Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Is it advisable to coat my new (to me) 2012 Cast a Way seats with 3M 303 protectant?

Premier advertises that the vinyl seats are made with "Nano Block Technology"

"A protective barrier against abrasions, grease, grime, suntan oils and even gasoline.
even the toughest stains like ball point pen ink, permanent marker, mustard and ketchup
are no match for NANO BLOCK. Just use the NBT clean wipes and watch the stains disappear".

That's what they say....

Rascal

I put 303 on my seats several times a year. Usually at least 4 which according to the 303 product isn't enough but then again it's shrink wrapped half the year and under the mooring cover when we're not using it.

Only been 4 years, but my seats pretty much look brand new. I also 303 the helm and other fiberglass and plastic parts.

Going to use 303 products this off season to clean and re-protect all my canvas.

rsmith,

Thank you for the timely reply. Yours is a 2010 model, does it have the Nano Block seats?

Kind regards,

Rascal,

I just bought a new Premier and the very well respected dealer warned me not to put anything whatsoever on the seats to protect them especially 303 as it breaks down the "Nano Block Technology" that they are using to protect them. To clean, I was told mild soap and water.

For what its worth...

Dan

ishoot wrote:I just bought a new Premier and the very well respected dealer warned me not to put anything whatsoever on the seats to protect them especially 303 as it breaks down the "Nano Block Technology" that they are using to protect them. To clean, I was told mild soap and water.

For what its worth...

Dan

Dan,

Thank you.... you've most likely saved me from a colossal mistake.

Kind regards,

Rascal

Dan,


What model did you get? Where are you located?

Never mind.... I just read your post about your Manitou. I almost bought one, a few years back at a boat show in Ft Myers.
The factory rep was helping the local dealer out. He gave me a price for a boat at the show... with the trailer. The next day
a salesman from the local dealer called and said the trailer did not come with the boat. I complained that a deal is a deal.
The owner of the dealership told me the same. I called the factory and left a e mail message and a phone message for the president. I never got a call back.

I got a curt e mail about a week later from the president. He said that the factory does not interfere with the dealer's business. He stated that the factory deals with the local dealer only.... Screw Manitou, is what I say.


Rascal

Yup, ours has the nano block technology.

interesting note from Dan though, hadn't heard about that. I would have to look at the documentation, not sure if the nano block does anything to protect against UV radiation. I'm more concerned about that than stains, but I also don't have kids on my boat often which is where most stains seem to come from.

here you go, the nano block vinyl does have a UV inhibitor in it:
http://www.pontoons.com/construction/technology.php

Nano technology does nothing to avoid pinhead stains on my seats coming from spiders overhead on the roof of my boathouse. And 303 protectant is also of no help.

I've fabricated a set of seatcovers out of Sunbrella fabric to protect my seats, and they're held on by velcro and tie downs.

The full boat OEM mooring cover is great for protection, but they're very difficult to take on and off a pontoon. With the mooring cover, we've found that we don't use our boat half as much as when it's off. The mooring cover will be used for winter storage, however.

Bamaman;

You make a great point...The absolute best protection you can use is breathable seat covers. I keep my boat on the lake all summer in all the elements. The mooring cover is a pain in the ass so I always feel it is money well spent for factory fit seat covers that can easily be taken on and off as needed.

Dan

Thanks folks,

You've given me a lot of good information to digest. I don't want the hot FL sun to destroy my seats like I saw on many of the newer (3/4 years) used pontoons here in FL when I was searching for a new Ark.

The hot summer FL sun can fry your brains ( & seats). Its one of the main reasons I'm selling my Sea Cat catamaran now that I've bought a toon. There was very little sun protection on the cat with only a T top. One of my crew looked like a robber with his hoodie and mask... and on a 95 degree hot day. He's a skin cancer survivor.

But, I don't want to void the factory warrantee on my seats by using 303. The stuff is great though. I brought a 10' 15 hp dinghy with me when I moved to FL in 2001. The salt could not wash the 303 off the dinghy. It looked like new when I sold it two years later. 303 has great UV protection on cars. Leave a car sitting in your driveway for a year here and the black rubber trim around your windows and doors will be cracked. With 303, it will be preserved. Amazing stuff, the story is that it was formatted by 3M for the US military in hot climates.

I'm hoping the boat will be delivered next week. Its in WI right now. sitting in a dealers show room, waiting for the flat bed truck. To live in south FL without a boat is cruel and unusual punishment. I lived in MI for 59 years. If I would have know then, what I know now...... "Like A Bat Out of Hell" (Meat Loaf). About 20 years sooner....

Kind regards,

Rascal

Rascal wrote: But, I don't want to void the factory warrantee on my seats by using 303.

Rascal, using 303 on any seats won't void any warranty. Bennington and other boat manufacturers swear by 303 protectents on both vinyl and the 303 fabric protector on bimini tops and their canvas.

And they'll usually tell you to clean vinyl seating with Mean Green. I've found Awesome (Dollar General) and Zep Orange Degreaser to be better cleaners than Mean Green. The Magic Erasers are also great to clean boats.

Bamaman wrote:

Rascal wrote: But, I don't want to void the factory warrantee on my seats by using 303.

Rascal, using 303 on any seats won't void any warranty. Bennington and other boat manufacturers swear by 303 protectents on both vinyl and the 303 fabric protector on bimini tops and their canvas.

And they'll usually tell you to clean vinyl seating with Mean Green. I've found Awesome (Dollar General) and Zep Orange Degreaser to be better cleaners than Mean Green. The Magic Erasers are also great to clean boats.

BABAMAN... Thank you very much for your post.

But..... Please read POST NO.4 In This Topic, I need Premier boat owners knowledge not "what other boat manufactures swear By". A Bennington (good boat) is a Bennington, But a Premier is a PREMIER (lol). It is the Only manufacture to offer NANO BLOCK seats. A "G" series Bennington might be comparable in luxury... but does not have the NANO BLOCK protection. As much as I like 303 and use it on my Lexus, I don't want to hurt the Premier's NANO BLOCK by putting 303 over it. If I had a "S" series Bennington I would put 303 on the seats.

Kind regards,

Rascal


From ishoot: (post No. 4)

I just bought a new Premier and the very well respected dealer warned me not to put anything whatsoever on the seats to protect them especially 303 as it breaks down the "Nano Block Technology" that they are using to protect them. To clean, I was told mild soap and water.

For what its worth...

Dan



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I've been using 303 on my S-Series for the last 2 seasons. It cleans up nice and looks great. Look at the 303 as sunscreen on the seats. the Nano block is great for stain resistancy, but does not block out the UV rays from the sun on the surface of the vinyl. You can see the difference in areas that get missed. Older models I have seen that have the Nano block interiors with no treatment and always in the sun, show the suns damage. Even though Premier says NOT to use it, if you are planning on owning the boat for long... Use it! It will not void the warranty.
Sorry for the late reply, been in Key West for the Superboat Offshore Championships! What a wild week!
Ishoot! Congrats on the new boat!

Bryden24shp wrote:I've been using 303 on my S-Series for the last 2 seasons. It cleans up nice and looks great. Look at the 303 as sunscreen on the seats. the Nano block is great for stain resistancy, but does not block out the UV rays from the sun on the surface of the vinyl. You can see the difference in areas that get missed. Older models I have seen that have the Nano block interiors with no treatment and always in the sun, show the suns damage. Even though Premier says NOT to use it, if you are planning on owning the boat for long... Use it! It will not void the warranty.
Sorry for the late reply, been in Key West for the Superboat Offshore Championships! What a wild week!


Ishoot! Congrats on the new boat!

Thank you for your valued "Premier Owner" reply. As I am in the HOT sun area of SW Florida I d o not want to "bake" the front and rear fishing seats. The center will be protected by the always up canvas. I may just 303....

Rascal