Bought this kayak today from an antique store across the street from where I work. The seats need replaced and I'm thinking of installing seats with backs to them.  I'm considering removing the front seat all together and making space for a cooler or whatever.  I want to turn it into a badass fishing boat with some rod holders along the side. Any ideas to be able to fasten rods horizontally along the boat? PVC pipe would look tacky in my opinion and would get in the way of casting.  Thoughts?

 

Also, thinking about a possible paint job. Maybe a dark green or even camo? Its fiberglass I think. Lightweight and no holes or major gashes on the hull.  Got it for $240 with two life floaties and 3 paddles (3 different sizes).

 

I think I did good.. What do y'all think? I think restoring it will be fun!

In order to paint a canoe/kayak, I need to sand the thing.  Do I just need to rough up the gel coating so the paint would stick or do I need to sand it off completely and then re-apply the coating?

Scuff it and paint it. My buddy paints his every year.

Irrelevant story to go along with this but I have to vent:

 

Purchased my boat a couple days ago and got off from work today to find my kayak missing.  

 

I live in an old "Washington school house" that was converted into an apartment complex.  The building is switching owners and the current owners held a yard sale to clean out the storage.  I had stowed my boat around back as temporary storage until I found a more permanent location.  Apparently someone offered $30 for my boat and took off with it.  I called the landlord and straightened it out.  There is another kayak ($1500 one in the basement) that the landlord thought the buyers were talking about and never knew my kayak was hidden around back.  She told the buyers to test it out and bring it back tomorrow to settle a price. She gave me the names and number of the buyers and luckily they were understanding.  Drove 30 minutes to their front doorstep to pick up my boat.. At least they gave me a beer for the trouble...