Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
The original vinyl on the both the port and starboard sleeper seats in my 1986 Double Eagle 16 is completely finished. Cracked and the foam is exposed etc. Either I pay to get them reupholstered or I do something different.
Reupholstering is not cheap and costs about the same as new sleeper seats, roughly $1000.
The boat rarely has more than 2 people in it and it is a fishing boat. This means I'm thinking of possibly doing what others have done, namely ditching the sleepers altogether and going with two regular boats seats on swivels mounted to the tops of the "boxes" that the sleepers sit on. (Might also need a small pedestal to get enough height.) I could get simple checker plate aluminum tops easily made for the tops of the boxes. Hinged with locks, they would be handier and more secure storage than I have right now. Seats would bolt to the checker plate tops. Another advantage is that stepping on top of the checker plate to get in to the boat won't kill my seats like it has with the sleepers. Swivelling seats also seem better than sleepers for all fishing purposes, especially when trolling. Finally, it will free up a bit of fishing space.
This might be cheaper, but maybe not. But I'm wondering if it's a better option.
I'd be grateful to hear opinions from anyone as to the pros and cons of making this change, whether you have done something similar or not.
Reupholstering is not cheap and costs about the same as new sleeper seats, roughly $1000.
The boat rarely has more than 2 people in it and it is a fishing boat. This means I'm thinking of possibly doing what others have done, namely ditching the sleepers altogether and going with two regular boats seats on swivels mounted to the tops of the "boxes" that the sleepers sit on. (Might also need a small pedestal to get enough height.) I could get simple checker plate aluminum tops easily made for the tops of the boxes. Hinged with locks, they would be handier and more secure storage than I have right now. Seats would bolt to the checker plate tops. Another advantage is that stepping on top of the checker plate to get in to the boat won't kill my seats like it has with the sleepers. Swivelling seats also seem better than sleepers for all fishing purposes, especially when trolling. Finally, it will free up a bit of fishing space.
This might be cheaper, but maybe not. But I'm wondering if it's a better option.
I'd be grateful to hear opinions from anyone as to the pros and cons of making this change, whether you have done something similar or not.