Vinyl seat skins

[Morgan Jane]

I was informed by my local Sea Ray dealer that since my boat is still in production, I can get all new seat skins for all my exterior vinyl cushions. It involves 9 different cushions. 6 in the cockpit and 3 in the helm area. This does not include the 2 helm chairs. My boat is a 2005 and the cushions are showing their wear. Don't know what the price is going to be but I know it won't be easy on the wallet should I decide to buy them. And if I buy them, I still have to have someone install the new skins. What do you think a reasonable price would be is the question for just the skins. 1K?, 2K?, 3K?, 4K?, higher, Much higher? the point is, at some point it just makes sense to repair what you have and live with the faded colors. Not sure where that point is. Just looking for opinions. and I do plan on keeping the boat for a long time.


Bill

 

[Ka1oxd]

Installing them is strait forward. They are just stapled in to the frame. The frame however might need some work. I use stuff on the seats all summer that has UV protection. I cannot remember the name of the stuff, but I bought it at a car place and it comes in a silver spray bottle for automotive vinyl. I have also used Turtle Ice and ArmourAll. Keeps the water proof and prevents tears and fading. I also keep the boat under cover, either the camper back or a mooring cover to keep the sun off of them. The seats in my boat are 24 years old, and I am not the first owner. What a difference after the first coat.

 

[fwebster]

Just wait until you can't live with it anymore and have a local canvas shop do the whole cockpit including the helm seats. Down here in Florida where we have good tradesmen on the water that's about a $3500 job. Just about the most expensive way to recover a seat is with a new skin from Sea Ray simply because you have 2 high margin vendors in the line ahead of you.....both Sea Ray and the dealer expect to keystone prices.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Well, the skins may or may not be available. Won't know till inventory is checked. Within 5 years, pretty much guaranteed. After that, it's kind of hit or miss. After 10 years - pretty much no chance.

But, like Frank said, going through a dealer will be the most expensive route. It's not that Sea Ray or dealerships are gouging people - it's just a fact that businesses are in business to make money. If they didn't, they wouldn't be in business. The more times a product changes hand, the more the cost goes up. I work at a dealership and even accounting for my discount, I would not buy the skins through Sea Ray. Besides, there's a possibility that if you don't replace everything, the new stuff may not match. I'm referring to the graining/pattern not matching, not because of fading.

Another reason not to buy the skins from Sea Ray... if not now, very soon the skins will surely be unavailable. If you need to replace a piece down the road, you're stuck HOPING that a local guy can match it up. Having a local guy do it now will not only establish a relationship, but having the stuff done locally also increases the chances that the same vinyl will be available later as typically the vinyl is a more common vinyl and not something specially made (which it may or may not be from Sea Ray - sometimes they get special stuff).

I got a ballpark quote of about $2K to do all of my cockpit seats. Granted I've got less to do than you, but that pricing falls roughly in line with Frank's $3,500.

If your vinyl is still soft and pliable, maybe it just needs a thorough cleaning. Or, maybe you can get away with doing some spot dying.

 

[Morgan Jane]

Thanks for all the feed back. I got a price from Sea Ray for skins for all 10 pieces. I have 7 pieces in the back cockpit and 3 pieces in the Helm area(does not include Helm chairs). Total price-$3600. Takes 2 weeks. However, couldn't find anyone that would install the covers and gaurantee the fit because they didn't make them. Kind of makes sense to me. The only reason I even thought about buying skins from See Ray is because the first person I went to told me it was easier and cheaper to buy them from Sea Ray. I ran into the Canvas guy who has a shop at our local Sea Ray dealer and he gave me a price of $2700 for the back 7 pieces to make the skins and install them himself. And that way he would gaurantee them. Says they will look better than new. The 3 pieces on the helm are in very good shape and I won't replace them unless they end up looking totally different from the new ones that are being made. He wants $1500 for those. So the total for all 10 pices would be $4200. Thanks again Frank. Your $3500 quote makes me feel a little better. I am sure once I see the new rear cockpit cushions, I will just have him do the 3 pices on the helm also.

Bill

 

[twomad]

I just did my double wide helm and double wide back to back fold down seat. I removed the skins myself and took them to a local shop and he copied my old skins with top quality marine vinyl for 700$ and i installed them myself. They look awesome and a perfect fit. I can see why the shops charge so much. They was a lot of time spent on removing the old and installing the new plus 40$ in stainless staples. I used about 3500 staples and removed the same amount.

 

[HUMPH]

I would do the same but I want some additional padding and repair to the padding that has sagged on one corner. I will remove the panels and if need be the staples but I will leave it to the pros to install and make better than new.

 

[Floatgoat246]

Hey guys can someone post number to call searay to ask about the vynals? Appreciate you all.

 

[Floatgoat246]

Hey guys can someone post number to call searay to ask about the vynals? Appreciate you all.

Need entire helm area for 06 searay sedan bridge 58’

 

[fwebster]

Sea Ray has never sold seat skins for larger boats. The 58DB has been out of production and the production line has been converted to making only 40' and smaller cruisers. That means that they have liquidated all remaining parts and vinyls for the yacht class boats……. usually to Flounder Pounder which is located almost around the corner from Sea Ray on Merritt Island FL.

They have a good easy to manage website and even have a Sea Ray division.

For seat repairs or recovers you will likely end up going to a local upholstery shop to get new covers made for your 58.

 

[Quint4]

11 year post resurrection....pretty good!

 

[sbw1]

I replaced the skins on my 3200 with product from the Tiara factory. They charged over $5000 for the skins and I had our local canvas guy install them for a few hundred dollars. That was about 5 years ago so with inflation it would be more today. It was pricey but the boat looked brand new again after 13 years of use.