1993 Cobalt Seat Repair

[husker88]

I'm kind of a beginner in the boating game. Have a 1993 Cobalt 196, and the back port-side seat is in dis-repair. I've put up with some cracks the last couple years, but it is beyond that now and needs something done. This is the seat where the tubers/skiers always come in the boat. Pardon my incorrect terminology, but this boat has the engine compartment that flips up, and the seat on each side flips up as part of the engine compartment cover. The starboard seat is fine and the back and arm rests of both seats are fine as well. It's just the actual bottom "cushion" that needs replaced. This is a seperate part of the seat and is bolted down with 4 bolts. Can I get a replacement for that...I'd rather not have it re-upholstered due to the time it would take???

Attached are 2 pictures with the compartment "flipped open"...might help you visualize what I'm talking about.

Sincerely appreciate any help or guidance...please feel free to correct my terminology as well.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: 1993 Cobalt Seat Repair

You might get lucky & somehow find a 1993 Cobalt seat that matches your interior, but the colors likely won't match really anyway: different care & maintenance, different exposure to UV, different fading...

If you can unbolt it, you might be surprised how much it costs to have an upholstery shop redo the vinyl only, if your foam is in good shape & you remake the wooden bottom. If you are up for it, have them make the piece of vinyl & you do all the put back, including stapling the vinyl onto the wood. Or fab the wood & take it w/ you to the upholstery shop, and let them do all the assembly. If you are in a hurry, yes, a small 1 pc interior job may be expensive. If you'll give them some time, a few weeks perhaps a month, but be specific about how long, it might be less expensive. They can fit it in between larger jobs or wait & include it when they are working on several smaller jobs.

Until you check, you won't know.

You can try to find something at 1 of the places here: Salvage Yards, by Wilde1

Or Lanier Marine in Georgia

Can you use the port cushion on the starboard side while it's getting redone? That'd let you give the upholstery shop even longer....

 

[husker88]

Re: 1993 Cobalt Seat Repair

Thanks for your reply. I will check with the salvage yards. I need to get measurements on the cushion...though the colors might not match exactly, it's hard for me to believe that a cushion that fits there couldn't be found...to get me by during the repair at the least.

Thanks again...any other thoughts from any wiley boat repair veterans?

 

[britisher]

Re: 1993 Cobalt Seat Repair

Husker,
I'd be tempted to re-upholster the seat cushion but do a re-design whilst you are at it. Remove the cushion and remake the base in either ply or starboard, then have it re-upholstered. You may be able to re-use the foam. It shouldn't cost much having it done by a local upholsterer. THEN I would glue or staple onto to seat base some heavy duty Velcro and glue the other half of the Velcro onto the engine cover instead of using the 4 bolts. Then when you have swimmers coming in and out, simply pull out the cushion and it will last far longer as they'll be stepping on the
fiberglass. Many of the newer boats seem to have this feature.

 

[husker88]

Re: 1993 Cobalt Seat Repair

Sounds like an interesting idea. I think I'd have to have some type of cover for the fiberglass though, as I'm sure it would get slick....?

 

[britisher]

Re: 1993 Cobalt Seat Repair

I'm not sure this would work, but what about the self-adhesive non-slip strips for bath and shower bottoms. so you don't slip and fall when there is water in them. I would think they would work just great. If they stick in a fiberglass shower or bath, then they should work on the boat fiberglass just fine.

 

[husker88]

Re: 1993 Cobalt Seat Repair

sounds like a swell idea, britisher...I will look further into this.