How to Upholster Back-to-Back Powerboat Seats

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If your powerboat has back-to-back seats or captain’s chairs, you know how important comfortable, contoured cushions are. Over time, the vinyl upholstery can crack, fade or wear down — but don’t worry! With the right materials and instructions, you can reupholster your powerboat seats like a pro. In our step-by-step upholstery tutorial video, we’ll show you how to remove old vinyl, pattern new pieces, and sew and reassemble your back-to-back seat cushions for a polished, professional look. Whether you're restoring a vintage boat or updating worn seats, this project is a great way to extend the life and comfort of your marine seating.
Video Chapters:
  • Disassembly and Removal of Old Cover — 1:13 min.
  • Separating Fabric Pieces for Patterning — 6:08 min.
  • Patterning New Vinyl from Old Cover — 10:52 min.
  • Sewing Piping onto Middle Panel — 19:21 min.
  • Sewing Middle Panels Together — 22:27 min.
  • Sewing Tear Drop Sides onto the Assembly — 24:01 min.
  • Sewing Side Boxing Pieces — 28:13 min.
  • Preparing Backerboard and Fabric Pulls — 37:43 min.
  • Stapling New Vinyl Cover On — 41:08 min.
  • Shaping New Foam — 52:21 min.
Materials List:
  • EverSoft™ Smooth Indoor/Outdoor Vinyl Fabric
  • CushionRite® Premium Foam
  • Fabric Backed Sew Foam 58" #124306
  • Foam Piping/Welting Cord 5/32" #122259
  • CushionRite® Foam & Fabric Spray Adhesive 16.9 oz. #125476
  • Cushion Wrap Silk Film 54" #103933
  • 21 Gauge 3/8" (10mm) Staples 10,000/Box (Stainless Steel) #8010SS
  • Tex 90 Polyester Thread
Tools List:
  • Staple Lifter #120037
  • Seam Ripper Deluxe #18104
  • Sailrite® Fabric Edge Match Pliers #123498
  • Sailrite® Canvas Patterning Ruler #107040
  • Kai Stainless Steel Bent Handle 9" Scissors #125661
  • Sailrite® Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" #102400
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine (110V) #311602 
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® Industrial Sewing Table #120934
  • Cording Foot Set for Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ (For Larger Welting) #104854 
  • Deluxe 5-1/2" Magnetic Sewing Guide #103597
  • Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter 60mm #965511
  • Sailrite® Self Healing Double-Sided Cutting Mat 24" x 36" #123113 
  • Sailrite® Long Nose Upholstery Staple Gun #121411
  • Sailrite® Blade Foam Saw V2 with Carrying Case (110V) #121244
  • Sailrite® Foam Shaper #123583
  • Marker, Stapler, Pencil, Ruler, Razor Blade, Electric Kitchen Knife

Why These Seats Are Special

Back-to-back boat seats are uniquely contoured and feature multiple pieces of foam separated by fabric pulls. These pulls help create the distinctive shapes that conform to your body, offering superior comfort and support. But they also make the upholstery process a bit more advanced.

Each foam section is shaped and separated to create a sculpted look, and your vinyl cover must be carefully patterned and sewn to match. Our video removes the guesswork and guides you through every step.

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What You’ll Learn in This Upholstery Tutorial:

  • How to remove old vinyl and use it as a pattern for cutting new fabric panels.
  • How to sew contoured vinyl panels together.
  • How to create and sew fabric pulls for holding foam in shape.
  • How to add piping for a finished look.
  • How to staple your new vinyl cover securely to the seat’s backer board.
  • How to assess your old foam for reuse.
  • Bonus: How to shape new foam using the Sailrite® Foam Shaper.

Reuse or Replace Your Foam

Before installing your new cover, it's smart to evaluate your cushion foam. If it's still supportive, dry and free of mildew, you can reuse it. In our video, the original foam was still in excellent shape, so we reused it.

But if your foam needs replacing, we’ve got you covered! Shop our selection of CertiPUR-US® certified CushionRite® foam. For powerboat cushions, we recommend CushionRite Standard or Premium polyurethane foam. At the end of the tutorial, we demonstrate how to use the Sailrite Foam Shaper to smooth, round and contour your new foam pieces to match the original shape perfectly.

Why We Chose EverSoft™ Vinyl

For this project, we used EverSoft vinyl — a high-performance indoor/outdoor vinyl exclusively available at Sailrite®. Here's why it's perfect for boat seat upholstery:

  • Soft, luxurious feel with a four-way stretch for easy shaping.
  • Excellent durability for marine and outdoor use.
  • Available in Pebble or Smooth textures.
  • Comes in a wide variety of colors to match your boat's style.
  • Easy to clean and resistant to mildew, UV rays and wear.

Whether you're working on a boat restoration or refreshing your seating for the season, EverSoft™ makes the job easier and more enjoyable.

Ready to Get Started?

Watch our full video tutorial and follow along as we walk you through upholstering back-to-back boat seats from start to finish. You'll learn pro techniques and gain the confidence to tackle future marine upholstery projects with ease.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the Sailrite YouTube channel for more DIY upholstery tutorials and project inspiration.

Tools List
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