New Ordering Questions (interior, covers, etc.)

'Lo all!

My wife and I are placing an order Tuesday for a 2018 SPO-190 Outboard (actually, wensite references "SPX" but, the ordering sheet we're drafting with assist of rep reads "SPO" (?)

In any event, the Sea Ray website seems (to me) to be woefully dearth of illustrations and detailed depictions of the various flooring and/or cover options.

CUSHIONS

This is sort of a biggie as, the difference between the "standard" interior cushions and the "upgrade" ("Sahara" or "Cognac") is $4,000 ... FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!

Friends with a pontoon who're unable to cover their boat have terrible problems with black spot mildew all over ONLY THE WHITE portions of their cushions while the colored, "accents" portions of the cushions remain mildew free (Sidenote question: What's up with that, mildew only on white vinyl?)

Other neighbors who have a 17-year old Sea Ray 19-footer have ABSOLUTELY ZERO mildew anywhere on their seats; and,

we are not sure if the absence of any mildew anywhere in their interior is because they religiously cover their boat with a full-length, all around, down to the run rails snap-on cover (Question: I'm guessing that is a "mooring cover?) OR, if the absence of any mildew on their cushions is because they upgraded to all colored cushions when they ordered their boat 17 years ago or, if it's because they never leave their boat in-covered?

(Their cushions do not have any white on them which leads me to suspect they may have upgraded 17 years ago but, Unfortunately, they are abroad and I can't reach them to ask, before we visit with our dealer in 2 days)

I guess the question is: Is the interior up grade for $4,000. really ANYWHERE worth it? (I mean, that's a 1/4 of the price toward a jet ski I am obtaining, soon!!!)


FLOORING:

I am torn between ordering NO flooring; "snap-in" carpeting; or, "vinyl woven" (whatever that is) carpeting. I realize from reading threads here on CSR there is something out there called Sea Dek but, I don't know what those pieces cost or, if they are even in our budget, at this point.

With a freshwater faucet and hose right smack on our dock,
I really dig being able to simply rinse an exposed fiberglass deck off every time we bring the boat back; however; my co-captain is not quite as practical as I am

We both know though, we absolutely must be able to remove and replace whatever flooring we do get, in order to rinse it off, etc., etc. wen necessary.

(We have friends take us out on their boats and those with "carpets" semi-permanently installed and not easily removed in between outings have a real predicament on their hands. Even if they keep the rest of the boat looking new, those carpets age quickly and not-at-all kindly and so even one friend lamented his boat looks like crap solely because of the carpet ...)

Anyhoo, hoping we might receive some good feedback on Sea Rays two options: (#1 being the low-end option of "snap-in" carpeting; or, 2) the next step-up, "vinyl woven" (whatever that is) and as to best option for:
1) ease of removal, rinsing and re-install (I.e., overnight); and,
2) appearance and durability.

COVERS and CANVAS

We know we absolutely must get a Bimini cover; however; our #1 priority when we're not using the boat is keeping the boat looking new.

When the boat is not in use it will be under our covered, floating dock up on a HydroHoist and we are unsure as to whether we need:
1) a "cockpit cover with bow tonneau"; IN ADDITION TO,

2) a full-length, all around, down to the run rails snap-on cover (Question: I'm guessing that is a "mooring cover?)

I say "in addition to" a mooring cover as we know we need a mooring cover to cover the boat during the winter months when the boat will be up on its lift and not used, at all, for 3 or more months.

I guess the best way to phrase this question is:

WHICH SEA RAY COVER OPTION IS THE BEST TO COVER OUR BOAT WITH DURING THE SEASON AND IN BETWEEN OUTINGS, since our dock, boat and lift are mere steps away from our back door?

Whew! Gonna stop here.

Thanks in advance for your experience, time, input (and patience)!

Question 1) Cushions, mold is growing on the colored seats as well, just not seen as well. Good maintenance is the key. Question 2) Flooring, personal preference, Light colored factory carpet is cool to stand on and easy to clean. Woven vinyl can be very hot. Question 3) Cockpit covers are great, but can be a real PIA to put on and off. But will protect from spider poop with that covered dock. Just my 2 cents

Your 2 cents is gold to us ... Thank YOU!!! (didn't occur to us about the woven vinyl being hotter than the carpet!)

I suggest the standard seats... 4000.00 could redo the entire ulpholstery. The woven vinyl flooring is amazing, I love it, but Sea Deck is a foam that probably costs somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500.00 and can be added at anytime. If it were me I would stay away from carpet as it's always wet and ages quickly. As far as covers... I would get a full cover, just clarify with Your dealer. And the Bimini top is a must if you plan to be out in the sun for any length of Time.

I can help with the flooring question since I've tried 3 approaches.

The factory snap in carpet has a black latex rubber bacling that holds water and degrades very quickly. The hotter the temperatures, the quickler the backing will come apart and stick t othe deck underneath. Within 18 months you will be back here posting questions about how to repair the carpet backing and how to get it off of your deck. There is no permanent fix and the backing has to be removed with a plastic scraper or by using rubbing compound and a lot of elbow grease.

There is an aftermarket carpeting that is far superior to the factory snap in carpets. It is manufactured by Corinthian Marine Carpets:

https://www.corinthian-marine-carpet.com/products?product_type_id=1

Corinthian has a PVC backing that will not break down in the heat and doesn't absorb water. My Corinthian carpets set was replaced after 10 years only because the carpet itself became stained with soot from forklift exhausts at our marina. I also like the fact that you can custom make your own template to get a much better fit than Sea Ray OEM carpets. My boat is used in Corinthian's advertising and it is the photo in the upper right on the link above.


We now have SeaDek on out cockpit and part of the swim platform. It is a semi permanent closed cell foam that adheres to the deck. Cleaning is far easier than with carpeting. Is a few degrees warmer to stand on in the summer but much easier on your feet because it is soft. Cleaning is either hose it off or wash with boat soap and spray off. For really bad stains you wash it with a tire cleaner like Purple Power. The best feature is that SeaDek improves footing, and the wetter it is, the less likely you are to slip. SeaDek costs about 2X the cost of carpeting, but has a longer warranty and lasts indefinitely. Look at their site for all the various colors and finishes they offer:

http://www.seadek.com/blog/jetboat-pilot-seadeks-a-sea-ray-450/

The boat in the photos is ours......honestly, I am not schilling for either company. I've just had great success with Corinthian and our local Seadek distributor.

Man, thank you all (this site and forum Rocks)!!!!

+1 on the snap in woven vinyl flooring - you can drop a meat ball on it, and it will wipe right up.

Geez, that Sea Dek looks niiiiiiiiiiice!
Heck man, I'm reminding the Admiral I sacrificed my desire for a wake-sports tower so . . .

OllieC, I did my post-grad at The Johns Hopkins University so, I know, that is NOT a meatball in the pic you posted! <well-intended grin!> ;-)

Lot's of great replies... which is really "great" as I don't have to type as much!

Your question about the "cushion upgrade"... It's more than just a color change. There's actually quite a lot going on. The vinyl, itself, is a different grade (the kind used in the SLX's), but there's also a lot more of it. There's other stuff, too. The easiest way to see some of the upgrades is to go to Sea Ray's site, then select your model. Then, in the grey bar, click on "Select series". Once you get there, don't forget to use those arrows to page left and right and see more info.

Please note that I am in NO WAY trying to convince you that it's worth the $4K. That is totally a personal thing - for some, they see the value in it. Others don't. Personal preference. FYI, you're new here, but feel free to ask around about me of long time members - I'm on this forum as a boater like everyone else.

SPX vs SPO... Yeah, it's a bit confusing. Actually, if I remember correctly, it was originally called the SPX-O. Essentially, though, it's just the way that Sea Ray is using model numbers to differentiate the outboard from the stern drive. They all mean the same thing, the actual model numbers have just changed over the years, is all.

Covers... Your boat is under a roof, so you're probably pretty well protected from the elements. Concerning the full cover... it's less expensive and does, of course, protect more of the boat (which also means less waxing!). Also, it WILL still work with the bimini. It's actually a pretty cool cover - there are still slits/velcro to go around the bimini pole legs. And then there is a ratchet strap sewn into the hem to tighten it. No tie downs needed. It takes about the same amount of time to put on/take off as the separate bow/cockpit covers, but it is larger so a little more cumbersome. Now, if you don't have access to the side of the boat (or can't reach it) where the ratchet strap is, then it might be hard to put on and off. But, the location can be changed - you'll just need the help of an upholsterer. To sum this up... in MY opinion... I would pick the full cover UNLESS I didn't have the access to the side of the boat to put the cover on. But then... I'd probably look at that as an excuse for a "project" to build walkways along the side of the boat!

Hmmm... looks like I still ended up getting pretty wordy in my response and typing a lot!

Hey, your time, your typing and your experience are all MUCH appreciated!
I'm also hoping this thread might help a newbie(s) in the future!

Ha! I just realized that what I said about "check me out" may not have made much sense to you! Since the revamp of the forum, some things have changed and I just realized that my signature picture doesn't show up. The picture was a graphic/emblem of the place I work... Peters Marine, in Allentown, PA. It's a Sea Ray dealership.

Ha, back! Dang, well, it makes TOTAL sense, now -- that sounds awesome and that is a particularly beautiful, wonderful part of the country (I used to shot a lot of sporting clays in PA and then, of course, there's the car shows up in Carlisle)!

1. Skip the cushion upgrade and put the money away for something else.
2. I've got the Corinthian woven vinyl in a teak pattern and love it. It cleans up easily, but can be hot on bare feet in direct sunlight.
3. Get the boat and work with a local canvas guy to design something that works best for you and the way you use the boat. My new to me boat had new canvas in 2016 and while I like it, there are a couple of things I may have done differently to best suit me personally. Ask around for a good canvas guy.

Not a great pic, but here is a photo of the woven vinyl teak in the cockpit, and SeaDek Moca over Black on the swim platforms.

JVM, OllieC, thanks! I may have a line on a canvas guy although, I'll have to wait til he finishes the project my neighbor gave him, before I make contact. We've got samples coming from both Corinthian and SeaDek and, earlier today I was reminded the SR dealer is charging $577 for just the swim platform mat (I assume same price for sim deck regardless of whether I / I-o / or outboard) so, even though the top pic is not the greatest, it is a great deal more than what I had to go by before you posted that pic!

Contact member MQuiet for questions and estimates on the Corinthian product. He's a vendor of theirs and appliesmthen Club SeaRay Discount.