Rebuilding seat bases
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=17754
Printed Date: May-22-2024 at 7:51am
Topic: Rebuilding seat bases
Posted By: C-Bass
Subject: Rebuilding seat bases
Date Posted: May-27-2010 at 5:25pm
|
For those of you that have rebuilt seat bases, offer up some tips. What type of wood, fastening method, improvements over stock seat bases, soaking with CPES?, etc...
I need to rebuild the rear seat base in our '85 with the delux interior. Although it is rarely ever in the boat, I'd like to get a new one made. ------------- Craig 67 SN 73 SN http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=6103" rel="nofollow - 99 Sport 85SN |
Replies:
Posted By: Jim_In_Houston
Date Posted: May-27-2010 at 7:59pm
After carefully measuring higth, width, and angles of original 1963 Ski Nautique seats I came up with this Autocad drawing.
Here is a couple of pics of the fabricated aluminum frame setting next to a wally world seat for reference: 
Here is a link to a large zip file containing original seats with measurements: http://www.electricaltrainingusa.com/Early_60s_CC_Seat.zip - Early seats with measurements Let me know if you would like the Autocad drawing. ------------- Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang |
Posted By: Jim_In_Houston
Date Posted: May-28-2010 at 1:23pm
|
I just noticed you were inquiring about the REAR seat base - sorry, I have no help there. Jim ------------- Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang |
Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: May-28-2010 at 1:44pm
|
Ok I'll give it a shot, I rebuilt my deluxe interior int he 81 a few years ago and it is holding up without any issues.
I used 1/2 exterior plywood. Biscuit joined all corners, used polyurethane waterproof glue like Gorilla Glue and predrilled counter sunk stainless steel screws. After everything set up I sanded all the corners and coated everything with epoxy and put on 2 strips of cloth on all corners. If I was doing this today I would go with CPES instead of the epoxy coating but I would still put a few strips of cloth at each corner. I think my method is pure overkill but they are solid as a rock and completely sealed from taking on any water.  ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |
Posted By: C-Bass
Date Posted: May-28-2010 at 2:29pm
|
Dang Alan, those look nice. Well done.
Do you think it'd hold up well with just the glue & c-sunk screws? I don't have a biscuit joiner and don't see me getting much use out of one if I buy one. I assume you stapled your vinyl to the seat bases...anything special there? Just stainless staples, or did you try to seal the staple holes too? ------------- Craig 67 SN 73 SN http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=6103" rel="nofollow - 99 Sport 85SN |
Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: May-28-2010 at 2:36pm
To be honest with you I like the biscuits because they help keep everything lined up while you're assembling. Are the essential? probably not but the do add quite a bit of glue surface. I did use stainless staples and did not seal them. One thing I would do differently is I wrapped all my foam in plastic to try to keep the foam dry but the wrap I used was a little too heavy and it is noisy. When you sit in the drivers seat you can hear the plastic wrap make a little crumpling noise so I would go with something a little thinner next time. Also any creases in the plastic wrap will show through your finished vinyl so you need to be nice and neat there as well. ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |
C-Bass wrote:Posted By: 81nautique
Date Posted: May-28-2010 at 2:43pm
|
Another important thing to keep in mind is to round off all your wood edges that will be in contact with the vinyl, it will wear through in no time at all. Use a 1/4 round router bit and sand smooth.
Put the extra effort in to make sure none of your vinyl rubs on anything once installed or it will wear. My bases were completely shot so I had bad templates and had to make adjustments to the width of my rear seats AFTER I had installed the vinyl. PITA to take the skins off and trim. Measure twice cut once.  ------------- You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails |
Posted By: C-Bass
Date Posted: May-28-2010 at 3:36pm
|
Yeah for now the seat base will be wrapped in the old (original) vinyl until I take the big plunge (stringers, floor, carpet, & vinyl). Great advice though on the corners. That seems like something easily overlooked until the covers start ripping through.
Thanks for the help  ------------- Craig 67 SN 73 SN http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=6103" rel="nofollow - 99 Sport 85SN |
Posted By: Wacko
Date Posted: May-28-2010 at 5:20pm
|
Alan,
Is there a thread for the restoration of your '81? I have done a search a few times but can not find anything. If there is could you post a link? Thanks |
Posted By: lfskizzer
Date Posted: May-29-2010 at 12:07am
|
I rebuilt my seat bases out of Azek and screwed it all together with stainless screws on the 85. The only stuff that is wood in the 85 now after full restore in stringer/floor stuff is the vinyl parts of the seats and removable floor piece behind the doghouse. I do not have measurements anymore though. I had gotten leftover Azek from my companies store exterior remodel/face-lift. ------------- http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=4457 - 2008 Ski Nautique 206 http://www.correctcraftfan.com/diaries/details.asp?ID=2683 - 1985 Ski Nautique 2001 Series |
Posted By: cscfootballx72
Date Posted: June-01-2010 at 2:49pm
|
Hey Jim,
Restoring a '67 mustang that's front seats are gone. It would be a huge help if you could send me that autocad of the front seats! Thanks for your time. |
Posted By: Jim_In_Houston
Date Posted: June-01-2010 at 5:51pm
|
cscfootballx72,
Send me an email at jim@drivesys.com and I will reply with the files attached. jim ------------- Happy owner of a '66 and a '68 Mustang |