This past week I took the boat to this fellow's shop:

Joe is a friend of a friend. He will replace all carpet in boat and reupholster all interior items (seats, side rails, engine box, etc.) He'll start work Jan. 18, or as I supply parts to be upholstered before delivering boat.

Just how many staple did it take to build a 1981 Century?

Above. As suspected, the one bolt per side supporting the front seat back was "grinding away" wood on both the back and the side rail. The support didn't fail in 30 years of its life, but the new system will solve this, and a few other problems.

Above: "Fortier" labels found in side rails. Not dated.

The threaded stock is stainless. The tee nuts are not. I have a "better idea." (See later.)

Below: Some of the vinyl removed from side rails.

I have rebuilt base of front seat and part of front seat's back. Today (1/8/12) I stripped the upper side rails, cut down their plywood backing to 3-1/2" x 78", drilled four 1/4" holes in each, installed 1/4" flat head stainless screws and secured them with fiberglass/epoxy. I'll also paint the backing panels.

The new front seat design (and aesthetics) will require a new engine box. It will be 3-1/2" longer than the original, and about 2" shorter in height. It will be one of the last "interior" projects.

After fitting the aft inner rails, and drilling them for four stainless bolts per rail, the deck was drilled using the rails as a drill guide. The holes in the rails were countersunk, bolts installed and their heads glassed over with fiberglass cloth set in epoxy resin.

Epoxy left overnight to cure:

A thermostat switch controls a light bulb keeping the epoxy at 72 degrees (with the lid on the box):

The side rail backs were painted today (1/9/12):

BTW, it seems that water has been "trapped" in the original side rail padding. See photo below. I'll guess that if the vinyl had been "wrapped" differently, the side rail "interiors" would have been much dryer.