Is there something you can do to repair or prevent your seams / stitching from coming apart on the vinyl seats? I have an 04 Cent and the stitching on the rear seats are starting to come apart. Not apart yet, but the gaps around each stitch are getting more noticeable. <BR> <BR>I have successfully used super glue to keep any small nicks in the vinyl in check, but that doesn't seem like it would work over a long line of stitching where everyone stands to get to the rear deck. I really want to delay getting new skins or vinyl for as along as possible.

When you do replace the skins make sure to replace the foam as well. The seams are stretching because the foam is not very dense and when it supports wieght you sink down into it. A high density foam will help alleviate the problem. The down side is foam is expensive. Good luck.

There are a number of cleaning products that can cause the stitching to fail too. ie; anything with bleach in it. <BR>You may be able to remove the skin, re-sew it from the back side, then reinstall the skins. Never heard of anyone doing it though.

If you have a seam that is just starting to pull apart and you want to stop the bleeding, apply a small amount of super glue to the seam. Super Glue will prevent the seam from tearing further. I have a small section on my sun deck cushion that I applied super glue to and it's been holding up for 3 years now.

I have had both of my rear seats restitched. They take the skin off and re sow it. Cost about $100 and they look better than new. Saves $ if you take the seats out yourself.

One of the best boat rules to save your seats= No stepping/standing on the seats. Period.

> One of the best boat rules to save your seats= No stepping/standing on the seats. Period. <BR> <BR>Kind of hard with wraparound seating all the way around.

>Kind of hard with wraparound seating all the way around. <BR> <BR>Yes, I agree. It's easy in direct drive boats, and is a rule in my boat, and many of my friend's boat. It's easy in a direct drive to throw a knee on the ski locker and step over the rear seat. In my friends boats with V-drives, I try to kneel on the rear deck, and step down over the seat to the carpet. <BR> <BR>My next boat will be a V-drive, and it will be a rule in that boat as well. To make things easier, my current plan is to make some sort of step to lay on top of the seat to spread the weight out when someone steps on it. I was thinking that basically a 2 foot x 2 foot (or whatever size fits the boat well) piece of wood with carpet on both sides would work well. You could set it on the seat for people to step on when you're switching out skiiers. It should distribute the weight more evenly so you're not splitting seams. I've always been a fan of those walkthroughs on the Nautiques for this reason- much less wear and tear on the seats!

You might want to look at the seatsaver. It's an 18"square vinyl covered device designed specifically for this problem. I've had one for about 2 years now. I just throw it on the rear seat so you don't step on the seats getting in and out of the boat. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.seatsaver.com" target="_blank">www.seatsaver.com</a>

I wonder how Mighty MendIt would work on an application like this. Has anyone tried it yet? <BR> <BR><a href="https://www.mightymendit.com/flare/next?tag=os|af" target="_blank">https://www.mightymendit.com/flare/next?tag=os|af</a> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by dabell on June 30, 2009)

Yeah- that Seat Saver is pretty much just what I was thinking. I'd like to see one in person to see exactly how stiff it is. I was thinking about one slightly larger so it will go all the way from the back of the seat to the front, but this might work.... I didn't know these existed. Thanks!

Yeah, I wish it was a bit wider, maybe 18" by 24". So it would cover the back seat completely. As far as how stiff it is. It is very stiff. I think it is plastic inside the vinyl. I would guess about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. You cannot bend it and after 2 years of use it is like brand new with no bending or deformation at all. It does what it says and spreads the load out. <BR> <BR>I am in no way affiliated with the company.

It's just about impossible not to step on the seats with the layout and I really do not want to turn into a boat czar and have people get on their knees or swing from the back deck using the tower rope just to get back and forth. My wife already thinks I'm a bit too anal with the boat. I really wish I had one of those Cent configurations with a walkway to the rear deck and am surprised that isn't more popular with the boat designers, but alas at least there is an inexpensive seatsaver. <BR> <BR>RIP - Billy. That Mighty Mendit looks precisely like the right stuff, but has anyone had any experience with it? Anyone??? <BR> <BR>I use super glue already for nicks or small tears in the vinyl where there isn't a lot or pressure, but it seems it would be too rigid for the seams.

We are having this same issue in my boat on the rear sundeck. It is the way in and out and high traffic area of course. I just went to walmart in the sewing section and got something called E6000 that is safe to use on Vinyl and is a transparent liquid glue for seams, vinyl etc. I at least dont want it to rip further. I will let you know how it works. It was about 3 bucks...

I had a split in the rear seat cushion on my boat and repaired it with this VLP product. It has been holding strong for five summers. The tear was at a seam that had piping (older malibu) so I basically just ran a thin bead under the piping to glue it back together. After I saw the repair was holding up well, I ran a bead under all the other piping in the boat as a preventative measure. No rips since, and my seats get stepped on all the time. <BR> <BR><a href="http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/VLP" target="_blank">http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/VLP</a>

> <a href="http://www.seatsaver.com" target="_blank">www.seatsaver.com</a> <BR> <BR>Thanks, I just ordered one. I wonder how successful I will be at getting other people to use it though.

It takes some training but after a while they learn its a good thing.