vinyl seats care

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seminolewind
Posts: 53
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2016 8:21 pm
Location: spring hill Florida

vinyl seats care

#1 Post by seminolewind » Fri May 05, 2017 11:01 am

I am in a high and dry storage. I usually wipe down all the seating after using the boat with a cleaner conditioner. Should I bring fresh water with me for wiping the seating down if it gets salt spray on it? Every time I go out?

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mpilot
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Location: Lake Murray, SC

Re: vinyl seats care

#2 Post by mpilot » Fri May 05, 2017 12:09 pm

We are fresh water so we don't have to wipe down after every use, but I wipe down every few weeks with Starbrite Vinyl Guard. The weeks I don't do a wipe down with cleaner I take a dry rag and most of the stuff comes right off. I do carry a half gallon of fresh water on the boat at all times for spills and what not. That should be enough for you to do a wipedown. Out of curiosity, if you are in saltwater are they flushing your motor every time it's put up in storage? If so, they may be willing, or there may be water on site for you, to just hose the whole boat down every time you are done with it.

Gonefishing
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Re: vinyl seats care

#3 Post by Gonefishing » Fri May 05, 2017 12:11 pm

:) I don't know about others. But I am in salt water all the time and when I get home I wash down the outside of my toon and clean the seats. Have been doing it that way for years on every boat I have had. My toon is four years old used almost every weekend in the summer and in my area that is April though October. My interior looks like new. Sun, salt are. Your worst enemy for interior of a boat. I also use nothing but 303 products cleaner and protector
Bob Jacksonville, Nc

2013 Excursion X23 RFC
2013 115 Yamaha
Pulled with a Ford King Ranch

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FLOUNDERPOUNDER225
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Re: vinyl seats care

#4 Post by FLOUNDERPOUNDER225 » Fri May 05, 2017 12:47 pm

Completely agree on the 303 cleaner and protectant products. There really isn't anything better, Marine Spray Nine is my choice for stubborn stains and mildew, that spray nine makes my weathered teak vinyl deck look like new, then the 303 Aerospace protectant after that for any upholstery. I am the same, saltwater every weekend, sometimes its rough, which means salt spray everywhere.
Pensacola FL
2015 Berkshire 231 RFC
Yamaha F-150

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mpilot
Posts: 313
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Location: Lake Murray, SC

Re: vinyl seats care

#5 Post by mpilot » Fri May 05, 2017 12:59 pm

I tried the 303 but I didn't like the way it still let water absorb into the vinyl and leave odd spots until it dried, also sort of gave it a dull finish. I tried it for a couple of bottles then went to the marine dealership and they recommended the starbrite product. I've had good results with their other products so I gave it a shot and love it. If I get bugs on top of the seats with the enclosure on I can take a dry rag and they fall right off. Same for dust, dirt, etc. You can clean the boat with a dry rag most of the time. I also use their boat guard with ptef for the panels and railings and it keeps it from water spotting and it shines like the day it was delivered. Finally, for those of you with enclosures I have been using Klear to Sea with amazing results. In heavy rain it creates some sheeting action like Rain X on glass and it cleans easy and doesn't leave streaks, but also helps to keep the clear plastic nice and supple. We were having fogging issues some this winter so on the inside I would clean with Klear to Sea and then take Baby shampoo and wipe it on, let it dry, and buff it off and it kept the fogging to a minimum. The Klear to sea also works great on the windshield on the console and keeps it from spotting up during the summer.

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seminolewind
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Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2016 8:21 pm
Location: spring hill Florida

Re: vinyl seats care

#6 Post by seminolewind » Sat May 06, 2017 12:36 am

[quote="mpilot"]We are fresh water so we don't have to wipe down after every use, but I wipe down every few weeks with Starbrite Vinyl Guard. The weeks I don't do a wipe down with cleaner I take a dry rag and most of the stuff comes right off. I do carry a half gallon of fresh water on the boat at all times for spills and what not. That should be enough for you to do a wipedown. Out of curiosity, if you are in saltwater are they flushing your motor every time it's put up in storage? If so, they may be willing, or there may be water on site for you, to just hose the whole boat down every time you are done with it.[/quote]

Hi they do wash down the outside and flush the motor. They will put it on a wash rack for me, but normally I get back after they close. Gosh it would be so much easier if they had the hose and water at the dock! Aside from that, I wipe down the vinyl with 303 cleaner/conditioner, or just conditioner. I hope that's enough.

I think that's the down side of hi n dry storage, it's like the boat doesn't feel like your own. I can't believe this full service marina has no hose at the dock!

tcpip95
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Joined: Sat Apr 07, 2012 9:25 am
Location: Fort Myers, FL

Re: vinyl seats care

#7 Post by tcpip95 » Sun May 07, 2017 8:53 pm

Saltwater boater here. Everything gets hosed down with fresh water after each outing. One a month the boat gets the spa treatment where it gets completely washed and vinyl seats get treated with a coat of mineral oil.

Playpen cover gets put on every time we're done with it.
2012 Bennington 24 SSL
150 HP Yamaha
.45 1911 Security System

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seminolewind
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Location: spring hill Florida

Re: vinyl seats care

#8 Post by seminolewind » Sun May 07, 2017 10:25 pm

[quote="tcpip95"]Saltwater boater here. Everything gets hosed down with fresh water after each outing. One a month the boat gets the spa treatment where it gets completely washed and vinyl seats get treated with a coat of mineral oil.

Playpen cover gets put on every time we're done with it.[/quote]

well I was looking for a place with a wet slip (hose!). But I am so disappointed. These 4-5 places all have , well, problems. A long walk after sharing parking with a tiki bar restaurant, or 2x coded gates. One place was okay. However, except for the hose, I realize that I am in the best place! Most beutiful, great service, and convenient. So I will just have to get used to asking them to pull the boat down so I can wash the inside, LOL. And get a cover because everything gets really dusty/dirty up there in a rack.

So I got the 303 products. Anyhow I quoted this because I question the use of mineral oil on vinyl. I read that oil is not good for vinyl. So maybe just check out if this is true. But I'll follow your example and wash it regular inside and buy a cover.

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Marshall M
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Location: Greenwood, MS

Re: vinyl seats care

#9 Post by Marshall M » Sat May 20, 2017 4:58 pm

I apologize if this is the wrong topic for my question but our white vinyl seats are terrible about the color rubbing off on our clothes and skin. We have just cleaned them and wiped them down with a damp cloth. Is there a protectant that we should use to keep this from happening? Thank in advance for any advice!
Marshall, Gale & Emilee Myers

1992 Sweetwater Pontoon
75hp Mercury

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