looking for opinions on carpet seam

[HopinImFloatin]

the carpets I have been looking at sold 6 or 8 feet wide. This is not enough to lay across the deck AND up the sides. It will go all the way across the deck though. I was trying to decide which way to lay it, running it port to stern at the 8 foot width and having a seam across near the ski locker, or doing the deck in one piece to where it meets the hull side and doing the sides separately and having a seam all along the deck "outline". Info on how others have done this would be great. Btw, its an 18 foot i/o bowrider

 

[archbuilder]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

Without seeing the layout, I would have a tendency to run the lenght parallel to the lenght of the boat. It seems like having the seam in the walk area would lend itself to fraying. FYI I put mine down with 3M super 90, I will never use carpet glue again. It works great, just spray both sides and put it in place. I did small sections at a time worked my way from the stern to the bow. You don't have to mess with a trowel or worry about it squishing out.

 

[saltwaterbluefish]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

I would suggest running it port to stern as suggested and run another piece up the sides so the seam is where the deck meets the side of the inside hull. Archbuilder is right you do not want to put the seam in the path of heavy traffic. If you have side cushions that will hide the seam you are golden or you could use a piece of pvc trim (can get from Lowes in different shapes and sizes) to cover the seam.

I have used both outdoor carpet adhesive and the 3M spray stuff. I had much better sucess with the adhesive you trowel followed by some heavy duty rolling to smooth things down than with the 3M. The 3M didn't seem to hold it down as well as I would have liked.

 

[HopinImFloatin]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

sorry, i just realized i wrote port to stern, actually meant port to starboard, (tired:facepalm. Im just not sure that i can hide that seam well enough all the way around the deck. I guess it depends on how well the carpet is made as to how well it will blend together?

 

[HopinImFloatin]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

the side carpet is visible from the deck to almost all the way up to the cap. ill see if i can find a pic before i tore the deck out

 

[HopinImFloatin]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

see if this pic works

...nope

 

[HopinImFloatin]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

thats better, you can see the old carpet going up the starboard side

 

[archbuilder]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

Its a little hard to telll without the deck down, but I think I would run it stern to bow. I think you can hide the seam in the corner pretty well. If you go back with dark carpet, would paint the glass a color close to your carpet before you put it down. that way if you have a small gap it won't stick out because of the contrast. Works well with the super 90.

 

[HopinImFloatin]

Re: looking for opinions on carpet seam

thanks for the info, im waiting on the fuel tank to come back so i can put the deck down. Im just trying to get all my ducks in a row so come carpet time im not just staring into the hull with the dumb look on my face. I catch myself doing that ALOT! something to be said about having a plan i guess