Lund S14

[Blombay]

Hey everyone, new to the site. Been reading a fair bit on here lately so I decided to become a member. I have an older Lund S14, not sure what year it is but is all factory. I bought the boat a few years ago but didn't have a decent motor for it until this year when I picked up a Merc 18xd. Now that I've decided to keep the boat I'm going to start stripping out the plywood seat tops for replacement as well as some paint work, possible casting deck etc. From what I've read there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer on whether or not removing all or part of the second-from-rear bench seat will compromise the rigidity of the boat. I'd like to do a walk-thru style arrangement and possibly some storage compartments in what's left there. I'm curious as to how the members here feel about that. Great site, thanks in advance for your time.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Lund S14

Welcome aboard!

I have a S14 DLX which has a pass thru seat and a factory deck, which I have replaced the decking on and I can tell you that they are not the same. The metal bulkheads on the S14 are integral to the structure of the hull. I also would not reccommend removing the floatation foam inside the seats. It just may save your life on day. A casting deck between the bow seat and the 1st front seat works pretty well and is also pretty stable. I added mine level with the bow seat and 2" below the second seat.

That 18hp Merc will push it very well as long as you don't load it up with a lot of weight. 2 adults OK, any more and it will start to struggle a bit but still do well. Mine also has a side steer console and is rated for 35hp. They are great hulls for their size!

 

[Huron Angler]

Re: Lund S14

I've seen one project here on iboats where a bench was completely removed correctly.

He added vertical aluminum reinforcements to the sides to replace the structural integrity the bench provided.

Here's a link to the thread. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=466844

That's what I would do, so the boat doesn't flex too much in waves.

If having an open deck is that important to you then go for it.

That style of boat is perfect for fishing and well worth the effort in my opinion.

 

[Blombay]

Re: Lund S14

Thanks for the replies guys. I like what Dabbler_E did with that boat, not only the gussets but the other touches too. I was thinking about the walk thru mainly for ease of getting to and from the front of the boat during launching/docking and of course just for space. We have a two year old daughter that likes to go out in the boat too so I figured the more floor space the better. I think for now I will just replace the plywood on the seats and add a floor and see how it goes. As for the 18hp, we had myself, my wife and daughter and our 90lb dog as well as a cooler and gear in there, 500+lbs and we able to comfortably cruise at 30+km/h (approx. 20mph for the metrically challenged haha) and 40kmh (25mph) with just me in it. For now I'm happy with that, the lakes we mainly go to around here aren't huge. Plus I've been running a 12'/6hp combo for the last couple years so this is a treat!

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Lund S14

Good call in my opinion. You will not lose any resale value on an original equipt Lund such as yours. They just don't seem to depreciate. Use it as-is and enjoy it while looking for something like a Lund Rebel or older Mr Pike.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Lund S14

I've seen one project here on iboats where a bench was completely removed correctly.

He added vertical aluminum reinforcements to the sides to replace the structural integrity the bench provided.

Here's a link to the thread. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=466844

On the Lund S14 the seat benches are not mounted the same way. They are on bulkheads that go all the way to the bottom of the hull and are then riveted all they way across the bottom. Wouldn't be a good idea with the Lund, again IMHO!