Making seats for pontoon

[risccas]

My buddy/neighbor just aquired a 24' pontoon that has no seats in it. He asked if I could help him design/build some seating for it. Any ideas on how to build them? What materials to use,etc...?

Jason
Oklahoma

[deepsplinter]

Old my old pontoon(1988), the seats were basicly a box made out of 1/2" treated plywood. (I don't think it was marine-grade). Then covered with some type of vinyl cloth. The seats and backs were the same ply and vinyl with thick foam inside. The seat part would lift off the base (box) for storage, and the backs were fastened to the "wall" around the boat. Pretty simple really.
The new 'toon is all plastic and vinyl.
I'd look at Cabella's or Bass Pro for designs.

[risccas]

OK, does there need be some sort of frame under the ply made of 2x wood or 1x1's?

Jason

[deepsplinter]

Yeah, I'm sure there was some framework in the bases. I think it was 1x2 around the bottom and 1x1 around the top. Then probably something up the corners. Make sense? There wasn't anything but ply, vinyl, and thick foam rubber in the seats and backs. I'm sure that the vinyl wasn't just some "Wal-Mart" junk. I'd do some research on that and get some good stuff.
There was "tall skinny boxes" at the ends of the benches to make armrests. I'm sure they were built something like the benches. You could get creative and put doors on these for some storage.

Sonny will chime in soon. He has a pontoon too. He'll give you some good ideas with dimensions and links and pictures and smileys and...........

[risccas]

OK, I just hoisted the pontoon off the trailer using the large tree in my front yard. We are having to replace the 2x4's and carpet on the trailer. My wife is gonna flip when she sees a 24' pontoon hanging from the mulberry tree. :)

Jason
Oklahoma

[deepsplinter]

One other thing to consider. You'll need some ventilation under those seats.

That must one heII of a mulberry tree.

You do know about the "No pic, didn't happen" rule, don't ya.

[Sonny Edmonds]

[link:www.pontoonstuff.com/ | HERE'S a place for you to start, Jason.]
Sign up for the forums, too.

Now, I don't care how big or what that damn tree is, you better get your buns out there and lower that boat onto some supports.
Damn tree breaks and when the wife gets home you can say, "Look at the boat I just bought from ___________, because I dropped it when the limb broke I had it hangin from."

Ya goofball! :P

:D

[link:home.att.net/~paul.edmonds/|Sonny Edmonds ]
Saugus, CA
"Precision Firewood Specialist"
God Bless America !
One Nation Under God!
"Lurkimus turdius orifus"

[h1]Welcome to the Forum![/h1]
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_4_125.gif

[Sonny Edmonds]

Very good point about the venting, Floydd.
Everything on mine is ventilated. Stand offs for the side rails, plastic bases for the seats molded so they stand off.
They make aluminum replacement decks for them, too.
Mine has an abloominum deck. It's called a dry deck because it drains.
I think it is noisier than a wood deck though. ;)

:D

[link:home.att.net/~paul.edmonds/|Sonny Edmonds ]
Saugus, CA
"Precision Firewood Specialist"
God Bless America !
One Nation Under God!
"Lurkimus turdius orifus"

[h1]Welcome to the Forum![/h1]
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_4_125.gif

[risccas]

I will post a pic of it hanging from the tree tomorrow. I have to wait for my neighbor to email me the pics.

Jason
Oklahoma