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Troubleshooting: Seat, Seat Back, and Spray Deck Pillow Problems

The most common seat problems / seat back / spray-deck pillow problems are all, fortunately, quite easy to fix:

My Elbow Valves Aren't Holding Air... 

See Troubleshooting Valve Leaks . There's a likely culprit, and it's easy to fix...

I put a tiny hole in my seat, seat back, or spray deck pillow.

Wipe the affected area with alcohol and dry it. Put a small bead of Aquaseal over the hole and let it dry in a warm, dry place for 4+ hours. Done! If you don't have the luxury of warmth, you can let it dry overnight in whatever conditions you're in, but it may not be as good or permanent a fix - or you can just slap a piece of tape over the hole, and call it a "temporary fix."

I left my seat, seat-back, or spray deck inflated in the sun... and a seam popped!

Ooooh, we've seen this happen before! Your culprit here is the expansion of air, aided by the dark color of the seat, causing the "peeling" of the seam. Our boat seams are heavily reinforced, but air expansion can pop the "prayer seam" on a seat, seat back, or spray deck pillow. Fortunately, this is also a quick fix. These light fabrics can be heat-sealed.

  • At Home: Heat a clothing iron to high heat. Run the iron back and forth over the mated seam, against an insulating surface, such as a wooden plank or cutting board. With a keen eye, you'll be able to see when the fabric seals back together. Let the seam cool, and you're back in business!
  • In the Field: Heat sealing can be done with something like a carefully heated knife against a rock or paddle - if you're deft about it! This is as much an art as a science. It's most important to not heat your sealing tool so hot that it melts the fabric. You can always redo a too-cool seal, but you can't unmelt nylon. Be careful with hot objects around your boat and yourself.

I ripped my seat completely in half, right through the center...

This can be hard on a seat.

Did this happen when you did a big drop or got smashed by a monster wave?

 Yes, and it was worth it!

Our standard seats can only endure so much stress. They'll endure a little more if they're not fully inflated, but peak forces can still be high in these activities. You can pre-reinforce your seat against this by doing a stitch long the inside center... in the belly of the "U" it forms. Run a stitch back-and-forth through here, out near the edge, and it will help prevent center-rip.  

If you're doing a lot of intense water or dumping in-and-out a lot and hooking your feet on the seat, you may want to invest in what we call "tough drawers" - a heavy-duty seat built out of our tube or floor fabric. The standard seat is designed to be functional, light, and suitable for regular use.




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