How to remove boat back rests?

[cboy]

I didn't get 15 minutes into my boat upholstery project and I'm already stumped.  How are these back rests normally attached?  This is a Tidecraft bass/ski boat.

I expected to able to reach up behind the hull and find some bolts or nuts that fastened these in place.  But I don't feel anything up there.  They wouldn't just glue these on would they?  Or is there some sort of clip that they push down into?  I didn't want to get too violent with them if there is some simple trick to get them off.

[Darren Henry]

Check for screws hidden between the folds of fabric from the front or run in from the back.

If  that fails; gently pry the heck out of it and run a hacksaw blade through whatever is holding it . then you'll know.

I'm not familiar with that boat but my spider sense crystal  ball says screws from the back side run so flush into the 'glass that you can't feel them easily.

[cboy]

Thanks Darren,  I'll give it another closer check on the back side.  It they are screws, they are going to be a bear to get out...very little room for the screwdriver...even a right angle screwdriver.

[wind_rose_2]

most likely a z channel and you have to push them up to remove.
Dave

[cboy]

most likely a z channel and you have to push them up to remove.
Dave

That's good to hear...I didn't want to try to force it upwards too much until I knew if this was a possible mounting option.  Thanks.  I'll try it out tomorrow.

[JuneC]

Are you replacing the vinyl?  I don't agonize too long over this stuff.  Just slice the vinyl along the edges with a box cutter, peel back the foam and see what the heck you're dealing with. 

June

[Highvelocity]

Are you replacing the vinyl?  I don't agonize too long over this stuff.  Just slice the vinyl along the edges with a box cutter, peel back the foam and see what the heck you're dealing with. 

June

Good point June, if you are going to redo them anyway why not cut the vynl and see whats doing.  If they are rusted bolts or screws, get a hand grinder and have at it.

[cboy]

Finally got back to working on the boat.  Discovered that the cushions (as well as all the other upholstered trim on the boat)  are held in place with screws that are run through the face of the fabric and then all the way through the foam until the heads  catch the plywood backer board and secure it to the hull.  Behind each of those white stripes (which lay on top of the red fabric rather than being sewn to it) shown in the OP there was a little tiny hole.  And if you run a phillips head screwdriver through the hole and on through the foam, you can find the head of the screw.  So those white stripes actually are there to mask the holes.

I don't really care for that fastening system so I'm thinking through some alternatives I might use when I put it all back together.  But thought I'd pass along what I discovered.

[Mike8560]

YOu could use Z clips instead ./ in the past when i didnt have any available Iinstalled a large head of a bolt sticking out, abnd then drill a hole in the boat to fit the bolt head then cut a slot down about a 1/2" in the bottom of the hole making a keyhole slot the bolt head fits through the hole then slips down into the slot. to hold the backrest down install a screw in the underside of the cushion throgh the vinyl. the hole will not be seen on the bottom ive seen stock boat done this way with z clips to hold them down and some also have a metal tab for a screw too htat sticks down a bit inder the backrest.

[stitcher_guy]

Good deal on the seat backs. Most of the pontoons we get in here are held like that. However, I also get a ton of smaller Bajas, Rinkers and Mastercrafts (under 24 feet). These backs are bolted up to the hull from the backside. It was done before the top and bottom was sealed together. Easy to get to when it's split apart.  When I can, I snake my arm in behind to get at the bolts. I've even widened out speaker openings to get in there. When that isn't possible, I pry like heck and break the old cushions off the wall. Then I make a J-hook that screws to the back of the seat and I cut open a slit in the hull where the J-hook will fit. Small tab under the cushion to screw it in at the bottom, and it's resecured.

[JuneC]

On a Contender I did recently (35' monster), the "Z" clips were different than I'd seen before.  Most Z's hook into a round hole in the backer board, usualy 1/2" thick.  These Z's were skinny and hooked into basically a 1" wide strap that was screwed into the fiberglass.  Somewhere recently - I think it was Trivantage - that had Z clips with a 1/8" offset.  I think that's what Contender used.  The strap on the hull had a small bump-out that accepted the clip and it was VERY secure.  It was a new one on me, but I really liked the setup.  A small screw under the bottom, just above the welt, stopped the whole assembly from moving up and off the strap/clip. 

June

[Mike8560]

On a Contender   A small screw under the bottom, just above the welt, stopped the whole assembly from moving up and off the strap/clip. 

June

did the screw go through the vinyl June? or did it have  the little metal tab?

[stitcher_guy]

Anytime I see that, the screw going through the vinyl, it just screams WRONG at me. lol. I'm one who likes to use few seams possible to keep seepage down, all that. So why put an extra hole in the darned thing when you can affix a tab to the underneath side?

[Peppy]

I call screw holes through the face of a pad vents Russ. That way they aren't a cheezie way to attach a pad, they're a design element! They make your boat go faster!

[JuneC]

did the screw go through the vinyl June? or did it have  the little metal tab?

They had made a tab simply from a short piece of webbing stapled to the back of the board.  A screw through that with a cup washer into the deck was impossible to see unless you got down on your knees.  

I've seen other boats where they put drainage grommets underneath and used those as access holes to screw directly through the board into the deck. 

June