!!

It would be smarter if they actually told someone about it and included it in their documentation!

[RGrew176]

Midnightsun got it right. Carver and Bayliner are masters of making space usable. I have owned both brands and both are good at making space usable for storage.