Adding seat mount to alumacraft Jon

[reggieroo02]

1236 alumacraft jon has the bull nose lip on the benches, makes it a bit tricky to mount things. I've looked at way too many options for mounting a seat and decided on riveting a piece of sheet aluminum to the top of the bench then using plus nuts through both to attach the seat base. I don't really want to cut an access hatch in the side of the bench. My question is about blind rivets. Should I just use standard pop rivets for the aluminum sheet? What about tri grip rivets, or are those just for kayaks?

 

[Tall Tiller]

I just put two 2" strips of 1/8" aluminum with the holes for a swivel countsunk on the bench facing side, using counter sink bolts mounted the swivel onto them and used 10/24 bolts on the edge of the bull nose.

 

[sonny.barile]

I made backer plates from Kings Starboard. I drilled holes where the swivel would be and put nylock tee nuts on the underside. I then used self tapping screws with some marine LocTite to mount the backer board to the bench. Mounted my swivels over the tee nuts. Came out pretty good and has held up quite well.

 

[thill]

Blind rivets will work well in the aluminum bunks.

Pretty much any kind of anchors will work with the reinforced area you are making. Rivnuts are another option for the seats themselves, but I don't like them very much, as they sometimes just spin if the bolt binds in the threads and you put torque on it trying to remove. I like some of the expansion bolts that are out there better.

Mounting anchors for trolling motors work very well, for what it's worth, but can be pricey, depending on where you buy. Shop around.