1982 STRIPER 15 Seat Modification

[latitude47]

I recently bought a 1982 Striper 15.

Fig. 1. a STRIPER 15 boat.

Boat.jpg (47.31 KiB) Viewed 880 times

In preparation for boating season here in the Seattle area I'm sanding the boat’s vintage thwart seats down to bare wood and refinishing with Petit 1015 Captain's Varnish.

Fig. 2. Re-finished thwart seats on workbench.

workBench.jpg (67.67 KiB) Viewed 880 times

Recently I've decided to install two Tempress Navistyle seats on the aft [thwart seat] to make the ride more comfortable for my creaky knees. I'm debating whether or not to drill four holes in each of the vintage mahogany thwart to install the two Tempress Navistyle seats.

[To see the seats that are mentioned to be installed visited https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/tempress-high-back-navistyle-boat-seat .]

Give me your opinion on drilling four holes in the vintage mahogany thwart seats to mount two Tempress Navistyle seats

Assuming I like the seats [the new Tempress Navistyle seats], the thwart seat will just sit in the garage forever, but drilling them is a one-way door decision.

If I don't drill, [a local lumber supplier called] Crosscut Hardwoods here in Seattle has 18mm mahogany plywood—11 ply Murante face cross laminated. But at just under 3/4-inch thickness I'm concerned [that thwart seats made with this wood] will flex.

READERS: give me your experience with similar 18mm mahogany plywood

[MarkCz]

To make a new thwart seat use something similar to a solid wood butcher block wood [linked below] that is thick. A rabbit may have to be cute on the plank ends so the thicker material will fit into the side rail notches that hold the thwart seats down. You can stain and varnish to match your existing wood. That would keep your gorgeous refinished wood hole free.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/allen-roth-48-in-x-25-in-x-1-5-in-Natural-Straight-Butcher-Block-Rubberwood-Countertop/5013817625

[Jefecinco]

I don't see that drilling your thwart is a big deal or that it will affect the value in any way. The boat is a driver, rather than a museum piece. If you sell the boat you will probably find the buyer would welcome having more comfortable seating. A hole repair, should it become desirable, is relatively easy by using a mahogany plug.

[MarkCz]

My boat was in so-so condition so I drilled the holes. The added comfort the padded seats provide eases the pain of drilling that first hole.

[latitude47]

Based on the condition of my boat I'm going to drill one thwart seat original plank in the name of comfort.

Jefecinco--I like your suggestion to insert mahogany plugs if I decide to remove the seats. Or if later I become completely obsessed I know I could find some mahogany or $apele.

Appreciate the feedback.

[jimh]

Practically every 15-footer with thwart seats has been modified in some way to improve the back support and comfort of the seating.

A STRIPER 15 often has a pedestal seat at the starboard side helm console and in some cases a second pedestal seat at the bow. Compare with the boat shown in

Cetacea Page 50: Fabulous Fifteens
Read under the heading Georgia Striper
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/cetacea/cetaceaPage50.html