Convertible seating for marine vessels

A convertible seat for a marine vessel, the convertible seat extending from top to bottom in a vertical direction, from a first side to a second side that is opposite the first side in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction, and from front to back and a longitudinal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction and perpendicular to the lateral direction, the convertible seat comprising:

• a seat base comprising a seat bottom and a seat back which extends transversely upwardly relative to the seat bottom,
• a seatback assembly comprising a back supporting cushion for an occupant seated on the seat bottom and a table coupled to the back supporting cushion,
• a pivot mechanism that couples the seatback assembly to the seat base, the pivot mechanism being configured such that the seatback assembly is movable relative to the seat base into a storage position in which the table is sandwiched between the seat back and the back supporting cushion and alternately into a deployed position in which the table provides a supporting surface over the seat bottom,
• the pivot mechanism including an upper pivot arm and a lower pivot arm that are pivotably coupled to the seat base and to the seatback assembly, wherein in the deployed position the lower pivot arm extends transversely to and provides bracing support for the upper pivot arm, and further wherein in the storage position the upper pivot arm and the lower pivot arm are collapsed in a laterally overlapping position relative to each other alongside the seatback assembly, and
• a supporting protrusion that laterally extends from a side of the lower pivot arm, the supporting protrusion configured to support the upper pivot arm when the seatback assembly is in the deployed position,
• wherein the upper pivot arm is pivotably coupled to the seat base at a first inner pivot joint and to the seatback assembly at a first outer pivot joint, and wherein the lower pivot arm is pivotably coupled to the seat base at a second inner pivot joint located below the first inner pivot joint and to the seatback assembly at a second outer pivot joint,
• wherein the upper pivot arm between the first inner pivot joint and the first outer pivot joint is straight and wherein the lower pivot arm between the second inner pivot joint and the second outer pivot joint is straight, and
• wherein the upper pivot arm comprises a cutout between the first inner pivot joint and the first outer pivot joint that nests the second inner pivot joint in the laterally overlapping position and wherein the lower pivot arm comprises a cutout between the second inner pivot joint and the second outer pivot joint that nests the first outer pivot joint in the laterally overlapping position.