Loving the SeaDek kit!

[haknslash]

Since my home AC died on me last night I'm stuck working from home today, so I figured I might as well start installing my new SeaDek kit from the jetboatpilot Group Buy. Loving the bow kit as I usually boat solo so I get on and off the boat from the front while at the ramp. This should make life easier and safer from slipping off or scratching my gel coat. Next up is the cockpit kit!

BTW this stuff smells great lol

BTW it's important to note that it would be very easy to accidentally install the two outer bow kit pieces on the wrong side and in the wrong orientation. You should place the mats so that the outer sides have the rounded corners and the inner sides should have the sharp corners. I've seen some people accidentally install these on the wrong side and rotated 90° from what they should be. Use this image below to help illustrate the correct orientation...

 

[haknslash]

Almost finished with cockpit kit!

 

[gpp7824]

Looking great.
Please share with us any tidbits or lessons learned from your install!
First time is where most of the learning happens and for most of us this is a one-time exercise.

 

[haknslash]

@gpp7824 The last pic I posted really makes my skin crawl because most of those panels were not applied yet and seeing them all offcenter is driving my OCD over the cliff haha. every panel you see with a white label on it was just loosely positioned there and not installed as it would be. Since then I only have two panels left to put down (the ones that go under the port side bench). I will post a finished picture when complete so that it will look much better and straighter.

First tip - Don't use colored rags when applying the Acetone! The die in the fabric will come off and onto your fiberglass, thus causing for even more Acetone cleaning/rubbing. Don't use paper towels either as it just creates a ton of paper towel boogers and dingleberries for you to have to clean up and deal with. Instead, do what I should have done from the start and use an old white T-shirt.

Second tip - If you have OCD, this might be a job you'll hate but love at the same time. I say that jokingly since I have OCD lol. The patterns and cutouts in the SeaDek are not going to match up exactly to your boats panels and sections 100% of the time simply due to manufacturing tolerances and such. Some holes might not line up exactly and some of your old screw holes from the snaps will not be where you think they should be causing you to rethink your SeaDek placement strategy.

Third tip - Wear some long shorts, sweatpants or jeans. My knees are freaking raw as hell today from all the moving around on the bare "non-slip" floor. Moving on your knees on the SeaDek also doesn't help since that too will light your skin on fire from rubbing/chaffing against it after a while lol.

Fourth tip - For the 190/192 guys the ski locker was by far the worst since there is a taper to it (you don't notice it if you use the carpet or bare floors previously, but it's there. The SeaDek comes in two pieces for the locker which makes lining it up a give/take affair because your mind is telling you to use the ski locker hatch lock as the centering piece to base the two pieces off of but then you look at the two cutouts made in the SeaDek for the locker hinges and you realize that they won't line up if you center everything on the hatch. So you have to play with spacing, gaps and learn to live with some differences in order to lay down those two pieces. I hated doing the ski locker the most because of that. In a perfect world everything would align but we don't live in a perfect world so...yea.

Fifth tip - TAKE YOUR TIME! It's the off season for many so there is literally no rush. Lay everything out and use tape to hold your pieces in place. Don't be afraid to pull a panel from the tape and redo it if things just don't look right to you. Take the time to do it right or to the best of your ability. This stuff is pricey so make it count when it's time to stick it down.

 

[gpp7824]

Awesome set of tips!
I'll admit that the discussion about the alignment challenges is giving me some OCD anxiety just reading about it.
This may be the most useful info in the bunch, the pre-warning, so that when the time comes I've already made my peace with the need for perfection...

Curious that they don't make the ski locker a single piece. Too long for packaging/shipping?
I know I saw a mat set that also included a couple of small strips just aft of the gas tank cover mat.

 

[jpass]

Thanks for the tips. I was curious how hard it was going to be to clean the non-skid. I'm OCD as well, so this will truly test my patience I'm sure. I've got a Sea Doo Challenger 210 and had several extras added to my kit. The 2 piece ski lockers was more than likely done to fit everything on 2 sheets as the cost is in the sheets and not the patterns. Our kit was coming with a 2 piece ski locker, but we changed it to a one piece as I didn't care for the look.

Just got some templates today as our kit was made for the lower "S" model that didn't have the magnets for 2 of the removable seat cushions. As soo as hurricane Matthew is done wreaking havoc down here, I'll modify the templates and send them back so we can get our kit.

Can't wait.

BTW, your install looks great so far.

 

[Rick Owens]

Where did you get the sea deck and what was the cost?

 

[jpass]

Where did you get the sea deck and what was the cost?

There was just a group buy on SeaDek. 30% off. Just ended September 30th. A bunch of people got in on it, myself included.

 

[Rick Owens]

Just my luck. Looks great!

 

[haknslash]

Just finished my last two pieces. Here's another tip that will help you, especially if you have an AR with the bench seat. Getting under there and lining up your SeaDek, hold it down and then try to tape it straight can be tricky. A third arm would be nice here. So here's a tip that helped me, apply the tape on the SeaDek after you've spit the backside in the middle. That way you just have to position it and then smooth the tape down. It's easier than having tape pieces laying around and then have to respotion because you moved the SeaDek grabbing the tape. Pretaping saves a lot of time!

 

[haknslash]

Done .....and my feet never felt so happy!

 

[Rick Owens]

Very nice. Definitely going to be doing that before next season.

 

[haknslash]

Very nice. Definitely going to be doing that before next season.

Definitely get in on the group buy next year if you don't buy it before then and now. 30% was a HUGE savings but it's well worth the cost either way and the time to install. No more carpet or snaps to deal with or bare white floors that can be impossible to keep clean if you're anal like me lol.

 

[Rick Owens]

Do you know when that might be?

 

[haknslash]

Will (@JetBoatPilot) does them every September so you literally just missed it

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2016-seadek-group-buy.11209/

 

[Rick Owens]

Ok thanks for the info. Yes very hard to keep floor clean without carpet pus the carpet does not take long to look worn.

 

[haknslash]

He had mentioned in the thread he was still waiting on several people to pay their invoice so I'm not sure if everyone paid or if some people had to back out for a reason. It's a long shot but it might be worth shooting him a message.

 

[Rick Owens]

Thanks for the info. I just called and they had one left at the discounted price. Now if I can just get it installed. How long did it take you!

 

[haknslash]

Sweet!! I'm glad they could help you out with a discount. Install time I'd say you're looking at an hour minimum with all the prep and taking your time to try and make it look good. I split mine up into a couple of days since I wasn't in a rush and to give me something to do while my home A/C was out and being repaired. It's important not to rush so take as long as you need.

• It takes about 3-5 minutes to clean each area you will apply a mat. That's if the boat is already fairly clean before you started. You must do this when the boat is dry.
• I then use my Exacto knife and carefully split the adhesive backing in the middle of the piece I'm going to install.
• Then I apply tape to half of the SeaDek piece, position it where it should go and then seal the tape so the mat won't move.
• With half the mat taped down, fold back the other half so you can start removing the adhesive backing as you rub down the SeaDek at the same time to not have air bubbles and for a good, solid bond.
• Then remove tape and do the other half of the piece.
• Once the piece is laid down I run my finger along the edge pushing and rubbing firmly to make sure the edges is as sealed as it can be so water or dirt won't get under the SeaDek. You may want to use a tshirt for this since your fingers can get burned from rubbing abrasion lol.

 

[Joe Hellaby]

Does it come with any product to fill the tiny holes from the removed snap downs? Or do you fill with any caulk / silicon type of product? Or not worry about it because the seadek itself will just cover the holes adequately?