350 Mariner bow seat repair

[BiggerBoat]

We just purchased a 1999 350 Mariner. Admiral really liked the bow seat. It was in need of repair hoping it would be winter project but it has already collapsed. Plywood core rotting out is main problem: piano hinge was holding back edge and two metal legs in front were held by screws into that rotting plywood.

Here's the question: can a new seat be ordered? If so from where and how does it attach to the boat? The piano hinge seems weak option and why is seat hinged anyway??
Or do I have to rebuild it with marine plywood and fix back of seat more solidly to the boat?

If anyone has done this repair, advice appreciated.
-Larry

[bud37]

Custom will be all you can do. The hinge is so the seat section will lay down on an angle like a backstop to lay against that is why the legs fold.

The back is removable to access the storage and equipment behind the dash.

If it was me I would just duplicate what is there with new wood and coverings.

[Viper]

Welcome aboard Larry. Congrats on the Mariner purchase. I agree with bud, chances of finding an original are slim unless you get lucky with a salvage place or someone that's selling a used one on-line. It's pretty functional as is so you may want to consider not reinventing the wheel and duplicate the original. Get some pics, cut new cores, and take them to an upholstery shop to have it covered with a good quality vinyl. See if you can find a composite material for the cores so you never have to worry about that again.

[buster53]

Marine plywood is good, but any decent plywood that has been epoxy coated will do great. Even a couple coats of oil based paint should do fine.

[BiggerBoat]

Thanks everyone. Didnt know about composite material, I did find that Lowes sells 1/3 of PVC sheet in 3/4in. Going to look at that in the store tomorrow. Cannot find marine plywood except for a full sheet for $120+. So if the PVC doesnt look like the way to go I'll just have to go with treated plywood and paint it really well. Going to try and rebuild it myself. Worse case I hand it over to the professionals to fix my hack.

[Viper]

The piece isn't so big that it would be too expensive to use something like Starboard. It shouldn't be too hard to find. Try a marina or a local plastics provider. The problem with wood either painted or epoxied is that you defeat the whole purpose of encapsulating it by punching a bunch of holes in it. It's one thing to seal areas where fasteners are used but nobody's going to try and seal the hundreds of staples. Speaking of which, make sure they use stainless steel staples and fasteners to fabricate it, and marine grade vinyl is always preferable on something like this.

[buster53]

I had the same problem some years ago with my helm seat. I used the old plywood base as a template to cut a new base, put a couple coats of oil based paint on it and took it to an auto upholstery shop I had dealt with and they made me a new cushion.

[km1125]

The original was likely not marine grade either. Probably just an exterior plywood and likely not sealed at all. Just covered.

And that may have lasted forever with a modicum of care by the owners. Having canvas up when it rains, letting it dry out when it gets wet, etc. Doing anything more than the original could make it last forever (again, with a modicum of care).

If I lived in a climate were it could never dry out, like the USA NW, then I might be thinking differently.