Seat seams

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taylorjm
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:58 pm
Location: Saginaw, MI

Seat seams

#1 Post by taylorjm » Wed Apr 05, 2017 11:04 am

So my 07 seats have some spots where you can see the seams are just starting to pull apart a little. If it wasn't for a week of rain and tonight it's supposed to snow I'd post some pics! I'm thinking of getting some matching piping that you see along the edges of the seats, cut the back out of the piping so I'm left with a vinyl tube of sorts, and glue it into the seams with a vinyl glue. I'm thinking a nice, flexible vinyl glue would help hold things together, and using the piping would cover the glue and give it more to hold on to. Any opinions? I know, I know, taking the seats apart and having them sewn up and put back together would be ideal, but if I was going to all the trouble of taking the vinyl off the seats, I'd probably want someone to make new ones! Of course, I haven't really looked to see what's involved in taking the vinyl off the seats. Are they wooden bases with the vinyl stapled on the back side? I think the back of the seats are fine, but I haven't be able to get them all cleaned up and see for sure.

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Rick McC.
Posts: 419
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 7:12 pm
Location: Weeki Wachee, Fl

Re: Seat seams

#2 Post by Rick McC. » Wed Apr 05, 2017 8:20 pm

That sounds like a possible good work-around to me.

I'd "glue" it with 5200 if it was me.
Rick

Sights are for the unenlightened.

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guy48065
Posts: 554
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:32 am
Location: Atlanta, MI

Re: Seat seams

#3 Post by guy48065 » Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:56 am

I'm skeptical. It might cover the problem for a little while but as the threads pop it will spread and the adhesive won't be able to hold it.
Mark
1996 Sweetwater 180EX + Johnson 40
Rush Lake, Atlanta, MI

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Jim in Alabama
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 4:21 pm

Re: Seat seams

#4 Post by Jim in Alabama » Thu Apr 06, 2017 9:56 pm

It's hard to tell without seeing it. If you have seams that are pulling apart I doubt you'd find an adhesive that will do any good, but maybe yours are not really that bad. Do a YouTube search for "vinyl boat seat seam repair" and you can see what others have tried.

A "baseball" type topstitch can be done with a curved upholstery needle and nylon outdoor thread without removing the seats. Restitching is the only thing I've seen that works to any degree. It'll be a visible repair but if the vinyl isn't brittle beyond repair it might get you another season or two. Good luck with it.
2017 South Bay 521CR - 115 Yamaha 4-Stroke
1990 Champion Mean 16 - Evinrude 100XP

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