Boat cushions

[Arsydian]

Anyone have a good idea on cleaning boat cushions. I recently purchased a 1984 Catalina 30. Or I wonder the possibilities of new.
All comments welcomed.
Thanks

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Arsydian

Anyone have a good idea on cleaning boat cushions. I recently purchased a 1984 Catalina 30. Or I wonder the possibilities of new.
All comments welcomed.
Thanks

If the covers have zippers you can take the foam out and wash in cold water, gentle cycle, or dry-clean, depending on the material. If the foam is dirty but otherwise intact, you might be able to wash and rinse it out. Otherwise... new foam.

[MarkSF]

At that age, probably both the foam and the covers are done. Time for new. Costs can be reduced by making the covers yourself (watch the how-to videos from Sailrite) and cutting the cushions from foam ordered from Foam Factory.

[Hardhead]

I soaked my sunbrella knock-off boat cushion covers in a plastic bin/tub with a hose water and simple green concoction. Agitated it every hour or so with my hands, and left them soak for about 8 hours. After that, I filled the bin up with hose water a few times to give them a rinse, and agitate out the simple green. After that, I left them draped over the patio furniture to dry, but not in direct sun, for fear of shrinkage. Worked good. Clean and fresh.

You could also add some fabric softener if you like, but I didn't and they seem just as fine to me.

If the current foam is old - in the past, I've used the old foam as templates, and cut new replacement foam out of a foam mattress topper. There are also "foam" stores on the internet, where it's very easy now-a-days to just order new foam to the exact firmness/softness/thickness that you like, and also cut them yourself.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Arsydian

Anyone have a good idea on cleaning boat cushions. I recently purchased a 1984 Catalina 30. Or I wonder the possibilities of new.
All comments welcomed.
Thanks

If they are bunk cushions and original, you can try washing the foam. Soak in bathtub with only a tiny bit of soap. Rinse thoroughly. Hang vertically to dry--it takes days. The cushion covers, wash by hand in cool water. Stretch the seams by hand, and then hang to dry.

It is easy to sew new cushion covers: it is all straight seams. You can use either YKK #5 or #10 for the zippers, or velcro. Velcro's less expensive and more fuss. Depends on if you like to wash the covers once a year. Acrylic canvas makes nice cushion covers, but you can really use any washable fabric that appeals to you. (You want stuff that you can pre-shrink, though.) CF has a sewing group here: Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Sewing Group. Boat canvas projects

I've never ordered foam online. We generally go into a foam store, and body-test the foam before buying bunk cushions. The settee cushions, firm as you like, remember, you may sleep there from time to time. Firmer foam lasts longer, too. Anyhow, the store will cut from your old cushions, too.

My Jim bought a $25 Singer, and made cockpit cushions for his 30 footer before we went to HI in it. One's never too old to learn to sew, and it can be very rewarding as you approach more expensive projects.


Good luck with it.

Ann