cockpit carpet falling apart


F

Form 6

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I'm interested to hear how others have dealt with the same problem I'm having- the underside of the cockpit carpeting is falling apart.

I bought a new 2001 260SS and put well over a thousand hours on it until I purchased my current 2009 260SS in 2013. The carpeting in the 2001 held up perfectly after all those years.

Although the topside of the carpet is OK, with the 2009 the black material on the underside of the carpet is breaking apart after each time we use the boat. It is a real pain to clean it up.

Has Formula or the carpet manufacturer acknowledged this problem? Has anyone else had this problem? I have actually stooped to putting duct tape (yuck!) on the underside to help minimize the mess. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

thanks,

Peter
 
I have exactly the same issue, and unfortunately it's sticking to the floor and completely falling apart.

The top side looks great though. Not sure what to do about cleaning up the mess. I'll try to take a picture this weekend.
 
I threw mine out last year on a 2007 SS. The base was rotting away. Went with an aftermarket custom supplier, better price and a more durable product. Fits beautifully with snaps and to me lifts the quality of the deck space. The original carpet was pretty ordinary quality.
 
Can you give us the details of the aftermarket supplier- cost, etc.? It sounds like you are pretty happy with your choice.
 
This is a common problem after about 7 - 8 years. Here's what I have found out through some researching some solutions for my 370 SS carpet:

1) you can have the factory backing replaced. Cost is about $700 - $800 and should last another 7 - 8 years. Not sure who does the work but my marina said it can be done.
2) you can replace the carpet with the same style carpet as comes newer boats including Formula. Cost about $500 and will last about 5 years. My personal opinion is this newer style carpet look much nicer but doesn't feel as good on bare feet.
3) I've seen other people on other forums claim great success by coating the deteriorating backing with Flexseal (as seen on TV) or the liquid rubber product you coat tool handles with.
 
I used a local company here in Clearwater FL, Underway Marine Flooring. Jonathan is an unusual character, works nights often due to the heat here for fitting, but they can and do supply higher than average carpeting for a very reasonable costs. The backing is grey, ribbed to allow moisture to escape and will not crumble, unlike the way cheaper backing of most marine applications. am happy to supply images if needed as the carpet is currently in my home, not on the boat.
 
I used the spray-on liquid rubber, 3 coats. It's held up nicely over the last year. Get it at Home Depot or Lowes, "Plasti Dip"
 
Yes, Belleair, images would be nice. I have a friend who has a place in Clearwater and that might work for me.

I also appreciate the other responses. It is unfortunate Formula chose to go with this manufacturer as it sounds like many others are faced with the same problem.

I may try afratki or FTL_Alan's suggestions to get through the rest of this season.

Thanks all.
 
Attached are a few images of my deck carpet. Both sides shown. Any questions ask away.

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P1060027.jpgP1060026.jpgP1060023.jpg
 

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Thanks for the pics. The carpet looks very nice, especially the backing.

Do you just bring the old carpet to Jonathon for him to copy it? Do you remember the approximate cost?
 
I believe he has measurements for a number of boats in stock along with no doubt some templates. I know the cost was no more than $600 in 2016, and his prices don't move much. Loads of possible colours too, with different edging options to contrast the main carpet. Comes with fasteners too!
 
That all sounds very good. I just coated the underside of the carpet with sealant but I don't think that will do in the long run. Could you please give me Jonathan's contact info? I will most likely be visiting a friend in Clearwater this winter so that might work out nicely.

Thanks again.
 
Here's mine. I'm half tempted to tear it out and install the synthetic teak.
8d334786ff3623e0d8270a934663acaf.jpg
 
Am not sure that I want anything on my deck that wasn't carpet or fibreglass. Other materials get very ho under the sun or need huge effort to keep looking good. I have plasteak on my swim platform.
 
Yuck, HellRaZ, I thought MINE was bad! :rolleyes: I've got synthetic teak on my swim platform and it does get pretty hot. Luckily we just splash water on it.

Thanks for the link, Bell.
 
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On my old boat my carpet backing was breaking down. I ended up buying a few yoga mats ( I think they were around 2'x 6' and 1/4" thick ), laid them out on the back of the carpet and cut them to fit. I then used a rubber contact cement to glue the mats onto the back of the carpet....essentially giving it a new backing layer. It also gave it some cushion and was more comfortable to stand on. I sold the boat a few years later, so I'm not sure how it held up in the long run, but it was a good cheap fix for the rest of the time I owned the boat.
 
great thread now that I'm a new 280 SS owner I realize I have the same problem I almost threw my carpeting out but I might try the Flex Seal or plastic coat on the backing sounds like a good solution for now because the carpet is still in great shape. I'm going to hit the non-skid decking with my 180 degree pressure washer and use a rotating head on it I think that should cut that rubber out of the non-skid no problem.
 
Be careful with the power washer in the rubber removal. I tried a lot of things and eventually resorted to using my fingernail- very time consuming. Good luck with the pressure washer.

Last spring I called Jonathan in Clearwater, Florida, multiple times and he never returned my call. I put the black sealant (Flex Seal?) on the rug and it held up OK after this past summer. Parts of it broke off and made a bit of a mess so I fear it will not be a long term solution. We will keep an eye on it next season.

Thanks, Belleair, for providing the info on Jonathan.
 
Yeah, don’t pressure wash. That was a huge mistake! Flakes everywhere and now getting it off the seats is the hard part.

I went to JOANNE fabric and bought the cheapest material and glued it to the underside of the carpet. Cheap and simple solution.
 
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