Conference unifix::sailing

    
    I made new cushion covers last winter.  Our foam was still in good
    shape so we didn't buy new.  
    
    I would recommend NOT buying a plaid material.  I matched every
    stripe and line and it was a royal pain.  Boat cushions (at least
    ours) have a less than streamline shape.  I put zippers in so that
    they could be easilly removed for washing.  Good fabric is expensive
    but well worth the investment, considering the time it takes to
    make them.
    
    I also did the curtins in the same material and it looked really
    nice.  I used a navy - with red and green windowpane design.
    
    Look in the yellow pages for foam.  I got some for my sofa (at home)
    at Calico Corners in Acton.  Give them a try.
    

    I am still on my original cushions, however have used additional
    closed cell foam under the berths.  This provides a much better
    sleeping surface and my sholders no longer "fall asleep" during
    the night.  When I do replace mine, I intend to used a mix of closed
    cell as the base and the softer open cell as the top layer.
    
    As for growing mildew, I believe it just comes with the turf.  I
    treat **ALL** below decks wood with lemon oil at least once a year.
    This seems to reduce the white stuff considerably.  I also keep
    the interor slightly warmer than outside with an Airdryer (Boat
    US about 40 bucks) to keep condensation down.  The lemon oil also
    smells better than most teck products.
    
    

    I did some boat cushions a few years ago.  You can get foam from
    National Foam and Cushion on Atlantic Ave in Boston.  They have
    closed foam in a variety of thicknesses and densities and when I
    bought my foam, they had by far the best prices around.  While you
    are in Boston, you can go down to the garment district on Kneeland
    Street.  They have all sorts of fabrics there at prices that really
    let you know the margin they have in the malls!

    A friend works for a company called Rogers Foam in Somerville. 
    I asked her why the manufacturers she sell to (Tillotson Pearson,
    Pearson Yachts, Boston Whaler etc.) use open cell instead of closed
    cell foam.  Several interesting points.
    
    First, the open cell, if quality stuff, has much better "memory"
    and will always return to shape.  The closed cell won't.  It will
    eventually squish down and not return to shape.
    
    The comfort of quality open cell is much better.  She described
    closed cell cushions like sleeping on soft wood.
    
    You have to get reticulated foam which is foam that has been chemically
    treated to remove the film between the bubbles so that water can
    drain straight through.  Cheap open cell won't have this feature,
    so watch out!  Without this quality it will hold water and turn
    to a mold factory.  Note that the best outdoor furniture maker,
    Brown Jordan, uses open cell that drains right through and dries
    quickly.
    
    The boat builders treat the foam with a mildew inhibitor.  You can't
    do this with closed cell, and even though the water won't penetrate
    the foam, it will sit on top and mildew on the surface.
    
    The one advantage of the closed cell is that it floats, giving an
    impromtu cushion in an emergency.  
    
    Now I know more about foam than I ever thought I would have to!
    
    Dave

    Does anyone have long term (more than a year or two) experience
    with the new style cockpit cushions which are made from closed cell
    foam covered with some sort of vinyl coating?
    
    I hadn't paid much attention to them in the past because they
    reminded me of the material used in a lot of cheap beach/pool
    type flotation devices for kids. That stuff tended to crack,
    flake, craze, and disintegrate pretty quickly. 
    
    Show boats usually don't have the cushions out and I didn't notice
    any trend at the Newport show this year, but last week at Annapolis
    those that did heavily favored the new style.

    At nearly $400 bucks a set, I'd like to have somebody's assurance
    other than the maker that they'll hold up.

    John_R

    Re the cockpit cushions...they shouldn't cost anywhere neatr
    $400...there are some ready made in the $25 range at Boat US.
    
    I'm also interested in how they hold up. 

    I've decided this is the year for us to upgrade our interior cushions
    on our Pearson 303 as well.  You might be interested in checking out
    fabric at Malden Mills located on Route 28 in Lawrence, Mass. (just
    over the Metheun line).  They have excellent prices.  The factory
    showroom is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays (12-5) I think!  I think I
    will do my own sewing too (given the price estimates I gotten locally!).
    I am switching to plastic zippers this time - the metal ones don't
    really last.  Do you know where I can get small plastic zipper material
    by the yard?  Finally, depending upon the type of material you end up
    using, the sewing can be easier if you coat the tread with some
    silicone before it feeds through the needle.  I rig up a system so the
    thread passes over a cotton ball lubricated with the silicone.  This
    system helps if you are using heavy fabric or one that causes tension
    on the foot plate of your sewing machine.  Let me know how your project
    works out.  I think this is going to be a very big time consuming
    activity for me this winter!

    Try FABRIC PLACE in Woburn, in the same mall as Lechmere. They have
    there own entrance on the back side of the mall. They also have a store
    in Framingham. They carry a broad range of sewing related supplies. 

re .last:

The Fabric Place doesn't have big plastic zippers (or at least they didn't a 
year or so ago). We got them from Sailrite (the kit sail people). 

Note:   There are big plastic zippers of different flavors.  Those made 
for sailmakers have a tooth design which is supposedly more resistant to 
unintentional opening behind the zipper.  REI (for example) carries big
zippers, but not as rugged as those from a sailmaker. 

Try Bainbridge & Howe, who used to be down along the Boston Waterfront 
near Lewis Wharf.  They have *everything*.

J.

I need to replace two 6-foot coil zippers on cockpit cushions.
Can someone recommend a place in the Northern part of Massachusetts?

Dan

    The 19 year old cushions were looking pretty sad on the outside, with 
    a plaid material Link and Julie on Mod Squad would really groove on. So
    this year we decided to replace. Prices from 3 sites ranged from
    900-1400 bucks for Sunbella material, retriculated foam, SS zippers
    etc.
    
    Following on an idea my wife was given "Call Camper places and ask who
    they use, it is always cheaper", we found a place in Fitchburg called
    Wachusett Seat Cover. It is on the Fitchburg/Leominster line behind
    Rick Starr Toyota. They do a lot of boat work besides cars and campers.
    
    Dave asked to look at foam for reuse. It was his idea, as I was
    expecting to get all new everything. When we brought it in, he
    pronouced it very fit and only needed to be steamed be bring back the 
    original shape. Total came to $650, the cushions look mavelous, and the
    job was completed on the day requested.
    
    Dave is there till noon on Saturdays and is around weekdays from 7-5.
    Real nice guy. Phone is 508 537-8595.
    
    So if you are looking for new cushions, get away from the coast and
    call some camper places for names.
    
    
       john

	Re 1004.12

	How many cushions was that price for?

	Mike

    re .13
    
      two 6' bow cushions   9" in front, 36" at back
      two 6'x2' curved side cushions
      one 2'x2' cushion
    
      This also included material on all sides so that the cushions could
      be reversed should there be an "accident". If I had reused the
      orginal bottoms, the price would have been less as the sunbrella is
      fabric is not cheap. Close to $150 less.
    
      By the way,the sunbella really looks nice. I was nervious that it
    would come out stiff looking like that sunbella material they use for
    mainsail covers. But it actually more like the material on outdoor
    patio furiture, only finer and less plastic feeling.
    
    
    john

>>    So if you are looking for new cushions, get away from the coast and
>>    call some camper places for names.

Make sure they use non-rusting zippers etc. I've seen a lot of landlubber
gear that just isn't the same as the marine stuff even though it looks the
same at first glance.

--RS    

    My wife runs an furniture reupholstery and drapery mfg business out
    of our home. She made cockpit cuishons for my 19' sailboat.
    Sunbrella fabric over closed cell foam cuishons. The closed cell foam
    absorbs no water at all, so if they get wet, the cuishons dry in the
    sun very quickly. Closed cell foam is very dense and expensive.
    1.25 inch thick is fine to sit on in the cockpit. I believe that
    her cost for around 12 feet of 24" wide closed cell faom was close
    to $100.
    
    For interior cuishons, there are many grades and density of regular
    (open celled) foam. You get what you pay for. If one buys foam
    on price alone, you get the lowest density, and it takes a lot more 
    inches to get the same cuishoning effect as with a higher density foam.
    On lots of furniture that she reupholsters, she reuses the foam. As
    long as it isn't breaking down, steaming it brings it back to nearly
    "like new" resiliency (but not original color).
    
    The original cabin cuishons provided by the mfg for my boat (tenth
    season this year) are going strong. I can't believe that I went 3 or
    4 years sitting on bare fibreglass cockpit seats tho. The cockpit
    cusihons make a world of difference.
    
    All zippers used on marine applications should be plastic.
    
    Bill
    

John 

How have your cushions held up?

It is time to be replacing cushions on Holiday II.  Well actaully is is 5 
10 years past time.

I want to simply use an old one as a template and a trial horse.

Doug Claflin
dtn 381 6355

    re .17
    
    Doug
    
       Quite well. Except for where one the trick wiring for the cd boom
    box pulled, crossed and smoldered the fabric  [nothing like an
    electrical engineer to screw up a simple wire job..], they held up fine.
    
    I am getting ready to take the covers off and wash them, as they are
    a bit dusty from their stays in the basement. The old foam is a good as
    ever.
    
       The sunbrella has 1 great advantage. I had two leaks (1 at a
    hatch cover, one where we didn't bed a pulley properly), the water
    beaded up on top of the cover for an easy cleanup with no
    water getting into the foam. They are very comfortable to sleep on.
    
        If I had to do again, I'd go with a darker color (I used a light
    blue fabric) so the dirt doesn't show as bad. Other than that, I have
    no complaints. I went back last year and had custom built sail 
    and tiller covers. They look killer. The guy does really nice
    work at a fair price, and backs it up 100%. 
    
     

Thanks,

I think I will try my first cushion there and see what happens.

I told Fred to get used to navigating off of my stern this
springs.  I can't explain how come you follow me, when my
PHRF is over 100 higher than yours, other than my "crack" crew.

Boat work this weekend.

Doug ;-)

dtn 381-6355