Replacing the foam in cushions?

[Dougcole]

The back cushions on our FB of our new to us Mainship 400 are shedding a sawdust like powder which I am pretty sure is the foam rotting. The vinyl itself is in pretty good shape, and I am not ready yet, dollars wise, to replace all the FB cushions. The seat cushions are not shedding, just the backs.

So I am thinking about trying to replace the foam in the back cushions, and reusing the vinyl. The cushions either staple to a back board or have a zipper.

Any thoughts as to how hard this will be to do? I don't sew.

Any other fixes come to mind, short of replacing all the cushions at at about $5000?

 

[Phil Fill]

There should be a Foam Store in your area. Also large fabric stores have classes and machine you can take.

 

[jleonard]

If they are stapled to a backboard then its really easy to replace the foam. We have made replacements that way and I have wrapped plywood seat bases that way several times.
You can buy marine vinyl if you need it at most fabric stores along with the foam. Get some fairly dense foam.
You can cut foam pretty well with a serrated knife.
Save the larger pieces of foam that you cut...nothing makes a better sponge than cushion foam.
Make sure you use monel or stainless staples so they don't rust and make a mess.

 

[Besslb]

The back cushions on our FB of our new to us Mainship 400 are shedding a sawdust like powder which I am pretty sure is the foam rotting. The vinyl itself is in pretty good shape, and I am not ready yet, dollars wise, to replace all the FB cushions. The seat cushions are not shedding, just the backs.

So I am thinking about trying to replace the foam in the back cushions, and reusing the vinyl. The cushions either staple to a back board or have a zipper.

Any thoughts as to how hard this will be to do? I don't sew.

Any other fixes come to mind, short of replacing all the cushions at at about $5000?

Can you take some pictures of the offending cushions?? Are they affixed hard, or removable? Are there zippers to remove the vinyl cover? Once we figure out how the cushion is made, you can take it to a foam store and have new foam custom cut to fit. Or, you can cruise up here to NC, and I'll fix it for ya.

 

[Dougcole]

Hey thanks for all the quick replies, guys.

I didn't take pics, and the boat is 5 hours from here, but here is photo from yacht world of a boat and cushions exactly like ours. It is just the backs, not the seats.

There is a mesh panel on the bottom of the seat backs, the dust is falling through it.

View Boat Photos - YachtWorld.com Go to pic number 3.



Doug

 

[Besslb]

are they snapped onto the fiberglass? Velcroed? Are they easily removable?

 

[Dougcole]

Snapped to the fiberglass. Yes, easily removable. I think the back panels are some sort of starboard like material, but I'm not sure. There is piping around the edges.

There are some exposed staples on the backs.

Doug

 

[Besslb]

Chances are you can take out those staples, pull the foam off of the starboard-like board, glue on new foam, staple the vinyl right back on.

Next time you go to the boat take one off and take pictures, or take the smallest apart and then you'll know for sure!