Helm seat arms went to the custom furniture store in Ajijic, Mexico, got new teak ones back - 2018

Here you see the helm seat arms before Debbie painted them, years ago. 

These were a real good idea from the previous owner. Only problem is they are soft wood, not teak.

If they were done in mahogany or teak that would be it. But the soft wood is splitting and there are some improvements that can be made on the design for sturdiness. 

July 2018- s\v Elegant'sea is Currently in Paradise Village Marina in Banderas Bay Mexico
July 2018- We are now Currently in Ajijic which is a town by Lake Chapala Mexico house sitting.

This photo was taken years ago before the hem seat was refinished with SikkensCetol Marine Natural Teak and the arms were painted, hinges replaced etc.

 Debbie preparing the helm seat arms for paint (again, years ago). We have tried several times to have the arms replaced with teak ones. No luck so far.

 Our plan is to upgrade the helm seat. We want to replace the Director chair arms to teak from the soft wood that they are. Then varnish them and the helm seat.

Helm seat with the arms under the seat. We primarily use the helm seat when off the hook and doing passages. Or sitting in a marina. On the hook we use the stern steps a lot. So as one of our summer projects we are trying to get the arms re-made in teak, again as our last tries have not worked out.

Debbie had these hinges marine painted at  R.W. Little in San Diego.

Some of the upgrades and refurbishing we have done along the way but they are still soft wood and split.

Here Debbie is negotiating with the owner of this furniture shop in Mezcales on price and time for replacing the hem seat arms with teak arms. 

He promised us a couple weeks that they would be done. After a couple of months and many trips we realized yet again this was not going to happen.We lost the small deposit we had left and called it quits. That was a few years ago. We have tried this at different shops, either they are too busy or do not do it.  So here we are again in Ajijic, Mexico leaving 50 percent down 

 This is a picture off the internet of what we would like minus the fabric. 

We gave these pictures and more to "Cadillac Furniture" and they will make the new arms in teak to look like this? Time, of course, will tell. They said 3-4 weeks so we think 6-8 possibly. They have a store front here in Ajijic but actually do the work in Guadalajara, Mexico.

This looks a lot sturdier than our current arms. 
Debbie will probably make a new canvas back for the new arms.

 Ok, we finally got these new teak arms back from Cadillac Furniture here in Ajijic.

 The first time we got them back the screw holes were filled with an off-color putty. We asked that the putty be removed and (because they do not have teak plugs) that we would plug the holes with teak plugs. So they went back for a couple weeks and came back with a close-to-teak-looking putty. So it is time to give it up and take the arms. We will try varnishing them and if the teak-looking-putty looks ok under varnish then that will be it. If not then back they will go again 😕