Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

I need to replace the seat on my rowing frame since it just didn't hold up under 20+ years of river use! I see that the new NRS seats have a plastic body with the foam/vinyl covering. My old seat has the formed metal with foam/vinyl covering. It was very long lasting except the covering eventually cracked with sun exposure and use. I have been totally satisfied with it and would buy another just like it. Does any one have an opinion on whether the plastic is as durable as the old metal, and is there a source for the metal bodied seats. Walter

If you don't find a factory made seat, you might consider taking your old one to a local metal fabrication shop. They can certainly cut on a shear, bend on a brake and make whatever you need, often cheaper than a factory made item and just as strong or stronger. When I added a new seat to my Blue Hole with metal drop plates, I needed them sheared to size. I took them to a local shop and they did the job for me, and told me that they would have made the plates from scratch for me from stainless or aluminum for less than half of what I paid for them, nevermind the shipping. By the way, they sheared the plates for free.

I have one like yours, but it is not 20 years old. You might post on Mountainbuzz if you don't get your answer here.Lot more rafters out there and more useful opinions.

I just parted out my old riding mower and have the seat, which is essentially the same as the raft seats. You'd just have to rig up a mount to the frame. You can have it if you want. Paul 417 225 8509.