Vinyl repair

I'm curious if anyone has had professional vinyl repair done on thier boats specifically for fin cuts. Were you happy with the results and what did you end up paying. Any pictures would be great too.

Don't have any pictures but check out Leather Magic at http://www.leathermagic.com. If you can mix the colors right, the kit works great. The cold process kit is good for fin cuts where you can get the original edges back together.

I've used the full kit to repair a few small nicks. So far so good.

Do a search on ebay for "vinyl repair".. There's all sorts of the magic "as seen on TV" kits for less than $20. I have a small tear I need to fix myself. I may go for something like that.

if it's small, super glue may hold it together very well. i had one on my engine cover that turned out good.

line the edges up to make sure it will go back together evenly, open the slice up a bit to get the glue in there but don't tear it more, put SMALL amount of super glue on the inside edges of each side of the vinyl...don't soak it into the padding underneath or the padding will harden...then line the edges back together but DO NOT touch the glued area, you'll leave fingerprints behind. it dries fast so there's no need for tape.

like anything, you may want to test/try-out a hidden area first (under seat cushion or somewhere else). it helps to have a trial run before you go for the money too. probly won't work on a big rip.}

I got a vinyl repair kit from Wal-Mart. It has the texture sheets & everything for like 5 bucks. I've used it in several places with good results. The real trick is to use the iron directly on the texture sheet to get a good bond with the vinyl and underlay if used. If you don't get the area good and hot (not too hot), the bond won't last and will peel off.

Iron-on patches?!? Wal-Mart?!?!? SUPER GLUE?!?

DAYUM! You might as well stick a Band-Aid on it and call it good!

WAY too laid-back people.

Why is patching a hole too laid back? Should I just throw the seat overboard and have a new one made?

Ah. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. That was supposed to be a bit of self-deprecating humor.

I am WAY TOO ANAL to get anywhere near my boat with a U-Patch-It kit from Ronco. Hence the "...too laid-back."

I've tried the "Liquid Leather" (as seen on TV) crap and had horrible results. I followed the directions and it ended up looking worse then when I started. That is why I would like to have it profesionally repaired.

Duct Tape

Bryce,

I'd recommend calling Randy from "Colors on Parade" here in sac. He is mobile and does quality work.

Professional repairs have excellent results.

I have a 1/2 inch cut in my trunk hatch on my sunsetter Lxi and I am replacing all the vinyl on the hatch, it will cost 200$.
Every company use vinyl for upholstery couldn´t they use a thick gore-tex fabric as they use in jackets. A nice 3-layer gore-tex jacket is very strong, 100% water proof and has good durability.
If you make it 6-layer or more it should be strong enough, but then they will have to make all the upholstery snap in style so you can take it off, wash it and impregnate it.

Yeah, they could. But man! Would it get smelly.

If it smells anything like my wet suit after a few weeks, I wouldn't be able to ride in my boat.

If you get an experienced proffesional to do it you wont even be able to tell ehere it was. The repairs they do are amazing.

Bryce,

I found the number for the info I posted above.

I guess the guy who did mine was a novice on PCP, because it looks like CRUD! I made him come back and do it again, and it still looks crummy. I want to replace the whole skin on my engine cover, but my wife thinks I'm crazy.

A very perceptive gal, your wife!

Throw a matching towell over the dog house. Then you can pin it in place.

We bought our car used and it appears they had the leather seats touched up before bought it. It seems they have these professionals come in and touch up minor spots in the leather. Looked great when we bought it, two years later it looks like crap. I was cleaning it over the weekend and it is actually to the point now that leather cleaner will bring the paint/color(whatever it is) back on to the cloth..

I tried one of those "Ronco" style repair kits and had an awful time. The test repair I did looked like - - - - (fill in the blanks).

I'm with Swass...I'm going to recover my sun pad when the times right rather than making it look worse. A major problem for smalls rips(which do get bigger) is design a flaw where the vinyl can strech but the damn stiching can't we weight applied causing it to rip at the stich holes.

I'm not convinced a "Ronco self patch kit" would work, or last, even if you could make it look good!

When I do replace my sunpad I will do so with as few stich lines as possible, "hell, maybe even just one big piece of vinly.

Have a pro do it.
I had a cut about 2" long and you can tell unless you put your hand on it.
It cost me $40.00.

I had a local guy here do mine for $40 . I had three small places. First he stitches it up, then smears on a glue coating and smoothes it out into a matching texture, then paints it with a small air can. Great look! I called an upholstery shop and they recommended him to me cause they usually don't go for that kinda stuff.

I went with a repair kit. I had a rip when I bought the boat, and wanted to get a new seat, but my woman brought up a good point. Why not repair it myself, because we most likely will end up with another tear eventually. then, get a new seat when we sell.
seriously, If you ripped it once, you will probably do it again. Do you want to rip a $200 brand new seat, or a seat you repaired for 40 bucks?
as for the sunpads, one of these days, a company will figure out that vinyl may not be the best material to use.

Thanks Malibudude. I will give Randy a call