I wanted these seats high enough to look out of those windows. The windows are a very akward height. I covered the upholstery fabric with a thick plastic to protect it from the wet and the muddy paws. Since it is slippery plastic, the owners of the muddy paws prefer not to jump up here. The bench seats open for storage. When I turn 90 degrees to the left, there is storage under the galley, accessible through doors that match the cabs. Jim carpeted under there so that Bill will be able to crawl more comfortably. I have knees that quit crawling at age 14!