Rotted rear wrap-around seat '99 V258

GTBecker · **Posted:** Sun Jul 01, 2012 1:08 pm

I needed to rebuild the rear seat assembly on my '99 V258 several years ago. The base plywood had rotted so badly that the hardware pulled out one day when lifting the seat to get at the engine hatch. The autopsy showed that the seat collected and held water inside the plastic sheet that wrapped the foam cushion - which kept the plywood wet. While not as bad, I now see that the 3/4" marine-grade pressure-treated plywood I used is starting to delaminate on the seat wing.

Have others encountered this? How did you remedy it?

neutron · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2012 12:43 pm

I have a smaller but similar seat and noticed the port side hinge screws are pulling through so when i rebuild the bottem with new plywood next winter I will seal it with an epoxy resin, and seal any holes with the same sealer

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jul 02, 2012 2:53 pm

The plywood panels on my 2000 H180 were getting on the rotted side also under the seats. The plywood holding the gas tank was also on the sour side and would need replacement in the next year or 2. They are made from non-marine grade plywood. I was starting to think I had a re-badged Bayliner.

650Guy · **Joined:** Tue May 22, 2012 7:15 pm **Posts:** 47

My 94 wrap around back seat is pretty much mulch. I'm thinking of just putting a temporary layer under and then come winter, completely rebuild the seat. Never done that before, but figure, how hard can it be! ha!

elmwood · **Joined:** Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:02 pm **Posts:** 47

I also have a 96 258 with the wrap around seat and know my days are numbered. I saw a 248 a few years ago at an upholstery shop and stopped in. I saw how it was made from the factory and thought what a piece of crap. If there is one thing in this world I know and that is wood. Been working with it for over 33 years from rinky dinky stuff to banks and malls food courts. I looked at it and the way I'd do mine when the time comes is to make the bottom seat from 3/4" and the curved back from three layers of 1/4 layed across a form in the shape of the seat. I'd use the type 2 wood glue and use a pin nailer or you can use 5/8" screws. Nail and screw from both sides. Make a form from particle board. Spread the glue on both mating faces and work quickly since type 2 will only give you about 10 minute working time depending on the weather. Then after a day in the form I'd lay a layer of glass over it. That shouldd make it last for many years. If you use marine ply just remember that rating is only for the glue used the wood can still rot. A single layer of glass should still allow staples to penitrate.

GTBecker · **Posted:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:52 pm

elmwood wrote:

...the curved back from three layers of 1/4...

Four Winns must have made some progress if your '96 seat back is wood. The '99 258 seat back and the wraparound vertical portion of the starboard wing is a heavy molded assembly, impervious to water, with foam glued to it. I have photos on this machine somewhere...

GTBecker · **Posted:** Mon Jul 09, 2012 11:33 pm

Here's the '99 258V rear seat top view, stripped back to expose some rot of the base:
http://rightime.com/images/dscn4168a.jpg

and the bottom, much worse:
http://rightime.com/images/dscn4170a.jpg

Note the multi-level bottom surface for the seatback mounts and the bilge inlet vents and blower exhaust vent which seals to a gasket on the hull, not trivial construction. I used the original as a template.

I'll find a shot of the upright wraparound assembly.

neutron · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 6:51 am

thanks for the pictures, gives me more of an idea to what i am dealing with next winter

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:10 am

I would think starboard would be a better material than even marine grade plywood for making a seat. A certain builder I am familiar with uses starboard if it is not a molded in seat.

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:18 am

Cap'n Morgan wrote:

I would think starboard would be a better material than even marine grade plywood for making a seat. A certain builder I am familiar with uses starboard if it is not a molded in seat.

When the guy redid my bow seats he was shocked it wasn't starboard for being a four winns and not a bayliner. You would think by the year 2000 people would be smart about using wood and not using it.

GTBecker · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:40 am

neutron wrote:

... I will seal it with an epoxy resin...

The seat, particularly the wing, will flex. Would an epoxy coating comply, or crack?

ric · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 2:06 pm

I'm not sure about where you guys live but around Daytona Beach there's a marine surplus place. I picked up a nice piece of starboard 3ftx5ft 1/4in to redo my seat wood for $35, but I sold the boat. I would look in your area for a place like that and replace whatever rotted wood you find with starboard.

neutron · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 3:45 pm

GTBecker wrote:

neutron wrote:

... I will seal it with an epoxy resin...

The seat, particularly the wing, will flex. Would an epoxy coating comply, or crack?

I would only be worried for the seat bottem since water tends to collect there

GTBecker · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 4:13 pm

ric wrote:

... 3ftx5ft 1/4in...

I found that the 258V rear seat base needed a 48x96x3/4" to cut the L-shape in one piece to reproduce the seat base. That looks like ~$500 (plus truck shipping) for a sheet of 54x96x3/4" Starboard, plus another $78 (12x54x1/2") (http://www.interstateplastics.com/White ... ness=0.750) - with plenty left for other projects like the helm seat and maybe the gunwale bolsters, which I haven't done yet. Ouch.

One might do better materials planning but it still looks like a costly option. As I recall, a factory replacement seat was something like $1000 several years ago, FWIW.

GTBecker · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 4:18 pm

neutron wrote:

... the seat bottom...

Yes, that's what will flex - the seat wing on the starboard side. The wraparound seatback, in my boat, is already an immune - and flexible - plastic. If you intend to coat a wooden seat base with an epoxy, you'd best use a flexible coating, I think.

www.iFourWinns.com

Rotted rear wrap-around seat '99 V258

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