Quality of seat vinyl

[goose69]

I have a 2003 22v riders edition.When a bought the boat two month ago the vinyl looked mint. Now the seats are all cracking. I had a 1993 chaparral before and the vinyl never cracked and seemed thicker. Is this a common problem with tige boats? Other than the seats the boat is awesome and would even say better than a mastercraft.

[highrock]

The vinyl does seem to be a problem in the older boats. Tige has switched to higher quality in the past 3-4 years I believe and keeps inceasing it each year it seems. If you redo your seats just try to keep them covered with protectant.

[chpthril]

Like HighRock noted, Tige has stepped up the quality of their vinyl over the past few years, but in boats past, the biggest complaint has been either the stitching breaking, or the stitching pulling through vinyl. To me, cracking vinyl seems as if it had dried out. This typically is from using the wrong cleaners or no sun protectant over the life of the boat. Although vinyl is man-made, it does have natural oils in it. Over time, the sun and or harsh cleaners can rob the vinyl of these oils and then they dry out and crack/split.

[TeamAllen]

My 97 vinyl is still going strong, so they changed it up somewhere.

[laserfish]

Cracking can be caused by harsh chemicals. Mine was fine until I used Magic eraser and a cleaner with bleach. Made the seats white again, but the next year they lost their suppleness and cracked. Expensive lesson. Got to take care of it with the right stuff.

[solaidrider667]

My '04's seams are stretching and tearing...........kind of a bummer as it has @200hrs and Babes has been used exclusivley for the last year. Looks like at least a partial interior redoo this spring depending on my budget.

[Bad05]

My 05 has the same issues with the pulling through of the stitching. I use Babes as well and try to keep everything cleaned and conditioned. I even lay towels on the seats in the summer to help keep them clean but also to keep the surface temp from burning our backsides. HA I am looking at having the seat sections redone either this winter or next. The seat backs seem to have held up very well as a side note, but the new vinyl is much better IMO.

[G-MONEY]

We are starting to have problems on our 05 as well. We have shark skin style vinyl. I don't know the real name of it. All around each small hexagon design it has crack and become separated from the one next to it. We to clean/ condition the seats every time out and cover it with towels during hot days.

[dogbert]

It's because of Gorbal Warming

[G-MONEY]

It's because of Gorbal Warming

Sweet, I can check this unsolved mystery off my list.

[22VROBERT]

Try cleaning your seats with LEXOLph leather cleaner, just a good scrub and then wipe clean with a wet rag. Thats what I use for cleaning, then spray and wipe the seats with 303 AEROSPACE PROTECTANT to protect and condition the seats from the UV Rays. I've never had a problem with dirty, cracking, or dried out seats with these products, my interior looks just as good as it did when i took the boat off of the showroom floor.

[goose69]

When is said cracking i mean seams pulling apart. Redoing seat with a heavier wieght vinyl.

[dogbert]

Once you have them done, be careful with cleaners. Most cleaners will damage the threading used to sow the vinyl together. My vinyl guy recommended using plain soap and water.

Also, do not allow people to use that spray on (aerosol) sunscreen. It damages the vinyl. I've banned it from my boat.

[thtrog]

Once you have them done, be careful with cleaners. Most cleaners will damage the threading used to sow the vinyl together. My vinyl guy recommended using plain soap and water.

Also, do not allow people to use that spray on (aerosol) sunscreen. It damages the vinyl. I've banned it from my boat.

x2 - I bought my Tige used, but the seats were perfect when I got it and sold it. I only used mild soap and water, then 303 as a protectant.

[rushin]

We are getting the back seat bottom replaced by Tigé because it has cracked on a corner in our 2007 after one season.