Replacement wood bench seats for Lund 14' rowboat

[Slyster]

I have a Lund 14' rowboat type boat.. the rear bench wood has cracked.. does anyone know where to get actual replacement woods?

Last spring I bought some wood at Menards for an attempt.. and the only wood that was thin enough was a type of hardwood for shelving.. and it did NOT last the summer.

There must be somewhere to get the actual pre-cut part no?

[huntnfish]

You may want to try a cabinet shop. A lot of those places have some scrap laying around that has a couple of imperfections that you can get pretty reasonable. I have a friend that had to replace the seats on his lund and that is what he did. They weren't quite the right thickness, but they planed them down to the thickness he wanted and they were oak, so they should last for quite a while.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

You will need to use 3/4" marine grade plywood or treated plywood.

I redid my 14 footer 4 or 5 years ago and it still looks as good as new.

Make sure you paint the seats, top and bottom, with marine grade spar varnish or a good grade of oil based paint.

Cliff

[efgh]

Don;t use treated plywood,even if you intend on painting it, reason the paint cracks and in the heat of the day vapors are released from the wood and you will end up with a sore behind.

[Ufatz]

This is a very simple project-don't waste your time and effort trying to buy a factory piece. As Cliff says, get some marine grade plywood and seal the hell out of it. Surely somewhere in MN you should be able to get marine ply. Three-quarter is perfect buy if you can only get 1/2 just use two pieces glued together with a good glue. You can end up with a better looking and more durable seat than the orginal.

[castindad]

CLIFF I HAVE A 1972 LOWELINE 14FOOT BOAT. QUESTION IS---I WANT TO PUT A SUBFLOOR IN IT IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET SOME FORM OF LAY OUT AND WHAT TO USE PLYWOOD OR WHAT? THREE SECTIONS HOW TO MEASURE OR IF THE FACTORY MAY HAVE A PATTERN. HOW IS THE WALLEYE ON VERMILLION. MET YOU AT GOVERNORS OPENER THIS YEAR . WE WHERE ABLE TO GET ALL SPECIAL REGS OFF GREEN LAKE IN SPICER. DID YOU GET THE LIMIT CHANGED ON VERMILLION YET JOHN DEMPSEY [email protected] THANKS

[Surface Tension]

Your going to have to make your own pattern for the floor.

Before you start you'll need to make a set of stringers that go down the middle of your boat to support that center of the floor. I make mine out of aluminum and attach them to the ribs. Depending on your hull your going to have to determine the floor height and where and how you'll support edge of the plywood where it meets the hull. If your lucky you'll be able to let it sit on the ribs.

To get started on the pattern, establish a line to measure off of. That line should go down the middle of the boat from the bow to stern. You'll also have to figure out the depth of your floor and make reference points all along the hull.

Once you've done that mark your line every foot(or less when you get to an area with a tight radius) and take your measurements at a right angle to the depth point at the hull.

Transfer those measurements to your plywood. If your unsure of your accuracy then make a template out of tar paper using those measurmants and make your corrections if need be.

Hopefully you get the picture here. Its hard to get into detail without having the boat.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Hi John,

I remember talking to you at the opener!

Yes, Vermilion will go under the special regs this walleye opener. Hope that they do what the DNR hopes they will do!

We will just have to wait and see.

Glad that you were able to get your special regs readjusted!

Hope to see you on the water this summer!

Frank has answered your question very well! Sounds like he has done what you want to do a time or two!

A large piece of cardboard can also be used to make a pattern for your floor plywood. Be sure to use marine grade plywood! And to seal it well with a good spar varnish or oil based paint.

Cliff

[Slyster]

Hey Castindad.. I did the same thing with my 14' Lund.. except bad wood for the bench!

here's pix of my project.. I posted them before.. but might give some ideas.

Check out the last two pix.. what an incredible difference it made.

http://www.zabelcs.com/ebay/boat/index.htm

Thanks for the tips.. I'll just make it myself from marine plywood.. can't be that hard!

[castindad]

cliff sylvester frank words cannot describe the way you have made me feel thanks a million if and when it gets a little warmer i will attempt to go at it thanks again castindad [email protected]

[Surface Tension]

Slyster, looks good and I like the seeing the progress and finally the kids in the boat fishing.

castindad, have fun with the project.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Slyster,

Nice job!!

What a difference!

Now you have got me thinking. Just what I need, another project!

Cliff

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Castindad,

The way Slyster did his boat floor would also be easier than rebuilding the bench seats and putting in the floor between the seats.

The only drawback would be that you will no longer have the full depth of the sides of the boat, which is a safety factor with kids and rough water.

You could do the front seat up to the bow that way and then just the floor and new bench seats in the rear part of the boat. Much easier to put in the floor behind the bow seat too!

I think the boat would be able to handle a little more rough water that way. ??

You could put in a storage compartment in the bow plus also put a pedestal seat up there for casting.??

Just a couple of wild suggestions!!

Have fun!

Good Fishing!

Cliff

[Gus]

My dad just did the seats on his lund last summer. He used the synthetic material you can get to build a deck on your house with. The trick to getting one piece wide enough is to use the Facia piece insead of the planking. You should be able to find one that is at least 12" wide. Never rot out again and looks pretty darn good to boot!

[dolson]

3 years ago I replaced the seats in my Lund with solid Oak. I coated them with three coats of Marine Varnish and after 3 years of steady use, they look as good as the day I installed them. A good varnish is the key.

[IFallsRon]

A few years back, I replaced a bench with a chunk of MDF and covered it with some woodgrain formica. You have to modify the edges and predrill holes before attaching the formica. Seal the edges of the MDF when you're done.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Gus,

I have seen that stuff! You may have a great idea there!

Cliff

[Polar Bear]

I did my Lund seats last spring with the 12 inch facia board of the Trex brand synthetic decking material. It works and looks good with zero maintainance. It is kind of expensive and heavy though and I think it would stain if you spilled gas/oil mix on it. It comes in several different colors too.

[Slyster]

That sounds good... I only have one bench to do... where do you get that material?