April isn’t all about the change of seasons. It’s also about preparing for the upcoming fishing season.
Who doesn’t like a project?
At the end of last season, I noticed my boat seats were getting tired and in need of replacement. I checked with the boat manufacturer and the cost to replace five seats made my jaw drop. Let’s just say five La-Z-Boy chairs are considerably cheaper than five boat seats.
I scoured the internet and found an alternative base seat that I liked. The only downside is they didn’t come with armrests. For the kind of fishing that is done on the Kenai River, armrests go a long way in making for a comfortable day on the water.
I told Jane about this and she decided to call an upholstery shop to see what the cost would be to recover my old armrests. She was quoted a price high enough to convince her that she could do it. In order t make it happen, she would need the assistance of our friends, Don and Nealna. It’s good to know people who have the tools and skill set to take on this type of a project.

The initial thinking was replacing the the fabric only. Wrong. The wood base was rotted and the pronged T nuts were rusted beyond use. No worries. Don had everything in his shop to make replacements.
The only part of the original armrest that was reused were the foam armrests.
Here’s Jane wrapping the armrests with the fabric Nealna sewed. My one and only task was stapling the fabric to the wood.
Tada! The final product.
When it was all said and done, the cost was a fraction of what new armrests would cost.
When the snow completely melts and the tarp comes off the boat, it will be time to put it all back together. I can’t wait.
Mange tusind tak Jane, Don, and Nealna for taking on this project. Your skillsets are incredible.