[OMC-Boats] My own Seat Saga....

You guys are killing me.  I'm about to bite the bullet and make a one time decision. 
 
I want to be able to swivel and face the rear of my '70 Explorer when hanging out on the lake with friends and the only way to do that is to replace the original fixed seat frames with a short post and two new front seats.  It's killing me that it's going to be about $1k to it right (meaning I won't be sh*t kicking myself later for not doing it the way I wanted).
 
Originally I started off with plans to rehab the front seats.  I bought new plywood so I could change the shape somewhat and then got a quote of about $175-200 per seat to do some custom vinyl work.  I wanted them to be in a style similar (for those old enough to remember) to the front bucket seats on a '72 Firebird ESPRIT (not the TransAM); a nice bolster effect around the seat perimeter and an indented center pad.  The bolster would be white while the insert a darker blue to match the floor risers found in the Explorer.  I thought the rehab price was reasonably (and cheap).
 
But then I started reading stories about the tri-hulls running a bit rougher across a choppy lake and that I would "get beat to death" so I started shopping again for something that had more give than the plywood platforms.  iboat has some Atwood 'mid-level' bucket seats with a flip up bolster that would be nice for slow speed maneuvering that look great and have the spring suspension under the seat pad.  Check it out:
 
http://www.iboats.com/Avenir_Mid_Back_Seating/dm/cart_id.497330662--session_id.990803145--view_id.331505
 
This style is also under consideration:
 
http://www.iboats.com/Centric_II_SAS_w_Lock_Down_Base_Color_Gray_Accent_Color_Blue/dm/cart_id.497330662--session_id.990803145--view_id.470326
http://www.iboats.com/mall/image/index.cgi?view_id=470326
 
They're all a bit on the spendy side hence the struggle.  Go cheap and always wonder if I did the right thing (which cheap usally means NO) or spend the money up front and be happier with the decsion (even though I'd second guess my self about the price).
 
Decisions, decisions!!
 
-Bill
Dallas, TX
1970 Evinrude Explorer
http://www.photobucket.com/evinrude_explorer
 

--- On Tue, 3/31/09, omc-boats-request@... <omc-boats-request@...> wrote:

From: omc-boats-request@... <omc-boats-request@...e.com>
Subject: OMC-Boats Digest, Vol 23, Issue 27
To: omc-boats@...
Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2009, 6:25 PM

Today's Topics:

   1. TK - My Bad (Thomas Klauber)
   2. Re: TK - My Bad (Kim Foster)
OK OK - you guys are right - the seats should stay - just rework them to make
them presentable. I have one set that was recovered and looks nice but I had to
put plywood in the bottoms to support the seat as the webbing was shot. My other
pair is original but the vinyl covering is shot and I will recover them also.
The new seats you see look ok but probably wont last - thats what makes these
boats so nice - the stuff was built like it should be - to last. TK
>
> 1. Re: Reply to seats (Lee K. Shuster (lks))
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:43:56 -0600
> From: "Lee K. Shuster \(lks\)" LKS@...>

> The 67-70 seats are also worth restoring, IMHO and also contribute to the
original design character.
>
> Lee
>
From: MOTiger@...
> To: omc-boats@...
> Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 4:36 AM
> Subject: Re: [OMC-Boats] Reply to seats
>
>
> I agree, these boats are over 35 years old and some still are like new.
Wish my car seats that are 5 years old did a well. These boats were way ahead
of their time. This was what America was about back then we had a soul. NOT
any more, just corp types that want to steal and fool wall street. Yes, there
are good companies that make good products but not like then. That was a much
better time.
>
Received on Tuesday, 31 March 2009