Car seats in a boat?

[imatt86]

Hey guys, Im planning ahead a little bit in my restore. I plan to put a rear bench in my boat and was looking at foam prices!!! WOA thats 80% the cost right there. So I'm always on craigslist and came across rear seats in trucks and SUVs for around $50. Would buying these seats and using the foam and maybe the entire structure work okay in a boat?

Another thought was using coach seats for their foam. What you think?

One example:
http://austin.craigslist.org/pts/2317183996.html

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

Well can't say that I've ever seen that before. I would think you'd have a lot of rusting issue due to all the metal framing is car seats, but hey it's your boat. Personally I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[imatt86]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

I just now thought about springs in car seats, how bout using couch cushions or foam mattresses?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

Yep, you can use it, but... I would use some basic spray adhesive and cover it with plastic. HINT: Walmart bags work GREAT!!!

 

[Cadwelder]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

Or maybe even somthing like this.....http://www.boatingseats.com/scripts/bassbenchseats.asp

 

[saltwaterbluefish]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

I have actually seen a boat restoration video on youtube where the person used car seats. They even had kept the place were the seat belt ran through the top. Not to say it is not good creative thinking, but I don't think it is one I would use unless I wanted to get some strange looks and laughs. Also Cadwelder is right the frame will rust to pieces. Anything not stainless on my boat will rust in less then three months. With that being said I have used foam from older boat seats and it seemed to work fine. Using the foam from cushions and mattresses will be a different story depending on the density and also how it takes to water. Might want to take a few pieces dunk it in water and see how it reacts. If nothing else might be able to wrap it in plastic. I am somewhat intrigued to see if that would actually work.

 

[saltwaterbluefish]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KSZvqpDXt4

car seats in a boat

 

[imatt86]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

K guys thanks for the ideas. If I went with back seats from a car, all the material would be ripped off and recovered with white vinyl and shaped to a basic bench seat. Definitely would not leave seat belts lol. I'm more interested in stripping the valuable foam in them. I need to see if theres a boat junk yard here in Austin, that might be a better idea.

 

[Tahorover]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

Philbrick Boats used the windshield,dash , front and rear bench seats and convertible top from a 50's Chrysler in one of there boats called C-Car

 

[imatt86]

Re: Car seats in a boat?

Wow great, any one know of some cool threads with bench building?