Community Forums

Enerserve · 10-25-2018, 07:21 PM

Hello All,

My first post on IRV Forums after gaining invaluable knowledge shared here for ~ 1 year.

We are planning to pull the trigger on our first RV and are looking seriously at small Class A - Newmar Ventana 3436 (35') pusher for fulltime for new retired couple. Going small(er) to have more options @ National / State parks.

My concern is we plan to spin the driver and passenger front seats and use as our primary relaxation and TV viewing seats given the RV layout across from the TV in the main area.

Is this an unrealistic plan … (find or make ottomans) ... and use front seats to replace where I am sitting at this moment ... in from of the TV surfing the web and watching the news.. in my favorite lounge chair?

I believe nothing beats real world experience and believe there is nothing better than what I like to call "local knowledge"

Thank for sharing your experience and your feedback.

John / AKA ENERSERVE

BirchyBoy · 10-25-2018, 08:09 PM

I don’t have a Newmar but love using the passenger chair in my class A to watch tv. I have a folding ottoman I put out and kick my feet up.

Charlandpv · 10-25-2018, 08:22 PM

Given the length you’re looking at you may have limited space between the driver’s seat and the steering wheel when the seet is turned around. This could be a problem if you’re planning on inclining the seat back to make yourself comfortable watching tv. Just something to consider.

Vanslam · 10-25-2018, 08:28 PM

I have a 34 foot Canyon Star and use the captains chairs all the time unless I am laying on the sofa.

Bucky573 · 10-25-2018, 08:30 PM

We have Euro recliners with separate ottomans. I take one of those and sit in either the driver or passenger seat and watch tv all the time.

S_Watkins · 10-25-2018, 08:53 PM

My passenger seat will turn around and allow for the back to recline BUT I find the seat is 4 feet from the side mounted TV and the couch blocks the footrest from extending. Also it is 90 degrees from the TV, bad angle.

Drivers seat will give a better view of the TV but spun around to face the TV it is so close to the steering wheel, even with the wheel moved to the forward position, that the back must be straight up. Not comfortable for me....

The two Lazy Boy recliners are directly across from the TV and are much more comfortable

Dutch Star Don · 10-25-2018, 09:11 PM

It depends on the layout of your coach. On ours, only the passenger seat is good for viewing the big TV. When we have guests over to watch a movie, one of the adults uses the passenger seat as a recliner.

As stated, you need to see if the driver's seat will lean back far enough to be comfortable, or will the steering wheel get in the way.

Ventana303 · 10-26-2018, 07:20 AM

We have a Ventana 3407 and have an appointment in Nappanee in early spring to remove our sleeper sofa and replace with two Lambright recliners and a center table. We found the sleeper sofa really uncomfortable after more than an hour, even with ottomans. We've never tried to swivel our captains chairs since the viewing angle doesn't appear to be very good.

wildtoad · 10-26-2018, 07:47 AM

We have a 31ft gasser and we use the captains chairs for watching TV, dining, reading. I hardly ever sit on the sofa, wife will use it from time to time. We would use it more, but the dogs own it, and it’s not very comfortable in the first place. In our layout, the captains chairs are directly across from the 40” TV, we have a small table between the chairs (came with) and it works out just fine.

FatChance · 10-26-2018, 07:51 AM

The driver/passenger seats are often the most comfortable seats in a motor coach.

FLJOE · 10-26-2018, 08:15 AM

Our floor plan allows for both seats to turn around while stationary. I "live" in my driver's seat as it is very comfortable with retractable foot rest. We don't generally turn the passenger seat around unless we are having company and need extra seating.

Geaux Tigers · 10-26-2018, 04:25 PM

We have a 2017 Ventana 3436 and rotate the driver's and passenger's captain chairs whenever we are at a location for more than one night. The TV can be seen easily from either of these seats. The passenger chair can be reclined all the way down and it has the pop-up footrest. Of course, with the back fully reclined, the doorway is completely blocked but that is usually not a problem. At the driver's seat, I position the steering wheel to the fully up position and, after rotating the seat, move the seat to be furthest forward position (which is now in towards the living area). This creates the most space between the seat back and the steering wheel. By doing this, the seat back can be reclined a fair amount. While a person cannot lay down, I find the back is reclined more than enough to be comfortable to watch TV. I kinda wish the driver's seat also had the pop-up footrest but I guess Newmar thought this might be a safety issue if someone tried to use it while driving. Seems we have to make everything idiot proof for those people who don't use common sense!

---------- Jim

zzotte · 10-27-2018, 09:20 AM

As you know I don’t have a ventana or similar floor plan, but as for the use of the chairs I can only speak from my floor plan, for starters my the tv is overhead so one can only watch tv from the dinette or couch, from the couch your head is sideways very unconrtable ok ok about the driver seat it does not recline enough nor has a foot rest so we need a foot stool so more stuff one has to haul around, out next RV will a 3717 floor plan ( tv behind a small couch facing a double recliner with a small side table

Zzotte

TeJay · 10-27-2018, 09:48 AM

You've gotten a lot of good answers and most of it boils down to this. It depends on how comfortable the chair is as far as will it work for you. Your best bet is this. You need to see and set in the correct year model of unit that you have decided to purchase and try the seats in both positions of driving and lounging.

In our 30-T WBGO which is 30'-11" the passenger seat is set up with a foot rest and will turn around so one can set, lounge and watch TV. It's a little difficult to rotate because it has to be in a specific location so nothing will hit or interfere with it as it rotates. We seldom do that unless we are going to be in a CG for more than a week.

As a traveling seat both the driver and passenger seats are very comfortable but for lounging the passenger seat is not. When it is turned (180 #) the back of the seat is limited as to how far it will lean back before it hits something. If or when you lean the seat back the arm rests move with the seat and point up at a 45 degree angle.

As I set in my lounge chair here at home when I lean the seat back the arm rests stay in their original position because they are separated from the seat.

The seats are great for traveling but don't convert readily to a lounging chair. The foot rest does come up but it's also not very comfortable. It's difficult to design a chair to be used for two different functions.

We are not large folks either. Both of us are in the 5'7" height and about 155 to 165 lbs.

If one or both of the two traveling chairs are going to be your main lounging chairs then you have to see the exact model of chair installed in the exact model year of RV that you are going to purchase. There is absolutely no guarantee that what is in a 2018 model year will be the same for 2019. They may tell you that it will be but you know you can't always believe a sales person. You also need to set in them for more than 1 to 2 minutes.