Custom bow sunpad anyone?

berth control

berth control

New Member
Nov 16, 2008
886
Saugatuck, MI
Boat Info
1985 270 Sundancer
Engines
3.7 liter Mercruisers
I am wondering if anyone has made a custom sunpad for their bow - especially on an older boat like mine. I am thinking of making one, but not sure of a couple things. I searched and saw some of you guys are making them for newer boats, but many had that as a factory option. I think mine would have to cover the teak bow rails, and maybe one of the hatches. I am also wondering:

Do I need a special type of foam?

What should I cover them with - I seem to remember somone saying they used sunbrella and that worked well.

What about the deck sloping to the sides, do I need to make them thicker at the sides and thinner in the middle to level the surface?

I plan on attaching them with snaps - what is the best way to install the snaps without getting leaks into my cored deck?

Should I just put some pool floaters out there like some of you guys do and avoid all the hassle?

I appreciate your answers!
 
Gary had is transom bench and sunpad redone with Sunbrella I was just asking him about it because I'm working with my Mother-in-Law who is a wiz on the sewing machine to make covers for my seats. I'm gonna probably go with terrycloth (towel like) covers but Gary told me the sunbrella has wroked out nice and doesn't get as hot as the vinyl.
 
Morpheus said:
Gary had is transom bench and sunpad redone with Sunbrella I was just asking him about it because I'm working with my Mother-in-Law who is a wiz on the sewing machine to make covers for my seats. I'm gonna probably go with terrycloth (towel like) covers but Gary told me the sunbrella has wroked out nice and doesn't get as hot as the vinyl.
Click to expand...

I need to clarify that the sunbrella bench on my Sea Ray does not get as hot as the vinyl on the bow rider I had (sold last year). Those seats were some sort of silver/blue vinyl and would melt your skin... It's like the seat on the Yamaha WaveRunner we have. It's silver vinyl and hot as hell...

The white vinyl on the bench (pre-sunbrella) never got hot. The sunbrella seat is hotter than the white vinyl that was there....
 
I just use the portable seats from west marine. I bought the thin ones on sale for $35 each and they can move to any postion are sunbrella and you can move them toward the sun etc. I thought about putting something down permanent but you can't recline like these. the boats at the show all have built in loungers that recline built onto decks.
 
I found that these http://www.cozydays.com/pool-beach/pool-floats/kool-pool-float-475.html work great, they serve multi purpous:
-great to chill on water
-very easy to setup/fit and comfortable on sundeck
-one fits perfect on our swim platform where we hangout alot
-I roll and store them in individual sack

To me this is great $200 (for two) worth toy, which beats making any holes in the sundeck or anywhere.

While looking for 320DA we always wanted the sunpad that comes as an option. I didn't want this to be a deal breaker, but later realized that it's better that mine doesn't have it for two reasons:
- I've heard that the through hull rail fittings might have a leak
- The pad SR puts is too smal for two (and we're not "big" people).

So, those floats work great in every respect.

just my .02c
 
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Thanks for the replies! Alex and Wakeup - I saw in a thread search that some guys were doing what you are, and it must work pretty well. I was going to try to make one so that it was bigger, looked better, more comfortable, and possibly safer? My wife likes to sit up there at no wake speed sometimes. Maybe it is just not worth the effort on an older boat like mine, and I should do what you guys are doing. Before I can decide though, I was wondering how much it would cost and what is involved in making a custom one.
 
Berth Control, this is the larger version of the ones we use. you can take them on the beach, bow or swimplatform then wash them down and let them dry out on the way home. Mine can store inside on the sides of the vberth (fully open). My buddies have theone pictured above ($125)but I found them a little bulky. West Marine carries them. Wait for a good sale should be 35-$50 each. Hope that helps. Good luck
 
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berth control said:
My wife likes to sit up there at no wake speed sometimes.
Click to expand...

Just a word of caution, our kids and some guests like to ride on the sundeck at no wake speeds, but after I've learned in class when getting my boating license that this violates coast guard rules I no longer allow anyone at the sundeck when the boat is underway. Last thing I want is to spoil perfect day with a $200-$300 ticket. BTW, sounds like antoher thread we should open up to hear other opinions.

Alex.
 
Alex F said:
Just a word of caution, our kids and some guests like to ride on the sundeck at no wake speeds, but after I've learned in class when getting my boating license that this violates coast guard rules I no longer allow anyone at the sundeck when the boat is underway. Last thing I want is to spoil perfect day with a $200-$300 ticket. BTW, sounds like antoher thread we should open up to hear other opinions.

Alex.
Click to expand...

Good point Alex, I have been taught that is illegal too, but I have also been taught that everyone must be in a "seat" when under way, I wonder if the built-ins would qualify. Here where I live, people go no-wake with passengers up there all the time. If I ever got busted, or saw someone get busted, I would just not allow it any more.
 
Eric,

I really don't think that any sunpads would qualify as legal seat. I actually always get surprise when I see some nice yacht being advertised running at full speed with people chilling on the sunpads up on sundeck. The critical point, as I was explained by master chief officer, is that if for whatever reason your boat comes to a complete stop unexpectedly there’s nothing to stop people “flying” over the rails overboard. The fact that factory or custom sunpads come with holding rails doesn’t mean that it provides enough protection. Lets just think logically and review an example, a boat with built-in sunpad with grab rails travels at slow speed in no wake zone. All of a sudden captain misses a channel marker due to some distraction and hits the bottom (sand bar or whatever). The boat comes to a complete stop. There’re one or two people on the sundeck holding to the pad grab rail. The force is too great and the person looses the grip. Imagine how much damage can a person sustain while rolling straight forward toward the anchor and then falling overboard. The problem is that no matter what it’s the captains fault.

Chances are slim that this will happen to you, but it's always possible. And the fact that you can get a ticket for this makes it not worth the risk in my opinion. Better be safe than sorry.
 
Last July, there was a woman killed in Perdido Bay when she went off the bow of a pontoon boat. She was caught by the prop. I think the rule is concerned with someone going off the bow and getting caught by the prop. If you fall overboard from the stern or sides there is a less chance you will get hit by the prop. If you run aground at a fast speed, I would think everyone would be ejected, no matter where they were on the boat. Your body will continue to travel at the same speed until something stops it. A seat near the stern will not stop you. Last September we had a boat run aground near Ono Island. Two females died after they were ejected. The article did not report where they were sitting though. That driver was intoxicated. I am sure if he was violating the law by allow them to ride on the bow, the article would have pointed that information out.
 
coolings said:
If you run aground at a fast speed, I would think everyone would be ejected, no matter where they were on the boat. Your body will continue to travel at the same speed until something stops it. A seat near the stern will not stop you.
Click to expand...

I any captain allows anyone at the bow (I'm not referring to bow-rider boats or any that have designed seats) while going fast he simply makes the out loud statement that he's an idiot.

There're number of boats where people ride on the sundeck when travelling at slow speed, usually in no-wake zones. My intend was to alert folks that even though this might sound like a safe approach, the coast guard has different point of view and might issue a ticket. The bottom line is that anyone who’s in the cockpit area has very low chance of being thrown overboard, unlike those who’s on the sundeck with no protection other than tiny rails.

Before I found out that this was a low not allowing anyone up on the sundeck when the boat is underway I also though that it was safe since I only let anyone there while going at idle speed. I didn’t have solid excuse for adults, but now it’s pretty simple it’s not allowed by CG, therefore by me.
 
Many boating deaths occur when someone riding on the bow of a boat falls overboard and contacts the props and running gear. I know that in Florida this practice is illegal and carries a high fine. Most boaters in this area know that the guest on the bow must be in the cockpit or cabin if the vessle is underway.

Think about the shape of our boats. If some one goes off the bow while the boat is moving forward they are going under the boat...often with fatal results if not permanant injury. Why risk it?:huh:
 
Hi Eric,
Did you have any luck on your sunpad?? I've got a 1979 260 Sundancer, mine looks like it needs a pad as well.
Todd
 
I haven't made one yet. I am going to have a mooring cover made later this week, I may see if the guy can give me a quote on one when I am there. I decided to just use some temporary pool floaties like others said they do and see how much they even get used. If they get used a lot, then I'll prob. make 'em.
 
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