How To Remove This Cushion?

lgrouper03 · Dec 27, 2012

This a 1993 Bayliner Capri 1850. I need to remove this cushion. Has anyone successfully done this before?

Woodonglass · Dec 27, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

I have NOT. But... I would suspect it's installed using Pop out Christmas Tree's like these...If that is the case a stiff putty knife could be used to pry and pop it loose. Just my guess. Maybe others will KNOW from experience.

gm280 · Dec 27, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

I'm with WOG with this one. It would seem unusual for them to have bolted it in place and then seal up the area to get to it. If WOG's idea of the stiff putty knife doesn't work and you are not wanting to keep it, most any means to remove it would work then...

MRS · Dec 27, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

I hope it is not like mine just took them off to redo carpet and some upholstry. The carpeted boards that support the seating area had to come off so I could lay on my back to get to the screws they screwed right into the wood from behind.
But I would think with yours curved like they are the should pop off or maybe lift up and see if they are in a bracket lift up pull forward.
See if the cup holder will come out and look and see if you can see any screws.

JDA1975 · Dec 27, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

reach up through the seat hole and feel along the backside of gunwale for screw heads or nuts, if you feel screw pints then look in any crevices (like where the welt is for screw heads. if there are none then it may be christmas trees, some of those cushions are a pain to remove because they can be installed at factory before the cap and hull are joined. do some exploration before trying to bully it off

Yacht Dr. · Dec 29, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

You might want to remove that cup holder and reach in there carefully to find a nut or two.

YD.

britisher · Dec 29, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

I have a 1987 SeaRay 180 that I just spent this summer refurbishing from top to bottom. I had to remove the bow seat shoulder pads as the plywood backs had rotted. On mine they are attached using steel T nuts. Basically the plywood has the Tee nut attached on the outside of the plywood. The stainless steel bolt then screws into the Tee from the opposite side pulling it tight into the plywood. You then have the panel with the bolts sticking out of the back. They then slot into drilled holes on the hull and are tightened up using SS nuts & washers. As SeaRay and Bayliner are from the same corporate group, the method of construction may be similar. Hope this helps

oldplumber61 · Dec 29, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

been watching your thread to find how it comes out. i've got a 95 bayliner looks just like yours and havent figured it out either. good luck and hope you post how it's removed when you find out.

Outback Jack · Dec 30, 2012

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

Well in mine which is a 93 18 ft bowrider the cushions in the bow were attached from the back side with screws going in from the back of the cap into the plywood. I could not reach these areas at all. There was like 3 inches of space to fit something up there and unscrew the screws. I ended up prying on the plywood with a flat prybar and pulled them out of the plywood. I figured they attached all the cushions before they dropped the cap on the hull. Cause I know I could not get them out or at least get on them good enough standing on my head

lgrouper03 · Jan 2, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

I appreciate all the responses. Later this month I'll be removing this cushion (and many others) for some upholstery work. A few months ago I felt around back there - beware of fiberglass shards. Yes, removing the cupholder affords the best access. While I could not get line of sight, it feels like they maybe are screwed in from behind, like several of you mentioned. Not sure exactly what type of fasteners are there. Even with my skinny arms, I just cannot reach all the way up to the front, where I believe there is another fastener or two. As a last resort, I'll rip it out as gently as I can and come up with another way to re-attach. Based upon my first feel a few months back, I also concluded that they must have bolted these cushions on before they installed the cap. Looking at the calendar, I'll be doing this on Jan 19th or thereabouts. I'll post how it goes.

Yacht Dr. · Jan 3, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

Have you tried lifting UP on the bolster ? They might just be clipped in. ( Like MRS suggested )

Its sometimes best to try to kinda bang from the bottom upwards.

YD.

Normally in production they will not install the bolsters until the cap is on.

There has to be a way.

YD.

evolution1985 · Jan 4, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

Behind the dash are 4 screws holding the backing into place.
You should be able to reach up in there with out removing anything else, Although it is a PITA.
After those screws are removed there are metal L pieces which are affixed to the hull of the boat. The wood backing piece of the cushion has a hole cut out for them to slide over them.

So steps involved.
1; Remove 4 screws under dash.
2; Slide cushion FORWARD.

(p.s: when trimmed make sure that the upholsterer does not pull the vinyl too tight or it will distort the shape and you won't be able to get them to sit flush again.)
Hope this helps

Cheers
Evo

evolution1985 · Jan 4, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

these are what mine looked like after I redid them.

Cheers
Evo

lgrouper03 · Jan 12, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

evolution1985 said:
these are what mine looked like after I redid them.

Cheers
Evo

Evo, this is great information. I'll post back after I finish the job and let you know how it went. Thanks everyone!

lgrouper03 · Jan 22, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

OK, job completed. This turned out to be no big deal, especially after the input y'all provided. My situation was a slight variation of Evo's. I had only 2 screws holding the piece in place below the windshield area. To get to those screws, I removed the cup holder. Used a flashlight and had line of sight to one of the screws. I reached in towards the center of the boat and found the other. Used a shorty phillips and they came right out. Then I had the "L" brackets that Evo mentioned. However the one closest to the rear of the boat was pointing upward, while the second bracket (closest to the front of the boat) was pointing forward to the front. So, once the screws were removed, I gently pulled upward to disengage the rear-most bracket. Then pushed towards the front of the boat to disengage the front-most bracket. Once I get home I can post some pics, so you can see what I am talking about. I love it when a job turns out to be easier than expected. It's not as fun the other way, but hey it builds character I guess.

lgrouper03 · Jan 22, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

Picture with cushion removed. All those holes there, but only 2 screws were installed. Same situation for the cushion on the other side.

Yacht Dr. · Jan 23, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

LOL .. those few screws behind a cupholder or a radio .. why they put them in there is anyones guess.

How would you like to Install that thing in production LOL.

Good to see you got them off in one peice without a saw

..

YD.

oldplumber61 · Jan 23, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

thanks for posting, pictures really help. that makes sense because mt caption chairs are that way,i pulled one screw hole out trying to get those out. i'll try mine now, if it warms up enough.

lgrouper03 · Jan 26, 2013

Re: How To Remove This Cushion?

Yacht, I had the same thought as I was removing the cushion (about installing in production). I'm an engineer and if I designed something that required someone to drive a screw without line of sight and easy access - well, that wouldn't fly. I was thinking maybe they install the cushion before they lower the cap, and assume the field will use the cupholder for service access. I'm glad I'm a thin guy. If I had big arms, I'm not sure I could reach through the cupholder.

How To Remove This Cushion?

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