MORE PROGRESS

This was the factory fitted seat support crossbraces, flimsy 42X19 DAR meranti screwed into the plywood support endgrain with tiny 1"X5G brass woodscrews. My design is MUCH stronger.

Spent yesterday[Sat]modifying the original seat bases in the Pride to mount a pair of folding, swivelling seats. I found the original back to back arrangement left me with not enough leg room and the seat cushion was far too close to the deck for my liking.

After installation

I ran the support rails the full length of the original plywood uprights to spread the weight a little more

Trial fir for the Skippers seat to get a good compromise of leg room and ease of access whilst still being able to operate controls safely.

Skippers seat done. Starting on Passengers' seat. Blue tinny cushion is just there to save my knees on the hard 'glass deck!

Passengers' seat rail install.

Cutting out the original flimsy red meranti crossbars was easy. As can be seen in the top photo they were only sealed by a thin flow coat on three sides. Surprised they lasted nearly fifty years. There is a little bit of damage to the ply upright top edges where the crossbraces were fitted. I'll seal these areas with epoxy before sealing the raw pine framework and topcoating with Norglass white gloss. I'll also be rolling a coat of Norglass Weatherfast Deck Polyurethane paint on the fibreglass deck, this product has a synthetic anti slip ingredient added. I won't be fitting any carpet or mats in my boat. Too hard to clean and keep clean. Squid ink makes a real mess!