options to replacing side bolsters on a 223 tournament.

[suzukidave]

has anyone deleted the side bolster cushions and found a nice way to cover up the mounting holes on the inside combing? i can obviously fill them and repaint or gelcoat, but that is a big area to paint and match so i am wondering if a strip of hdpe or something else might look good?

i am just not sure i want to replace them. they never get used for anything, they seem to attract dirt and rust stains and the top surface gets scuffed when boarding.

 

[seasick]

If you go with an HDPE strip or starboard, be aware that that stuff expands and contracts at a much greater rate than fiberglass. If you don't allow for expansion ( by mounting with screw slots that allow movement, the strip will buckle and look wavy. The thinner the material, the more obvious and pronounced the waviness will be. If the material contracts it may crack.

 

[suzukidave]

i have pretty good slots worn in their right now unfortunately. they look like bullet holes.

that raises another question though, don't they use hdpe for the trim pieces on the newer boats instead of the fake wood stuff i have? i was thinking of replacing that also. is that stuff pvc?

 

[Ozz043]

Why not replace them ? They look good and will cost the same as any alternative anyway...

 

[suzukidave]

Why not replace them ? They look good and will cost the same as any alternative anyway...

it started with the fact that the best price i can find on replacements are 2" thick and 6" wide while the originals are 5" wide and about an inch thick at most and i was thinking this would make the new ones in the way and contemplating asking for narrower and less foam and that led me to the train of thought that the originals basically do nothing.

there are no bolsters on a tournament 190 and i have never once wished i had them.

i do some prawn and crab fishing which means hauling nasty traps over the gunwales dripping with mud, slime, juice out of the bait bucket and rust. so the bolsters are a dirt trap.

i am just not seeing why i want or need them. i am ordering rear backrests so maybe i will get a matched set of bolsters in case i sell the boat.

 

[journeyman]

SeaDek

You don't need to get SeaDek bolsters unless you want to. Never priced them. A strip of SeaDek material any width or color you want. Enough to just cover the holes or the width of the old bolsters.

 

[Ozz043]

Now that is a great idea Journeyman !

 

[suzukidave]

i have called sea dek and ordered a sample. never seen it in real life and not at all clear on the texture of this stuff. i see it is used as flooring yet it as a foam. durability and stain resistance would be concerns.

 

[DennisG01]

I'm very familiar with SeaDek and that would certainly be a very easy way to cover things up - and it does look/feel nice. It won't be anywhere near as "soft" as true combing pads, though. Installation is a snap as they are peel-n-stick. They're pretty good at stain resistance, but they will be slightly harder to keep clean than the relatively smooth feel of vinyl. Of course, this somewhat depends on which SeaDek material you purchase - the kind that looks like teak has an even rougher feel to it, although the standard stuff isn't all that rougher than vinyl. As far as the actual "durability" of it goes - it's very durable - I wouldn't decide to use it/not use it based on durability.

Noting what you said about mud/slime/juice... If it was me, I would just leave things be as they are and not worry about the holes. Actually, it "is" me, because that's how my Offshore currently is - no trim, and have done nothing about getting rid of the holes. Honestly, the look doesn't bother me and the holes won't ever cause any type of issues like the gel delaminating from moisture since they dry out so easily, being vertical.