Vinyl Tear Repairs [Archive]

walb0244

08-14-2011, 10:51 PM

Hey guys. I have a spot or two on my vinyl that the best I can tell it looks like someone has patched the vinyl. It looks like basically a paste that was spreaded on the spot to repair a tear possibly. I have a few spots that are on the sun deck where the vinyl is coming apart at the seams. I was wondering if anyone knew about how to repair this so that I could get these small cracks repaired before they get alot worse.

Also, anyone know where the the thread is about placing a board on one of the sides compartmetns so that people walk on the board instead of the vinyl. I thought I had seen it awhile back.

saskyrider

08-22-2011, 08:59 PM

I'm in the same boat!!

KSmith

08-22-2011, 10:17 PM

I'm in the same boat!!

Must be the week for vinyl issues... I just noticed this evening while we were out that I have a small cut on one of the rear locker hatches... had a real workout last weekend with a ton of people in/out of the boat, wakeboard, skis, kneeboards, inflatables, surf boards... something with a sharp edge seems to have gotten the best of my hatch... but it is only about a inch cut now so if I can get it fixed before it gets worse perhaps t won't be so bad. Any vinyl repair product and application knowledge would be greatly appreciated!

KSmith

08-23-2011, 10:19 AM

<BUMP> Come on all ye vinyl repairists chimne in!!

walb0244

08-23-2011, 11:11 AM

Cant believe not one person has any ideas on this.

rc5695

08-23-2011, 11:42 AM

I bought this stuff for a tear on my deck, and am very pleased with it. Put it on per directions, and I'm on 2 seasons now and it still looks fine. Hardly noticable to the untrained eye, even on black. http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=14150&pdesc=Tear_Aid_Repair_Kit_B&aID=600G8&merchID=4006
TIP: No sharp corners! Round them.

As for the seam, where the thread broke and is allowing the 2 different color materials to seperate, I used fishing line. Use the new high-strength stuff (NOT monofilament), like FireWire in an un-noticable color. I heated a medium size sewing needle and bent the tip into a hook-type shape, allowing me to get in the joint better. Going on 2 seasons and again, not noticable to the untrained eye. Shoot, it is barely noticable to the trained eye! i just id it to another seam this season and it is holding up well too. It won't last forever obviously, but should last as long as the rest of it.

eblom

08-23-2011, 12:30 PM

I had some vinyl tears and stains and found these guys... http://www.fibrenew.com They came to the house and fixed everything so it looks like new...

bergermaister

08-23-2011, 03:18 PM

How big of a tear you think you can get away with covering using that TearAid stuff? How wide I should say.

iwaterskihard

08-24-2011, 08:44 AM

After our terrible hail strom this spring my boat suffered some pretty extensive vinyl damage. I bought two packs of Tear Aid and it will save me through the rest of the summer. Stuff works great! However being as anal as I am I will tear it all out this winter and get it fixed properly for my own piece of mind.

One issue I have that I don't like and will fix this winter is "Why when putting these boats together do they not put a piping piece in between the two different colors of vinyl?" It would make life so much better and give the area that little bit of extra give so the seams don't tear when you're extremely busy out on the lake.

brenpire

08-24-2011, 09:08 AM

Your best bet is to take get the ripped/damaged area taken out and replaced with new vinyl. I recently had a rear seat split. The www.fibernew.com guy wanted $125 to repair the 1" split. A local vinyl/upholstery place is replacing the split panel for $60 and I had to pay $50 for a full metre of material. I get to keep the left over material for future use.

I was also told that if you get the vinyl repaired and not replaced it will most likely split again.

rc5695

08-24-2011, 11:46 AM

How big of a tear you think you can get away with covering using that TearAid stuff? How wide I should say.

Good question... You'd have to get the size of the TearAid patch, and then I'd want 1/4-1/2" of lee-way. In other words if the tear is 5" long, I'd want 5.5-6" of TearAid.

Depending on the tear, you might be able to put 2 TearAid patches side-by-side.

Of course the best thing is the replacement, but maybe you're looking at $10 now and getting through the season and then spend the big bucks to get it replaced. It isn't like it can do any more damage if you're going to replace the whole panel anways...

89PROSTAR

08-24-2011, 12:15 PM

The fold down board idea is a good one. I saw it on a Supra at our Boat Buyers get together. It would be a fairly simple thing. Some reinforcing is needed to support a walking surface when the locker door is open. The biggest issue I see, with the locker door open, with a person walking across the "board" they are going to reach for the top of the door as if it's a grab rail. Neither the shock or the hinges are strong enough to support the weight of someone stumbling in or out of the boat. Some additional reinforcement is needed for the door and hinges. I could be wrong...

How about taking the cushion off the center portion (engine hatch) building it up to match the height of the sides and then put seadeck or something over it? If your using it as a sunpad you normally have a towel down anyway. You could still lay on it. That's something I've been thinking about.....

saskyrider

08-25-2011, 03:34 PM

Now i really like the idea of replacing the engine cover vinyl with seadek!!! what would a person do to build it up to the right height? use plywood then fiberglass to seal it??

Geoff

walb0244

08-25-2011, 04:52 PM

Now i really like the idea of replacing the engine cover vinyl with seadek!!! what would a person do to build it up to the right height? use plywood then fiberglass to seal it??

Geoff

I would agree I really like the idea of making the center sea del.

89PROSTAR

08-25-2011, 06:12 PM

Maybe a aluminum frame work over the top of the existing hatch (after the foam is removed) then a layer of the material that is used for the hatch panels. Cover that with sea deck. It would work....It only has to be built up a little. 1" or so. The weight of the framework and the new top panel should be about the same as all the foam was. The exisitng strut should hold it up. Maybe add another one. Another thing I have thought about is taking the center rear bench seat and creating a step doing a similar process as the engine hatch. Just down the middle of the seat, maybe 16" or so. Then you would have a walking surface all the way in. I just don't have the guts to take apart the interior. It's not even a year old....

wolfeman131

08-25-2011, 08:01 PM

Or, you could simply buy a Supra! The 2012's have this mod already done for you.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

rdlangston13

08-25-2011, 08:05 PM

I've got a few cushions that are starting to tear in places. nothing big except for the cooler cushion but that one flew out of my boat. one weird thing is i have some discoloration on the sundeck cushions. my sundeck is white blue and black and i had the boat in my driveway with the cover on for a few days and then i took it off the blue vinyl has blackened. this only happened on the sundeck and the white and grey was unaffected. just blue. any ideas?

bergermaister

09-06-2011, 02:33 PM

For the guys who have successfully used the Tear-Aid stuff on your seats/cushions are you using the Type A or Type B stuff?

Type A : says for fabric holes and tears

Type B : says for vinyl only (but looks like they're talking more for inflatables and air beds)

I think I'm going to have to do a few quick fixes earlier than expected before season is over and winter storage sets in.

rc5695

09-07-2011, 12:23 PM

89PROSTAR

09-07-2011, 12:33 PM

What about this....I have a had our cat visit the boat recently and found a few small claw punctures (about the size of a needle).
The cover is off for 5 mins and the cat is sleeping under the helm....

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=445930&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10118&subdeptNum=10832&classNum=10833

zabooda

09-07-2011, 01:12 PM

I just replace the section that is bad as it doesn't cost much if you disassemble it yourself.

bergermaister

09-07-2011, 01:17 PM

I'll be replacing all of the interior at some point when the budget allows. This is more of a stop-gap measure for me as some small tears and cracks really started taking off in the last month. Multiple places, multiple cushions.

Just ordered some of the Tear Aid B - thanks Ryan!

rc5695

09-08-2011, 12:02 PM