Arm rest on late 70s / early 80s F boat bridge seats

[captainmaniac]

Just wondering if anyone has repaired / re-upholstered arm rests (aluminum brace/frame, wood block with padding on top, then vinyl upholstery over top).

On one of mine the wood base has gone rotten, so I need to redo it. The fun part - I have to remove the rest from the aluminum brace/frame because it was upholstered before they two pieces were bolted together, and most of the staples are buried. The more fun part - when I try to undo the bolts holding them together, they just spin...

I take it Trojan used some kind of blind fastener system, with a nut either epoxied to the wood block or maybe recessed in to it, for the bolt to align with. Since the wood is shot, when I turn the bolts, the buried nut is just turning with it. I can probably split the block apart to deal with the removal, but may need to do the same king of system to put things back together again.

Before I dig in to it, just wondering if anyone can tell me Trojan actually did?

[prowlersfish]

Not that this would be much help as I replaced mine . Trojan did not make them they were Pompanette .

[WayWeGo]

I have the same problem and am debating whether to rebuild or replace. If I didn't have a high quality upholstery shop owned by a boater nearby, I would definitely be replacing. His prices are very reasonable. Most likely, I will replace the whole seats as even at my low costs, by the time I replace the plywood and upholstery, it will be near the price of new seats.

Prowlersfish, which seats did you go with?

[Scorpion07]

They are an extremely simple design. 1/2 ply base with 2 blind nuts, foam and covering.
Carefully remove the cover if you want to re-use, and you'll have access to the spinning nuts.
I re-worked my seats completely. Everything but the aluminum parts. I painted those. Also made wood armrests.
The seats were toast when I started. Likely the rest of your bases are too, if the armrests are.

[captainmaniac]

They are an extremely simple design. 1/2 ply base with 2 blind nuts, foam and covering.
Carefully remove the cover if you want to re-use, and you'll have access to the spinning nuts.
I re-worked my seats completely. Everything but the aluminum parts. I painted those. Also made wood armrests.
The seats were toast when I started. Likely the rest of your bases are too, if the armrests are.

Are the blind nuts epoxied to the ply, or sunk in, or some kind of hammer-in design like this http://www.xc-rc.com.au/images/cat_headings/201.jpg?

[Scorpion07]

This is how mine turned out. Pics are junk. Can't get photobucket to give me hi def.

[Scorpion07]

They are an extremely simple design. 1/2 ply base with 2 blind nuts, foam and covering.
Carefully remove the cover if you want to re-use, and you'll have access to the spinning nuts.
I re-worked my seats completely. Everything but the aluminum parts. I painted those. Also made wood armrests.
The seats were toast when I started. Likely the rest of your bases are too, if the armrests are.

Are the blind nuts epoxied to the ply, or sunk in, or some kind of hammer-in design like this http://www.xc-rc.com.au/images/cat_headings/201.jpg?

They are a pretty stout design. They're stainless and have a square-ish shape to them. Similar to a carriage bolt. You hammer them into a drilled hole. Yours don't work because the wood doesn't hold them in place any more.
You "should" be able to re-use them.

[WayWeGo]

Most likely, I will replace the whole seats as even at my low costs, by the time I replace the plywood and upholstery, it will be near the price of new seats.

I spoke too soon! After looking at the price of new seats that I liked, I decided it was better to repair mine...

[lawyerdave71]

This is how mine turned out. Pics are junk. Can't get photobucket to give me hi def.

WOW I HAVE TO SAY THIS IS OVER THE TOP!!!!!!! These are AWESOME!!!