40 sedan bridge forum

This one piece was the most intense thing I’ve done in a while. Lots of double and triple checking of measurements, sewing on 1/4” backing foam, sewing tight curves through 1/4” foam/vinyl combo, pulling and stapling, probably 200 staples, figuring out tactical relief cuts, and finally a little heat gun to the few ripples to shrink those away.

 

is this what I have to look forward to in retirement? If so, I may have to work a little longer… Seriously, though, fantastic job! Thanks for sharing it with us, Bill!

 

Ha! Hope not. I’m a very analytical engineer. This falls right into my enjoyment area. Take something apart, figure out how it’s built, make a newer and hopefully better one.

One done, one to go. But going to save that chair for last. On to the bench seating.

 

There's not really a tremendous amount of space in there for storage. I've got (3) big amps under mine, but they're not really anything that I need to access regularly. Not sure if your boat has it on your 2000. My 98 has a secret storage that is huge behind the starboard sofa that we put stuff we rarely use into, but remains accessible.

 

Thank you all. Low panel stuff behind the baseboard is what I have in mind.
Spare engine parts like filters are behind starboard backrest and tools under seat.

 

On to replacing the bench seats. Going to break the big long back seat into there sections for ease of fabrication and removal. Will be three separate seat cushions. Still one big backrest but decorative topstitching extending the visual lines of the new small center cushion.

 

Looks Great!

Hoping a fellow 400DB can help. We are having the salon settees recovered. When the starboard setae was removed, we discovered an 1/8th inch tube running top to bottom against the side wall. No idea what it is. It is probably air not liquid but not sure what might run from the bridge t the engine room like this. Thoughts?

 

got a pic?

 

I was going to say the rainwater drain from the engine room vent louvers, which drains rainwater entering the vent, into the bilge. But that’s a 5/8” hose.

 

The two end backrests done. Now to the big rear backrest. I think I have enough vinyl left to do it. Can’t do seat cushions until new vinyl arrives late Feb. it’s on back order.

 

Here is a piece of it I had to remove.

 

My bet is air horn or bridge ice maker supply line.

 

Could it be a drain line from the helm? Most of the helm drains out the rear and on to the cockpit below. But are there any drains in the seat storage on the helm?

 

1/8”, could be air. My horn compressor is in the master behind the port hanging locker and the horns are in the anchor locker so no air lines for that. Could be the po had an ice maker up there? I would expect that line to be 1/4”.
I ran 1/8” tubing from the engine space to the bridge for my boost gauges. Beyond that, I have no idea.

 

So here's a (smartassed) question. You took that piece out... what has stopped working?

 

1/8" nylon tube is too small for a horn air line and too small to drain anything. It could be used for a water supply for something like a little icemaker in a refrigerator; but, even then the minimum size for any length would be 1/4-inch. The only practical thing a tube like that would be used for is a pressure gauge of some sort.

 

Thank you all. It sounds like it could be the turbo boost gauge. Th boat was out of the water when ut was disconnected so i can't see what may have stopped working.

 

“The Beast” is done. Cushions going to have to wait a couple weeks until backorder vinyl arrives.

 

You are amazing. We want to get our upper helm seating re-done but there's no way we'd tackle it ourselves. Fortunately, we have a good shop here. We are thinking of extending that rear bolster downward, to block off most of the opening between it and the seat. One of our dogs is a complete scaredy cat and when we ride we drop the table down to be the sun platform and he gets on there and plants himself in the rear corner of the seating area. Just waiting to hit a nice wave and for him to slip backwards and through! Since we run a lot with the rear window open, that could be a catastrophe!

 

Thanks. I appreciate it. Your idea to block off the back would be fairly straightforward as a separately mounted filler cushion.

I’ll be cutting the seat foam along the two black lines to turn it into three smaller cushions. And replacing it with new foam. Last chance to say “don’t do it, Bill”.