Sportsman Boat Upholstery, Where the Factory Vinyl Gave Out First
Sportsman builds a lot of boat for the money, and the way that math works is that something has to be specified to a price. On these hulls it is usually the soft goods. The layout, the rigging and the hull are genuinely good. The factory vinyl and foam are built to a number.
In South Florida that shows up faster than the builder ever intended. A boat kept on a lift in open sun here takes a UV load that a boat in the Carolinas simply does not, and factory cushions that would last eight years up the coast start looking tired in four.
So a large share of our Sportsman work is not repair. It is owners with boats only a few years old who want the seating brought up to the standard of the rest of the boat.
We are not affiliated with Sportsman Boats. We build upholstery that fits their boats.
What you get for the money on a newer boat
If your boat is four or five years old, the substrates and bases are almost certainly fine. That changes the job completely. You are not rebuilding anything, you are recovering sound pieces with better material, and that is the cheapest full-boat upholstery project there is.
The upgrade that matters most is foam. Factory exterior cushions often use foam that holds water, which is why they go soft and start to smell before the vinyl looks bad. Rebuilding on closed-cell quick-dry foam with properly vented bases is usually a bigger improvement than anything you do to the face material.
The second upgrade is the face itself. We rebuild in Sunbrella Horizon, which is a materially different specification from the vinyl that comes on a value-built boat, and we sew with PTFE thread rather than polyester so the seams outlast the fabric instead of failing first. On a four-year-old boat with sound bases, that combination is most of what you are paying for and most of what you get back.
The pieces, in the order they fail
- Forward coaming bolsters. First to show wear on almost every one of these boats.
- Leaning post or helm seat assembly. Seat, backrest, flip-up bolster, and the cooler or tackle seat behind it.
- Bow seating and filler cushions. The forward lounge, backrests and the insert that closes the bow.
- Aft bench and jump seats. Fold-downs and transom seating.
- Console interior. On the larger Opens, the head compartment cushion where fitted.
Most Sportsman projects are the first three. The full deck is common on boats past about six years.
Sportsmans we build for
- Masters 267 and 287. Bay boats. Smaller packages, usually bolsters and leaning post.
- Heritage 231, 251, 261 and 321. Dual console layouts with more seating pieces than the Opens.
- Open 212, 232, 252 and 262. Full deck packages on the 252 and up.
- Open 282, 302, 322, 352 and 402. The core of what we see. Longer bolster runs and larger helm assemblies.
Full scope and cost detail is on our full boat upholstery page.
Sportsman Boat Upholstery FAQ
My Sportsman is only four years old. Is it too soon to redo the seating?
Not in South Florida. A boat on an open lift here takes a UV load that factory cushions built for a national average are not specified for, and four to five years is a normal point for the faces to look tired even though the boat is otherwise nearly new. The good news is that on a boat that age the substrates and bases are almost always sound, so you are recovering rather than rebuilding, which is the cheapest version of this project.
What does a full Sportsman Open 282 upholstery package cost?
Typically $7,000 to $12,000 for the full deck: forward coaming bolsters, leaning post assembly, bow seating with filler cushions, and aft jump seats. On a boat under about six years old the number lands at the lower end because nothing needs rebuilding. We inspect the bases at the measuring visit and quote a fixed price with the pieces itemized.
Is it worth upgrading from the factory foam?
On exterior seating, yes, and it is usually the single best-value part of the job. Factory cushions on value-built boats commonly use foam that retains water, which is why they go soft and start to hold a smell while the vinyl still looks acceptable. Rebuilding on closed-cell quick-dry foam with vented and drained bases changes how the seat performs for the rest of the boat's life, and it costs less than most owners expect.
Can you match the factory colors and stitching pattern?
We can match the colors closely and in most cases exactly, and we can reproduce or improve the stitching pattern. Where owners often go further is asking for a cleaner pattern than the factory used, since the factory design is partly a production-speed decision. We will show you both before we cut anything.
Bring the seating up to the rest of the boat
Send photos of the bolsters, leaning post and bow seating with the model and year, and we will come measure and quote it at a fixed price.
Or call (561) 278-6521