When my husband and I bought a 1998 Fisher pontoon for what we thought was a steal, the first thing we had to do was replace the dry rotted vinyl on all the seats. The pontoon had been out in the sun for eight years and each seat had cracked and split vinyl with exposed foam padding, rotting and disintegrating every time it was touched. It did not provide for a comfortable seating arrangement; after all, the reason you buy a pontoon boat is to be able to take all your friends with you on the river. When we visited the nearby marine upholstery store, we were shocked to discover that it was going to cost over $1200 to have our boat upholstered by someone else. As a mediocre seamstress, I decided I would look into doing the work myself.
Materials needed for this project: sharp heavy-duty scissors, marine vinyl, heavy-duty leather needles for your sewing machine, heavy-duty thread, foam sheets (1″ thick), foam adhesive, steel pins a durable seam ripper, staple gun, stainless steel staples, long-handled screwdriver, pliers, electric screwdriver, ziploc bags, a marker,
Step 1
I first visited my nearby fabric store to see what they had available. After searching the internet for marine vinyl, I was surprised to find a wide variety of colors at Hancock Fabrics and the cost was reasonable, better than online prices. If your fabric store doesn’t have marine vinyl, ask if they can order it for you. With that said, let me remind you that dark colors attract and retain heat. They also fade quickly, so I suggest you go for a light color like cream or white for comfort and wearability. While I was there I also bought heavy duty leather needles for my Singer sewing machine. That’s right, I used my old sewing machine to do all the work, but I bought at least two packs of leather needles. I would also buy the longer pins that the store has. Look for the foam rubber in the store. Purchase several 1″ thick sheets of flat foam that can be laid over worn and disintegrated foam that has been exposed to the sun.
Step 2
Remove the seats from the boat and remove the seats, including the seat cushion, backrests, and any other covered parts. Start by first removing all the hardware that attached each seat to the boat. Thank goodness for electric screwdrivers! Once you’ve removed the hardware from the seat, place it in one of the ziplock bags and label it for each seat. This way you won’t lose anything and it will be easier for you to reposition the seats and ensure a good fit.
Step 3
When the seats are removed, the next step is to remove the covers from the seat frame. Flip the seats over and remove the fabric by lifting the staples on the bottom. In my case, my frame was plastic, still in pretty good shape, and it was relatively easy to remove the staples. Using the pliers and screwdriver, remove the covers by inserting a long-handled screwdriver under the seam and simply prying up the frame staples.
Step 4
The easiest way to reupholster a boat seat is to use the old fabric as a pattern for the new fabric. Using a seam ripper, carefully separate the cover into the pattern pieces. Lay the fabric out on a large flat surface and place the old fabric face down on top. I then used a marker to trace an outline of the pattern onto the vinyl, but if you feel confident go ahead and cut out the new fabric by tracing around the edges of the pattern. I gave myself an extra ½ inch margin around the outside of each pattern piece. I also suggest you make each seat one at a time so you don’t mix up the pieces. Pin the pieces together as if they were separated and sew them together. The first seat will be the most difficult and with each additional seat you will get better with the experience. With that in mind, decide which of your seats you want to look the best and do it last.
step 5
Once you’ve completed the deck, it’s time to check the foam. If the underlying foam is in good condition, then you are ready to re-cover it. If not, cut out the rotten foam and, using foam adhesive, glue the old and new foam together trying to keep the original shape.
step 6
At this point, you will need a partner to lay the cover on the foam and firmly snap it back into position. Pull hard to remove wrinkles. Vinyl can take a lot of pulling. Once in position, staple with the stainless steel staples. Stainless steel staples are more expensive, but they won’t rust or ruin the vinyl once you’re back in the water. Staple four equal spots on the frame, then pull and staple the fabric around the seat.
step 7
Put the seats back in the boat. Take a step back and admire your handiwork. You just saved yourself a ton of money. In my case I was able to save approximately $950 by doing it myself.
step 8
Now is the time to protect your like new dock by purchasing an inexpensive dock cover with a 4 or 5 year warranty. This should eliminate additional cleaning required due to the pelican’s last flight or the rapid deterioration and discoloration of vinyl that has been left in the sun for long periods of time.