Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

[Chef Shawn]

Stupid phone isn't uploading pictures, how the hell do you get the back cushions off in a Chris Craft Bowrider? I have two missing as is (just the screw holes remain) and three more to get off and get repaired. So if you were sitting on your butt, in the front of the boat, the cushions your back would rest against.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

Stupid phone isn't uploading pictures, how the hell do you get the back cushions off in a Chris Craft Bowrider? I have two missing as is (just the screw holes remain) and three more to get off and get repaired. So if you were sitting on your butt, in the front of the boat, the cushions your back would rest against.

Ayuh,.... Usually, there's access, Somewhere, to get yer hand in there to unscrew 'em,...

 

[DBreskin]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

In my Four Winns bowrider (and I suspect many others) the bow seatback cushions are attached to the cap (the part of the hull above the rubrail) before it is attached to the main hull. There is no access after the boat is assembled unless you remove the cap. An upholstery shop suggested to me that if I wanted to remove the cushions I should take a hacksaw blade and slip it behind the cushion to cut the screws.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

too bad they aren't attached with snaps, especially if there is no access; plenty of boats are made that way and it's great b/c you can remove the cushions and not have to cover the boat. You can also go without them, depending on what you are doing that day.

It's short-sighted to make a boat (or anything) with "permanent" features that have a shorter natural life span than the whole boat. But it's cheaper and sells that kind of boat.

 

[Georgesalmon]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

Can't help you but I want to say something. A long time a go (once upon a time) I was a kid installing bow cushions using screws through the front with finish washers and snap caps. Easy to remove. Then I was told to screw them on from the back side before the deck was installed on the boat. Dumb me said "why, you can't ever get them off once the deck is installed". I was told that the "market" (people buying boats) didn't like the look of exposed fasteners and we had to keep up with other manufacturers in order to keep sales good and me have a job. So, don't always blame the manufacturers because often its the buying public that determine how things are done. The boat has to look good at the expense of maintenance down the road. This happened more times than I can count during my 40 years of boat building at several manufacturers both aluminum and fiberglass.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

*Usually* you can access the attachment bolt/nut by going down into the storage area under the seat cushion, then reach (contort) your arm back up to touch the seatbacks. Sometimes having a younger child is helpful, lol. If the storage area under the bow seats is sealed off, then you're probably screwed and will need to slip a hacksaw behind the cushion to cut the screws/bolts holding it on.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

I have a '96 CC bowrider and once the clips on the bottom are unscrewed simply lift up...hard! Thye had clips (shaped like a square 's') The seat and cushion backing are plastic and have holes that the clips slip into...I will say someone (during original install) bent one of the factory clips and obviously the pads were put in before the fiberglass liner and someone used one screw with a washer...i just kept pulling until the screw pulled thru the plastic seat backing.. PITA! All the others came out fine!

~Brett

 

[Chef Shawn]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

I appreciate the replys, but it is sealed, no way to reach behind the fiberglass. They are foam/vinyl attached to wood, screwed into the fiberglass somehow, odd. Guess I'll just take the other two of them off (vinyl is gross and cracked) and look around for a DIY replacement. Any ideas guys? Can't find any good archived threads....

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

..... and look around for a DIY replacement. Any ideas guys? Can't find any good archived threads....

Contact a local upholstery shop. I make bowrider cushions and coaming pads all the time. Aftermarket SS hangers that slip in the backs of the cushions so that they are removable by simply pulling up on them.

 

[bajaunderground]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

Contact a local upholstery shop. I make bowrider cushions and coaming pads all the time. Aftermarket SS hangers that slip in the backs of the cushions so that they are removable by simply pulling up on them.

That what I was referring too...although it's always a possibility that the boat manufacturer attached with T-nuts and bolts prior to installing cap...if that's the case, what a bad design idea!? :noidea:

 

[Chef Shawn]

Re: Bowrider Seat Cushions - HTH Do these come off?

Thanks everyone, I'll look into a local place