Boat Seat Pleat

[brokenrinker]

I'm trying my hand at some amateur work (got the book and video from this site). I want to take a shot at recovering the sun pad on a runabout. I've got two questions;

The old cover has pleats. They look like they were molded into the vinyl not stitched. I'd like to stitch pleats where the original ones were but it occurred to me that water might seep into the needle holes and make a mess of things. Is it kosher to stitch pleats in boat seats? Is there a right or wrong way to do it?

Question two - If I thoroughly screw this sun pad project up will a professional trimmer be able to restore the thing for a reasonable amount of money or would I be pretty much screwed? I'm wanting to do this myself not to save money but because I'd like to learn something about the craft and have the satisfaction of fixing the boat.

[MinUph]

Sewing the pleats would in fact let water enter in the stitching. If the sundeck gets wet water will get in. That said there will be seams anyway. Line the foam with plastic to keep the water off the foam. I would recommend you use the heat sealed pleating as original. It will minimize the amount of seams.
If you screw up and don't damage the wood or foam a trimmer will be able to save you. Don't look for a discount as it would be a new job to them.
  Have fun and give it a shot. Take the piece apart, give yourself some reference marks so when you sew it back together the marks will line up. Use the old patterns if they are still decent. If they are shrunken you may need to make new patterns.
  Lets us know progress and ask questions there are many good people here.

[brokenrinker]

Thanks for the encouraging words. I've been trying to work up the courage to do this.

Where do you get "heat sealed" pleating?

[Mike8560]

Seabrook vinyl for one has  quilted vinyl miami Corp has it

[JuneC]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Marine-Grade-54-White-Pleated-Boat-Vinyl-Nautolex-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem58887259a1QQitemZ380246317473QQptZBoatQ5fPartsQ5fAccessoriesQ5fGear

Pretty good price too.  Nautolex makes good marine vinyl.  Expect to pay between $17 and $20 a yard.  You can google "pleated vinyl" for the heat-pleated stuff.

June