I just bought this canoe, can anyone tell by looking at the photo what brand it it? Also is it possible to change the bucket seats to flat bench seats? It seems most padded seats I’ve seen for sale are meant to be used with bench seats.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dsrphotography/detail?.dir=5c88&.dnm=4031.jpg&.src=ph
Grumman
Sure do lookie like a Grumman ta dis boy
Fat Elmo
Looks like Grumman riveting and seats.
Seat pads fit these seats. Did you add the seatbacks? They’re not standard. I tried a clamp on swivel seat when we fished from ours, but it made the center of gravity too high.
The seats are part of the structure, so replace them carefully. I would try some different seat backs and pads before I changed the seats.
Bucket seats?
I suppose by ‘bucket seats’ you are referring to the fact that the seat is lower than the supports. The rear seat of my brother’s Grumman is the same height as those in your photo, but it’s flat all the way across and rivets to the hull (a few inches below the gunwales), eliminating those sloping support arms (are those supports getting in your way?). Making a new seat that is flat all the way across would be pretty easy to do, and if the job is beyond your ability, any metal shop or welder could do it for you in an hour or less, so the cost wouldn’t be outrageous.
re which canoe
The seat backs I added myself they are just pieces of plywood cut to size and wedged in between some extra cross bars i added, They work very well for being free, they are just a little to thin and are cracking. I’ll probably replace them with thicker wood, then stain them to be waterproof. The main reason I want to change the seat was becuse I was under the impression that most manufactured seats and backrests are for flat bench seats. if this isn’t the case I won’t bother replacing what not broken.
One Backrest Solution
Here is a really common means of getting back support without altering your canoe seats.
http://www.crazycreek.com/
I think just about any big outdoor supply place like R.E.I., Cabelas or Gander Mountain carries nearly identical models. I’ve seen a lot of people using these things in their canoes. I’ve never tried it myself, but I hear they are pretty comfortable.
I think …
I think that boat looks a whole lot like the 17 foot Grumman I have on a rack in my garage.
Another option for seating is a fold down seat similiar to Crazy Creek made by a company called GCI. This seat has straps for attaching to your existing canoe seat. The padding on the cushioned butt part of the seat is split in half so that it will conform to the convex seat on your boat, and your rear. The backrest is reinforced with aluminum tubing, and the backrest has an adjustable strap system. Attaches/detaches from canoe in about a minute. Cost about 30 to 35 bucks if I remember correctly. I don’t use it, but my wife loves it. I think I got it from REI or NRS; don’t remember exactly, but I’m pretty sure GCI has a website.
BOB