best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

[Kajun37]

I have a 14x36 jon boat that i'm riggin up for freshwater fishing.....i have some cushioned camo seats that i'd like to use... prob i'm running into is what to use to fasten the seat pedestal base to the jon boats thin aluminum bench seats.....the metal is pretty thin and the holes on the base are pretty big...i'm thinking just riveting it to the thin metal will not hold up for very long and i'm looking for a better way to do it.....i also dont want to cut into the bench seat to have access to backside of the bench seat.....does anyone have a way to do this without cutting into the bench seat?

here's some pics...

 

[dad's boat]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

Are you set on using those seat's because if not go get some stadium seats that have the spring loaded L bracket on the bottom. I have a 12 foot jon and all I did was drilled two holes lower on the bench for those L brackets. The seats are about 12 bucks at the local wall-mart the have arm rests and pockets to put a drink and some power bait in them. Plus easy to store in the winter time the fold pretty flat.

 

[Zero Balance]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

Try these. Sort of like a toggle but stainless steel. I use these on my boat seats and then again on my center console when it became loose. They've held up for years.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...e&storeNum=null&subdeptNum=null&classNum=null

Regular ole hardware store bought toggles will work too... for quite a while..

 

[Kajun37]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

dads boat..yes i'm set on using these seats..everything is already bought and paid for and was quite expensive...just the pedestal bases are $40+

zero...those fasteners are $10 for 2 of them? i got 12 holes to fasten which comes out to $60?..nah too expensive also...thanks though..

 

[Zero Balance]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

zero...those fasteners are $10 for 2 of them? i got 12 holes to fasten which comes out to $60?..nah too expensive also...thanks though..

thats why I mentioned the regular toggles. I bought a boat that had some installed and was amazed at how long they had been there. I little silcone goes a long ways.

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

I'd use hardware store toggle bolts. They're cheap and when they fail just pop in some new ones. That will take many years and it isn't a significant safety item so you can cut that corner in the name of frugality (or is it frugalty???).

 

[Matt1214]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

What are toggle bolts? i dont know much at all about boat seats and im looking for something for my 12 foot jon.

 

[ylop]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

did one for a bloke that was dead set on using the type of base and seat in the end all i did was to weld on a reinforcing plate of 3mm marine alloy and set the base to it with 6mm stainless set screws and it has held up really well

 

[fishrdan]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

How much room is there under the seat until you hit the foam block?

I'd cut the center hole bigger, (say 3") so you can fish a piece of backing material into the old bench seat. The backer could be a piece of aluminum that you would rivet to or a piece of plywood with T-nuts that you would bolt the bases to. Once you have it cut and drilled, etc, glue it to the under side of the old seat with silicone, 3M 5200,,, anything that will stick it to the bottom of the seat. I'd make the backer as long and wide as possible to distribute the pressure on the pedestal. With the backers in place, rivet or screw the seat base down.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

When i did it to my boat i used a piece of wood on the seat that went the whole width of the seat and then attached the seat base to the wood. This way you can attach the wood to more places on the thin aluminum. Also if you attach it to that thin aluminum you are going to be wobbly on there. And not only that you can start to pull rivits loose on the side of the boat because most of the time those seats are rivited to the side of the hull. I would use wood like i am saying. I did and had no problems for 3 seasons.

 

[arks]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

What are toggle bolts? i dont know much at all about boat seats and im looking for something for my 12 foot jon.

Regular toggle bolts have a threaded, wing-shaped nut that folds and goes underneath. The problem with them is that the bolt can't be removed without the nut falling inside.
The Togglers are much better for your application because the nut is held in place by a nylon "locknut" on top. Because if this, the seat can be removed or tightened if needed. As mentioned, you can probably get away with steel ones instead of spending the money for stainless. The Togglers are available at almost all hardware stores.
Here's what they look like;

Fishrdan and Drewmitch both have a valid point about adding a backer or stiffener. The problem then becomes: is there access under the seat? And then: do you want an exposed piece of wood on the seat?
That would be up to you.

 

[DJ]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

The trick is to spead out the load.

Get some 2-part JB Weld epoxy (not the metal kind). Epoxy a 1/2 piece of plywood to the seat(s). Secure with a few screws.

With that, you've spread the load and have something more substantial to fasten to.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

Mitch and DJ have good points, spreading the load out.

On my jon boat I cut out the seat tops for storage below and folded over the aluminum into a lip so it was still strong, then added a 5/8" plywood compartment lid the seats are mounted on. The lid the drivers seat is mounted to is 24x16 and the middle is 36x16, hinged with a piano hinge. This was a LOT of work to be properly done, not something where you break out the jig saw and are done in a few hours... but it's very stable as the seats don't rock a bit.

 

[DaveHawkins]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

I used Riv-Nuts on mine. Riv-Nuts are sort of like a blind rivet where the recessed part of the rivet is threaded to accept a bolt. I used 1/4-20 Riv-Nuts for mine. I bought the special rivet gun and inserts at Harbor Freight. I think it was about $28.00 for all of it. The Riv-Nut inserts from HF are aluminum...so no problem with galvanic corrosion either.

 

[katrix01]

Re: best way to install these seats on a jon boat??

I used a jon boat clamp. threy are real sturdy. I added a swivel that costs $8, then the clamp seat mount at Academy was $20 and then spent $36 for the seat. Same seat clamp @Walmart was $27. they are easily removable but good and tight to the bench seats in a Jon Boat