BLISTERS

[RickSE]

I was cleaning my 1996 18-Classic last night and while waxing the rear seat area I noticed what appears to be the beginnings of blisters. They're on the top of the rear seat deck, which supports the rear seat, at the rear near the transition to the seat back portion. I'm pretty sure I know why they’re there just wondering what to do to keep it from progressing.

The only thing I can figure is that it's happening because my rear seat pad gets completely saturated with water when I go to the lake. As soon as I come home though the seat pad comes out to be dried and doesn't go back in the boat till the next trip. The boat never sits out in the weather and is always either in the garage or under a full-length canopy. So I can only assume it's coming from the wet seat cushion siting there while I'm at the lake.

The best solution I can come up with is to totally enclose the rear seat foam in plastic (shrink-wrap) and try to keep it from getting wet. Also, maybe drill some drain holes at the back of the rear seat deck, I really don't want to do this though. Anybody else have any suggestions.

This is not a problem yet and what is there does not bother me, I just want to prevent it from going any further.

[Forrest]

Rick that's common problem as 'ol Donzis get used and age. My '72 16 has plenty of blisters on the 'glass under the seat. It took me a while to figure it out, but now I always take the seats out of the boat after each use to make that they fully dry out. The foam pads in the upholstery should already be sealed in plastic. Bilt-Rite does on each of upholstery they build. It helps the upholstery from becoming water logged. If your upholstery foam is not already "bagged", then you should consider doing it.

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Forrest

[RickSE]

Thanks Forrest, I'd have to say I wasn't really surprised when I saw them there and they aren't very far along yet.

My lower seat pad only has one layer of plastic on the top, not sufficient to keep the foam from getting wet. I really need to replace the foam and I wonder if Built-Rite will sell me just the bagged foam? Can someone give me a phone number for Built-Rite?

[Forrest]

Rick, you can probably DIY with some new 3" high-density foam. The stuff cuts nicely with an electric carving knife - you know, just like the one grandpa would use to cut the turkey at Thanksgiving dinner.

The number for Bilt-Rite is (904) 259-4807

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Forrest

[Murphy]

Two things come to mind on this. Have you considered painting the area that gets wettest to seal the fiberglass? Also, at least in wood anyway, it's just as important to seal the back side as the top side. Second, I've never really been happy with the foam seat pad I got from Bilt-Rite. Nothing wrong with their workmanship or anything like that, but 4" stock foam rubber is just not dense enough to be comfortable for very long. Bottoms out in no time. Does anyone know of a source for a denser foam, maybe even a closed cell foam in 2" or 4" thickness???

Murph