Cap'n Pete
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- Joined
- May 17, 2016
- Messages
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As so many before me, one of the first things I was looking to do after bringing home my new "tin boat"- a Starcraft SL12 to be exact- was hatch a plan to pad the seats and floor. We all know how hot a metal surface gets on a sunny day, and skin grafts are not normally part of the plan for those hoping to spend a day on the water, so something has to be done- but how? It seems a more common method is to build a wooden frame, cover it with plywood, and cover it with carpet. Of course any old salt will quickly point out you just added a ton of weight you'll need additional power to push around, not to mention a bit more maintenance, robbing one's leisure time which could better be spent enjoying the boat instead of working on it. Of course, you already knew all that- but I needed an introduction, right?
First, a little background info: I'm still a kid stuck in an old man's body- one that got used up way too young but I'm still paying for- so switching to a small boat that's light, easy to maintain, and cheap to keep wound up making me the happy owner of a new Starcraft SL12 semi-V utility boat. I've still got my fleet of kayaks and canoes, but living on the ocean in RI means many more breezy days than calm ones, so a small boat was in order to take advantage of low tides for clamming and high ones for fishing than the yaks allow. Pushing 60 and having averaged about 80 active hours a week since I was in my 20's means I'm also sore, worn out, and unable to even set down into a cockpit most days, so yeah, a nice little open tin boat made more and more sense until I actually did grab one! Of course, I'm still not sure I can actually USE the thing with all my physical BS, but I'm determined to try!
That of course brings me back to the subject of my post- how to carpet my new toy and make it comfortable, but also not "customize" it to the point that if I do indeed wind up selling it that I'm not trying to pass along a boat drilled chock full of holes for stuff a potential new owner would never want. Proof I'm getting old: I decided to take my time and THINK about it, rather than rush in and add a bunch of stuff I might replace later, while leaving scars (drilled holes, etc) which would surely detract from both beauty and value.
With well over 50 years experience woodworking and over 30 with metal, CAD at my disposal and a fridge full of beer, it was time to hatch a plan. I happened upon this forum almost immediately upon searching for ideas, and a lot of you folks sure have built some nice rigs, many of which I'd love to own, but couldn't handle due to worn out shoulders and blown out disks in my back, so I decided my mods must follow a list of criteria I adopted for all of my outdoor projects, which I'll list in order of their priority:
1. Function. If it doesn't make it more enjoyable, easier- as in reducing heavy lifting, etc- and/or allow me to continue enjoying my hobby longer, it's probably not worth pursuing.
2. Cost. Living on a fixed income and a small budget for "toys" means any project must deliver a high enjoyment/enhancement to cost ratio, or it'll likely remain just a pipe dream.
3. Durability. Heck, I'm getting tired of fixing things! I used to work 55 or so hours then spend another 60 or 70 fixing things for me and everyone else. If what I build lasts 5 years now, it'll probably outlast me. Good enough!
4. Desirability. Is it nice enough that when I can't use it, the next guy will want to? Picturing a boat full of torn-off accessories and a hundred empty drilled holes not only says "ugly", it says the previous owner didn't really put a whole lot of thought into what he was doing- perhaps it's just best to shop elsewhere. Even it it stays with the kids, I'd rather not pass along the impression I was just a hack.
With those criteria in mind I began looking at other boats, all sorts of products, and techniques, eventually forming my plan: create a padded floor and seating which will allow me to add my swivel seats later if I decide to keep the boat, while keeping the boat as close to original as possible in case I don't. Carpet was the obvious choice, but how to attach it? As a lifelong woodworker, a wooden frame was my first thought, but there was that pesky weight issue. PVC framing was my second idea, and I even began forming ribs to build a frame I would cover with foam and then carpet- light, waterproof, and functional.
The curves, along with the ribs that form the hull were challenges which I could overcome, but suddenly it hit me- keep it simple. REAL simple- and an even better way emerged. I had some strips of leftover floor mat I had just bought for my trailer bunks which are perfect for flooring- they're soft rubber which forms easily around the ribs- especially when it gets warm in the sun- and the carpet on top is very comfortable on bare feet. Two additional carpets and my entire boat would be lined with material which would serve to dampen noise, protect the hull, look good, and leave no trace upon removal! The cost would be under $30, yet they would function as well as a huge flooring project would yield.
As for the bench seats, I already have swivel seats and mounts, but at this stage I refuse to drill any holes until I'm sure how I want to mount them. The debate on center-mount, offset-mount, or adjustable mount is over- I'll opt for Gen5 adjustable mounts, but ONLY if the boat proves enjoyable and I can handle launching it, so for now I'm looking at simple carpet covering the benches to prevent burns. Many would grab a can of marine glue and have that carpet down in no time, but again, what if I don't keep it? Pulling that carpet out will make for a real mess it the new owner wants to change it...
A few beers later, and I had the cure: removable carpet which leaves no footprints at all. A simple combination of brass grommets, spare webbing, and some spare buckles created the perfect removable seat. Best of all, each cover only costs about 3 bucks!!
The grand total to line the entire hull and carpet all 3 bench seats came out to under $70. $30 for the two heavy-duty mats that line the boat, another $30 for enough indoor/outdoor carpet to wrap the benches, some brass grommets and enough nylon webbing to tie them beneath the benches. The total weight I added to the boat is under 5 pounds. As for beauty, it arrived in many forms: the carpet was available in a color that matches the factory-painted hull, and even better, the entire system can be installed or removed in mere minutes, no tools required. Replacement cost when the carpet gets old will run about $20- I had bought extra this time- so yeah, I consider the entire project to be a beautiful thing!
This floor mat is available at many stores for about $15. The soft rubber base lets it conform nicely to the curved hull. Little trimming was required, and easily done with sharp scissors.
The hardware I used is common nylon webbing (I used scraps left over from making custom length tie-downs for my kayaks, but it can be bought in various lengths for little money). A complete grommet kit can be had for a few bucks and will serve to make many seat pads, as you only need them about every 6 inches or so.
Here the grommets have been installed into the carpet which was trimmed to fit each bench.
The webbing is simply weaved through the grommets shoelace-style once the carpet is wrapped over each bench. Pass the webbing through a no-sew buckle, pull it tight, and you have a nice snug-fitting custom carpeted bench in just a few minutes! They can be removed and replaced as often as you desire for cleaning or to keep them out of the rain.
An unexpected shower hit while I was assembling the last bench carpet, so I quit for the day and headed in to write this post; Tomorrow I will finish the last cover and post pics of the final outcome.
Happy boating!
First, a little background info: I'm still a kid stuck in an old man's body- one that got used up way too young but I'm still paying for- so switching to a small boat that's light, easy to maintain, and cheap to keep wound up making me the happy owner of a new Starcraft SL12 semi-V utility boat. I've still got my fleet of kayaks and canoes, but living on the ocean in RI means many more breezy days than calm ones, so a small boat was in order to take advantage of low tides for clamming and high ones for fishing than the yaks allow. Pushing 60 and having averaged about 80 active hours a week since I was in my 20's means I'm also sore, worn out, and unable to even set down into a cockpit most days, so yeah, a nice little open tin boat made more and more sense until I actually did grab one! Of course, I'm still not sure I can actually USE the thing with all my physical BS, but I'm determined to try!
That of course brings me back to the subject of my post- how to carpet my new toy and make it comfortable, but also not "customize" it to the point that if I do indeed wind up selling it that I'm not trying to pass along a boat drilled chock full of holes for stuff a potential new owner would never want. Proof I'm getting old: I decided to take my time and THINK about it, rather than rush in and add a bunch of stuff I might replace later, while leaving scars (drilled holes, etc) which would surely detract from both beauty and value.
With well over 50 years experience woodworking and over 30 with metal, CAD at my disposal and a fridge full of beer, it was time to hatch a plan. I happened upon this forum almost immediately upon searching for ideas, and a lot of you folks sure have built some nice rigs, many of which I'd love to own, but couldn't handle due to worn out shoulders and blown out disks in my back, so I decided my mods must follow a list of criteria I adopted for all of my outdoor projects, which I'll list in order of their priority:
1. Function. If it doesn't make it more enjoyable, easier- as in reducing heavy lifting, etc- and/or allow me to continue enjoying my hobby longer, it's probably not worth pursuing.
2. Cost. Living on a fixed income and a small budget for "toys" means any project must deliver a high enjoyment/enhancement to cost ratio, or it'll likely remain just a pipe dream.
3. Durability. Heck, I'm getting tired of fixing things! I used to work 55 or so hours then spend another 60 or 70 fixing things for me and everyone else. If what I build lasts 5 years now, it'll probably outlast me. Good enough!
4. Desirability. Is it nice enough that when I can't use it, the next guy will want to? Picturing a boat full of torn-off accessories and a hundred empty drilled holes not only says "ugly", it says the previous owner didn't really put a whole lot of thought into what he was doing- perhaps it's just best to shop elsewhere. Even it it stays with the kids, I'd rather not pass along the impression I was just a hack.
With those criteria in mind I began looking at other boats, all sorts of products, and techniques, eventually forming my plan: create a padded floor and seating which will allow me to add my swivel seats later if I decide to keep the boat, while keeping the boat as close to original as possible in case I don't. Carpet was the obvious choice, but how to attach it? As a lifelong woodworker, a wooden frame was my first thought, but there was that pesky weight issue. PVC framing was my second idea, and I even began forming ribs to build a frame I would cover with foam and then carpet- light, waterproof, and functional.
The curves, along with the ribs that form the hull were challenges which I could overcome, but suddenly it hit me- keep it simple. REAL simple- and an even better way emerged. I had some strips of leftover floor mat I had just bought for my trailer bunks which are perfect for flooring- they're soft rubber which forms easily around the ribs- especially when it gets warm in the sun- and the carpet on top is very comfortable on bare feet. Two additional carpets and my entire boat would be lined with material which would serve to dampen noise, protect the hull, look good, and leave no trace upon removal! The cost would be under $30, yet they would function as well as a huge flooring project would yield.
As for the bench seats, I already have swivel seats and mounts, but at this stage I refuse to drill any holes until I'm sure how I want to mount them. The debate on center-mount, offset-mount, or adjustable mount is over- I'll opt for Gen5 adjustable mounts, but ONLY if the boat proves enjoyable and I can handle launching it, so for now I'm looking at simple carpet covering the benches to prevent burns. Many would grab a can of marine glue and have that carpet down in no time, but again, what if I don't keep it? Pulling that carpet out will make for a real mess it the new owner wants to change it...
A few beers later, and I had the cure: removable carpet which leaves no footprints at all. A simple combination of brass grommets, spare webbing, and some spare buckles created the perfect removable seat. Best of all, each cover only costs about 3 bucks!!
The grand total to line the entire hull and carpet all 3 bench seats came out to under $70. $30 for the two heavy-duty mats that line the boat, another $30 for enough indoor/outdoor carpet to wrap the benches, some brass grommets and enough nylon webbing to tie them beneath the benches. The total weight I added to the boat is under 5 pounds. As for beauty, it arrived in many forms: the carpet was available in a color that matches the factory-painted hull, and even better, the entire system can be installed or removed in mere minutes, no tools required. Replacement cost when the carpet gets old will run about $20- I had bought extra this time- so yeah, I consider the entire project to be a beautiful thing!
This floor mat is available at many stores for about $15. The soft rubber base lets it conform nicely to the curved hull. Little trimming was required, and easily done with sharp scissors. The hardware I used is common nylon webbing (I used scraps left over from making custom length tie-downs for my kayaks, but it can be bought in various lengths for little money). A complete grommet kit can be had for a few bucks and will serve to make many seat pads, as you only need them about every 6 inches or so.Here the grommets have been installed into the carpet which was trimmed to fit each bench.
The webbing is simply weaved through the grommets shoelace-style once the carpet is wrapped over each bench. Pass the webbing through a no-sew buckle, pull it tight, and you have a nice snug-fitting custom carpeted bench in just a few minutes! They can be removed and replaced as often as you desire for cleaning or to keep them out of the rain.
An unexpected shower hit while I was assembling the last bench carpet, so I quit for the day and headed in to write this post; Tomorrow I will finish the last cover and post pics of the final outcome.
Happy boating!
