avoiding stepping on seats?

It bugs the crap out of me when I turn around and see people stepping on the seats of my boat.. it cant be good for the stitching right? Does everyone just put up with it? can it be avoided? any solutions out there?

We just put up with it... our 07 supra is used about 15-20 hours a week with 8+ people and hasnt had a stitching problem yet.

Im in for a solution as well!

As long as it's barefoot I don't see an issue. Those darn reef sandals with the bottle opener would do some damage though.

gotta get over it Isaac, nothing you can do. Its a boat, use it and have fun. If you start getting anal about little things it's gonna effect the amount of fun you have out on the water. As long as it's barefeet you shouldnt really see any damage.

its not that easy to just say get over it.. The sundeck has a "tougher" material used on it.. I wonder if the rear bench seat can be wrapped with that same vinyl?

Scott, BTW.. we will be in truckee this whole weekend how has the weather been?

I have the Reefs & have never had a problem with them ripping the seats on any of my boats. Granted I'm a little more cautious than some, but still.

I have a dark blue bathroom rug that I use in our boat. I put it on the seat closest to the dock so everyone has an obvious target to step on as they jump in the boat. Plus I have a back seat that is reserved for tools & shoes. So when my wife & I get in, the first thing we do is put our shoes/sandals in there, and ask everyone else to kick theirs off too. Seems to work so far & everyone gets the clue.

ya I remind everyone to take off their shoes before getting in the boat.. and no problems with that.. its when I turn around and someone is standing on the rear bench for no reason..my wife/kids hop from the sundeck to the carpet because they try to avoid it like I do.. its actually funny because its the people that I ride with that have nice boats that avoid stepping on the seats too.. its the people that dont own boats or are not around them long enough that just love to dig their feet in the seats.. hahah reminds me of Charley Murphey skit on chappelle show where Rick James has his feet "grinding into the couch"
hahaha


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aejWLbbgdU

This may ease your pain:
www.seatsaver.com

I don't know how you put an end to it. The boats are laid out so it is nearly impossible not to step on the seat without some gymnastics. The Cents with the walk through to the transom and having swing away racks seem like the only real solution. Yes stepping will wear out your seats faster - barefoot or not.

Yeah I was mostly kidding with the Reefs I have them too but kick them off before going in the boat. I just remember a previous thread about them with some funny opinions. Isaac I'm guessing the material on the sundeck that looks like it's tougher is not as flexible therefore they don't use it for seat bases. Just a hunch but on my boat it feels that way. We always step down from the deck on the seats with no problems. I don't really know how it can be avoided. If you're concerned throw a mat or towel down like Bill suggests.

I know its not easy Isaac, especially with a new boat. Just gotta do it though.

Weather has been real nice, although they are forecasting some rain and thunderstorms in the coming days. It'll be a zoo up here, be safe on the water.

There is absolutely no reason to have sandals on in a boat and I would never chance it with the Reef bottle opener ones.

no shoes in my boat. not on your feet, or even in the boat at all....

i make everyone take them off when we get to the dock.

only one time a dog carted one off the dock and chewed it up...that was bad!

i don't worry about where people walk in bare feet on my boat...of course i don't have kids on my boat ever though. little kids are always doing something stupid...haha.

Our 2006 Tigé 22ve has a nice carpeted finish (matches the carpet in the boat)on the bottom side of each of the two small corner cushions where you typically board the boat. We keep the upholstery side down & carpeted side up when people are boarding and it works out great!

Our corner seat on a 2005 supreme is removable, I put some some Gator grip on the glass underneath. Now if we need a step, just remove the seat.

I don't mind people stepping on my seats as long as they are barefoot. I really don't see the arguement that a foot causes greater wear and tear than an ass or a knee? That's about as valid as the arguement skiers used to make against snowboardes saying that snowboarding scrapes all the powder off the slopes. Guess what...skis do too and a knee used to crawl across your cushions is no different than a foot or a hand.

So really, the issue boils down to wear and tear and how to limit it. Last year I made a carpeted bench to replace the bench seat in my supra. I also made a carpeted floor panel to replace the cushions in the bow, since most of the time when picking up riders at the dock we load/unload from the bow.

The carpeted bench works fine since we usually roll with no more than a 3 man rotation and we don't need the rear bench for seating. When I have a larger group coming out I just put the cushion seats back in.

Our boat has the carpeted corner cushions as well, but most prefer to step on the seat. I don't mind because sandals stay on the dock. Newbies catch on quick when they see everyone slip out of their flip flops, and step onto the boat. I agree with Richard, feet can't be any worse than a butt or a knee. After 10 years, I haven't noticed any undue wear on the seats.

+1 get over it. I do tell noobs not to wear shoes or bring glass bottles or Cheetos, and I would throw anyone disrespecting me or doing intentional damage off immediately, but beyond that - it's just a boat.

Hey Isaac, I know a few guys who have seat covers on all the cushions, I'm not sure if this is the same company they use, but here is a link to a company that makes them -

http://www.primalmp.com./

>>>I don't mind people stepping on my seats as long as they are barefoot. I really don't see the arguement that a foot causes greater wear and tear than an ass or a knee?

It's because the weight is all concentrated on one spot. It splits the seams.

NO stepping on seats is a rule in my boat. The regulars know it and follow it. Newbies just need to be told once, and reminded a few times if you see them standing on seats, then they get the drift. Take care of your boat however you feel it needs to be taken care of.... But don't be offended if someone tells you it looks like sh*t when you're trying to sell it. Just a little bit maintenance and being careful can keep a boat looking showroom new for a long time. There's no reason to beat it up.

Im with Charlie.. I plan on keeping the boat for a while and dont get a new boat every year.. I want it to look as good as possible so we can enjoy it.. Im sticking to the do whatever you have to do, but dont step on the seats

I take a large beach towel and tuck it in on the back seat. It spreads the load, keeps the seat clean, and doesnt get hot in the sun. This works for me. I also put towels down on other seats too. All shoes/flops get stowed away.

Issac...getting rid of your boat would solve your seat problem..ha, kidding I get it because now that I am a boat owner and am the captain I will kick people off boat if they stand on seats for no reason. I think sometimes its unavoidable but not to just stand....SHOES OFF!

Me to girls standing on the seats just hanging out "Oh, you can stand on the floor"
Them "Nahh, it's okay"
Me "No it's okay, you can stand on the floor"
Them "Oh, we're fine"
Me "You could NOT stand on my seats"

It's the quote of the year so far

hey homie, you wont find anyone more anal than me you know that. and even i gotta tell you get over it bradda. no shoes thats that. but if your stressing over it get some seat covers. im pretty sure mark has the patterns for your v210, Uncle jesse?

B- We wont bring up the foot fungus situation hahahah...

haha, i will and lets get a public view on it, not to hijack.

so my buddy gets in the boat, shoes off but has on socks and still wearing pants and stuff. he goes to throw on trunks and takes his socks off and BAMMMM this huge ozzing nasty a-- scabby foot funk is just wafting there. i said bro. wtf is that. he say oh its just athletes foot but its not contagous. i f-ing laughed and told to put his socks back on. he gave me a hard time, this dude is like my brother by the way. so he finally listen to me when i wouldnt leave the dock without his socks on.

anyone care to comment.

^^^^^LMFAO!! Man, that's some funny shiat. One word, Lotrimin!! Kinda feel for your bud though, probably felt a bit embarrassed.

Tony

Sangers are tough! Don't sweat people standing on the seats, as long are shoes are off them its all good. Worse come to worse you can get new skins in 5 years. I have 700hrs on mine and I have replaced the skin on the back seat, everything else is as new. Boats are supposed to be fun, if it gets dirty it can be cleaned, if it gets damaged it can be replaced, don't spoil it by being up tight. The only time I really get grumpy is if people show a lack of respect or gratitude.

"It's because the weight is all concentrated on one spot. It splits the seams."

So how do people move around your boat? Do they levitate? Since you don't allow them to walk I assume they must crawl. A knee is concentrating just as much weight as a foot, so what's the point?

"But don't be offended if someone tells you it looks like sh*t when you're trying to sell it."

My boat is 5 years old and I'll put it up against anyone's boat, any day. My boat looks showroom new because I take very good care of it without being OCD. So no, I'm not offended.

I don't like to stress or be a dick over little things. It isn't worth the $500 it might cost me to get every little wart taken care of if I were going to sell my boat.

Issac, keep the interior treated with something like 303. When the vinyl gets dry and people are walking around, that's when you can end up with tears. If you keep the boat for years to come, you will most likely experience separation at the seams. Just the way it goes.

Didn't read the whole thread, but we have always had a no shoes/sandals policy on any vinyl. Step on them barefoot all you want. Restricting that is just too difficult for all involved. Besides, it's the hard soles of sandals and shoes that will scuff the vinyl, and that you can't really get rid of.

Bryan, that was the funnest story I've heard all year...was cracking, for sure gotta have fun on boat, but also respect someones boat! With 17 years dress right dress (Army) I will have to learn to let things go on my boat..

BABES BOAT PRODUCTS!


SWEEET!

2 rules on my boat:

1) no shoes in the boat
2) common sense, and please respect my property

Have never had a problem, and don't worry about people standing on my seats. I've had my Nautique for the past 6 years and my vinyl looks like new. Don't know about other brands, but chicks standing on my seats are the least of my worries and have had 0 effect on my interior...

I use grey bath mats with the white latex bottoms. They are heavy enough that they don't blow out and don't stain the vinyl.

I get them at Target. They work good on the floor too.

I always bring a towel for myself and a crappy towel for the boat, I put the crappy towel on the seat at the dock when everyone gets in, this is a good towel also for the occasional spilled beer or errant splash to the windshield and for the trailer at the end of the day, we had our rear pad recovered at 200 hours it was tearing at the piping seam in both corners, it was only $175 and matches perfect, I think the primal covers are the way to go though,

I am suprised no one else has suggested this but, we used this on my parents boat that we had for 19 years.

Just put a throwable cusion on the seat for people to step on when getting in/out of the boat. I always have 2-3 in the boat and if it's there people use it. The only thing taking shoes and sandels off does is keep it a little cleaner, it does nothing to take the pressure off the seams.