Whaly Upgrades

Welcome aboard Sailing Vessel Seeker as we delve into an exciting project to upgrade our trusty Whaly boat. While it’s already a great boat, we believe it could benefit from a few tweaks to improve its performance and durability. Today’s focus is on enhancing the deck stability and fortifying our seats to ensure they last for years to come.

Addressing Spongy Deck Issue

The first area of concern is the deck, which has been quite spongy. We don’t appreciate that it doesn’t handle weight as well as we’d like. The rest of the back seems fine, but this section needs improvement to ensure a secure and stable ride.

Renewing Worn-Out Seats

Not only are we dealing with the deck issue, but our seats have also shown signs of wear and tear. The dimples on these seats indicate stress, and cracks are starting to appear, suggesting that they could potentially fall apart.

Seeking Professional Help from Whaly Boats USA

We reached out to Whaly Boats USA for assistance in improving these areas. They offered to replace our seats, but considering they have a history of not lasting long – typically about 2 years – we decided it would be better to enhance them ourselves.

Using Cardboard Templates for Design

To make our seats more durable, we began by crafting cardboard templates. This approach allowed us to refine the design before moving onto the actual fabrication process using PVC board.

Balancing Modern Technology with Traditional Craftsmanship

As much as modern technology can simplify tasks, we believe in preserving the skill of doing things ourselves. For now, we’re sticking to our cardboard templates rather than relying on a smartphone app for dimensions and shapes.

The Fitting Process

Ensuring the perfect fit was crucial. After gluing the first piece in place, we added more layers to achieve a seamless integration with our original boat structure.

The Final Touches

With our seats looking better than ever, we covered them in sailcloth to maintain a consistent and visually appealing aesthetic.

Conclusion and Future Projects

By tackling these upgrades ourselves, we not only improved our Whaly boat’s durability but also strengthened the skill set of the Sailing Vessel Seeker crew. Keep an eye out for more DIY projects as we continue to enhance our vessel for future adventures.

Do you have any similar stories or upgrades you’ve done on your own boats? Share them with us by sending a photo to svcr@yahoo.com. It’s the small steps and DIY projects that lead to big results!

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