90 Saltare restoration

[Scruffy Saltare]

I am looking for advice, instructions and photos if you have them. I bought a 90 Saltare a year ago and played on the wisconsin lakes last year. Mechanically a very sound boat, engine, transmission steering are great and the stringers have been replaced. There are a few cosmetic and issues and features that need addressed though. First the ski locker, the cushion was set on the locker but was not tied down, the 5' piano hinge in good shape was lying on the floor. I looked for witness marks on the cushion and the locker for an indications how it had been installed but there were none. The boat had had some upholstery work done in the past and the work had not been totally completed. I looked at an 87 Pirata ski locker, supposedly the same boat with a closed bow but the structure/bracing behind the rear seat is significantly different as is the ski locker. I am assuming that Supra made some structural changes in the late 80's or 90 and there is some trim work that was not re-installed and the board for the locker cushion never had the hinge attached. So if any one has insight I would gladly welcome it.
As i mentioned the upholstery needs some work. I have been told that to pull the seat cushion backs the top of the boat needs to be separated from the hull to gain access to the bolts that attach the seats to the boat is that true? I hope not. How are the seats removed?
Finally bar that is in front of the passenger seat just behind the windshield. It was missing so I found one out of a 86 Saltare being parted out. Does not fit. Other than finding a 1990 insert and cover by shear luck are these parts available?
It may be January but summer is coming soon and life on the lake is great.

Thanks

[sybrmike]

No pics, but here's a description of how mine was (don't know if what was in my 89 Saltare was original or not) - there was a vinyl covered piece of wood ~2"x2" that ran the entire length of the front edge of the ski locker. It was screwed from the top, through the front flange of the plastic ski locker, and down into the wood. The wood was not fastened to the hull at either end, it just acted as a stiffener for the the front lip of the ski locker. The bottom flange of the piano hinge was then screwed to the front vertical face of the wood. The top half of the flange folded over the front lip of the ski locker and screwed to the bottom of the locker cover such that the screws were vertical from the bottom into the cover when closed.

The seat backs of mine were integral with the seat bases. I was able to access all the seatback screws prior to splitting the hull - even with my short stubby arms (remember thinking Supra used NBA centers to install interiors or did so with the hulls apart). I think the observers seat outer back was accessed either through the side air vent or a hole behind the trim piece that runs along the gunnel. The ones in the bow were the worst - couldn't reach from the speaker holes & had to go up from underneath in the bow storage (circus contortionist woulda been helpful).

If you're talking windshield support post - most marine supply houses carry several different lengths/styles.

[Salty87]

I looked at an 87 Pirata ski locker, supposedly the same boat with a closed bow but the structure/bracing behind the rear seat is significantly different as is the ski locker. I am assuming that Supra made some structural changes in the late 80's or 90 and there is some trim work that was not re-installed and the board for the locker cushion never had the hinge attached. So if any one has insight I would gladly welcome it.

i'm sure my 87 is different. supra made lots of little changes, almost seems like it depends on who was working which shift. i've got the same 2x2 setup mike describes...i think.


I have been told that to pull the seat cushion backs the top of the boat needs to be separated from the hull to gain access to the bolts that attach the seats to the boat is that true? I hope not. How are the seats removed?

if yours is the same, there are long screws extending out of the sides of the seat bases...into the sidewalls...1 on each side. mine weren't tightened down with nuts. they just stop the seat base from sliding. the middle backseat piece locks everything together like the keystone of an arch. once you have it removed, you should be able to move the corner sections.

if needed, you can prob reach them by removing the rear locker. if not, the sidewall panels might be hiding access holes. if not, you might add some. wear long sleeves...fiberglass edges are no joke.


Finally bar that is in front of the passenger seat just behind the windshield. It was missing so I found one out of a 86 Saltare being parted out. Does not fit. Other than finding a 1990 insert and cover by shear luck are these parts available?


bar- as in the ice bucket, bottle/cup holders? have you checked in the classifieds? mr. jrc parted out a saltare...not sure if he had that stuff or not.

[Scruffy Saltare]

Folks - thanks for the feedback I've got a good place to start. It sounds as if I have some rebuilding to do with the 2x2 and then see how to everything fits together so it opens easily and all the way. By the way does the locker cushion sit proud of the back seat so it opens 180 degrees for access? Otherwise access from inside the boat is pretty tough.
As for the seats, once I have them out is there a better way to put them back in and attach them so they can be removed more easily? I'm thinking of a plastic bullet (or 2) on the back of the seat that goes into a female receiver installed in the fiberglass, say where the bolts are located? Any thoughts?
and thanks for the input on mr jrc I'll check it out.

[Salty87]

one thing to be careful with when removing seats bases is that they may be screwed into the floor. the rear ones don't really need to be. they're locked in really tight with the middle seat...at least mine are. the screw holes, if any, need to be sealed or water will penetrate the plywood.

yes, the locker isn't terribly accessible from inside the boat. mine opens barely more than 90 degrees and nowhere near 180.

[sybrmike]

Yeah, what he said. I think the logic was that it's a ski locker, so folks would be accessing from the swim platform. I'm in the middle of redoing my entire interior (after an extended holiday break from the project) & thought about switching the hinge around to open from the front but my new layout doesn't work too well for that.

However, the new interior will have NO penetrations through the new floor! Originally my seat bases did have brackets screwed to the floor, but I'm using s/s tee nuts and bolts into the fiberglass side walls to help minimize places for the water to enter. I did have to drill into the floor for the gas tank mounting straps, but drilled oversized, filled with epoxy, & then drilled for the screws. At a minimum, seal any screws into the floor liberally with 4200 or 5200.