Stern Rail Cushion approaches

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Neil McLaughlin

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Feb 15, 2021, 1:26:02 PM2/15/21
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Hi Folks,
Has anyone installed them?  I am thinking of getting them cut to go all the way around the seat back and to the transom entrance.  This would also provide a bit of back support for anyone sitting on the lower transom seats behind the wheel.
Each side would need two holes for the vertical rail supports.
I am attaching a picture with the noted total length and vertical supports.
If anyone has ideas or pictures of their design, that would be great.
Thanks,
Neil
Allure Stern Rail cushion location.jpg

bill pittore

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Feb 15, 2021, 1:53:25 PM2/15/21
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Hi Neil,
 Don’t have an answer for you but do have a question. I have a set of cushions that we made ourselves this past year but haven’t gotten around to attaching them. I notice that the cushions that are on the coaming have ties coming out the back that snap into the back side of the coaming/transom area. I circled them in red in the picture on the right. Are there also snap straps at the front of these cushions? Is the ‘pulpit’ cushion snapped in or do the straps (circled in orange) have some sort of buckle arrangement?

Thanks!

Bill

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<Allure Stern Rail cushion location.jpg>

bill pittore

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Feb 15, 2021, 1:55:31 PM2/15/21
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Forgot to attach photo:
Allure Stern Rail cushion location.jpg

Doug Ward

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Feb 15, 2021, 2:06:07 PM2/15/21
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It’s easy. Our boat is out of the water for the winter so I do not have any pictures. Start with a swimming pool noodle. Split it down the middle and wrap it around the rail. Cut it out in the area where the uprights are. Have it covered by an upholstery company. The cover gets stitched closed in all areas except where the uprights are. At the ends you incorporate draw strings to close it off. Simple and easy.

Doug Ward 

On Feb 15, 2021, at 1:55 PM, bill pittore <bill.p...@gmail.com> wrote:

Forgot to attach photo:

Doug Ward

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Feb 15, 2021, 2:13:02 PM2/15/21
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It’s not stitched totally closed or it will not go on the rail. Just stitched so it stays attached. If you need pictures, I can get them for you in May when our boat returns to floating. 

Doug Ward 

On Feb 15, 2021, at 2:06 PM, Doug Ward <d.k....@powerflowinc.com> wrote:

 It’s easy. Our boat is out of the water for the winter so I do not have any pictures. Start with a swimming pool noodle. Split it down the middle and wrap it around the rail. Cut it out in the area where the uprights are. Have it covered by an upholstery company. The cover gets stitched closed in all areas except where the uprights are. At the ends you incorporate draw strings to close it off. Simple and easy.

Neil McLaughlin

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Feb 16, 2021, 7:54:00 AM2/16/21
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Thanks Doug.  That's a great idea.  That is pretty much what I did on my last boat with the help of a seamstress.  Will do something similar.  Just wondering if you or others have gone all the way around to the transom entrance or just around the rail seat areas. 
Neil

Neil McLaughlin

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Feb 16, 2021, 7:58:37 AM2/16/21
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Hi Bill,
Those straps have domes at the end and then snap into the other half which is screwed to the bottom of the rail seat.
I can send a closer picture if helpful later.
My boat is now under about two feet of snow but will be heading up next weekend to sit on her and dream of spring!
Neil

Doug Ward

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Feb 16, 2021, 8:07:11 AM2/16/21
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Mine are just around the seat area. No reason it could not be longer. I did the same thing on my 310. Works just fine. 

Doug Ward 

On Feb 16, 2021, at 7:54 AM, Neil McLaughlin <sonas...@gmail.com> wrote:



bill pittore

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Feb 16, 2021, 9:43:46 AM2/16/21
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Thanks Neil, would appreciate some pics when you get around to it. 

Bill

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Mark Hensley

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Feb 20, 2021, 3:56:31 AM2/20/21
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If you want to consider buying custom rail cushions I suggest you take a look at the Zarcor website (www.Zarcor.com). Click on Marine Products. The cost of the rail cushions is $1.95 per inch, they are made to your measurements with notches for vertical stanchions, and the fabric is Sunbrella with various color choices. The website specifically mentions a couple of Catalina models, but not the 355. 

That said, I don’t have the rail cushions but I did have Zarcor make me custom companionway doors made of King Starboard to replace the original teak doors. I wanted to avoid the maintenance issues plus liked the changeable door panels, including screens for ventilation. I was very satisfied ordering from Zarcor and they helped me with a couple of design and installation issues via telephone, including talking to the owner/product designer, John Halter.

Mark Hensley
Amphitrite #119

Neil McLaughlin

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Feb 20, 2021, 2:44:55 PM2/20/21
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Thanks Mark.  I think I have a solution now for the rail cushions with a local seamstress who will make them like the Zarcor ones that you point out.

Regarding the companionway doors, I also installed Zarcor doors.  Had them on my Hunter too.  Love them!  I am working on a lashing solution now to hold them open when I don't want to remove them and store them away.  Fully agree on the maintenance free approach.  I went with the white cockpit table for the similar reason.  I did not want any exposed external wood. 

Thanks again,

Neil

Fair winds...


Jeffrey Hare

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Nov 7, 2021, 11:40:13 AM11/7/21
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Hi, 

We were planning a short weekend trip last summer and had a few hours to kill before we left for the boat, so we knocked out a prototype stern rail cushion with supplies leftover from a prior cushion job. We didn't really have accurate seat or rail dimensions at the time we made them, so it was mostly a guess. They turned out to be super comfortable and worked out great, so we'll be making a new pair of them for real over the winter to match the new cockpit cushions we will be making over the winter.

We didn't spend much time on these, just needed something to put behind our backs.  The Stainless LOX fasteners on the flap make them super quick to put on and take off.  I heat curved a piece of 1/2" PVC board to follow the basic curve of the rail to hold the shape better and laminated it with High-density foam for comfort.  The final version will be a little wider with a taper into the corners now that we see how much width we have to work with.  

So, this is one idea for backrests.
Jeff Hare
Solstice #17  

SternSeatProto1a.jpgSternSeatProto2a.jpg

spau...@gmail.com

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Nov 7, 2021, 4:07:50 PM11/7/21
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That is really sharp looking!

 

From: catal...@googlegroups.com <catal...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Jeffrey Hare
Sent: Sunday, November 7, 2021 10:40 AM
To: Catalina355 <catal...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Catalina 355:4309] Stern Rail Cushion approaches

 

Hi, 

 

We were planning a short weekend trip last summer and had a few hours to kill before we left for the boat, so we knocked out a prototype stern rail cushion with supplies leftover from a prior cushion job. We didn't really have accurate seat or rail dimensions at the time we made them, so it was mostly a guess. They turned out to be super comfortable and worked out great, so we'll be making a new pair of them for real over the winter to match the new cockpit cushions we will be making over the winter.

 

We didn't spend much time on these, just needed something to put behind our backs.  The Stainless LOX fasteners on the flap make them super quick to put on and take off.  I heat curved a piece of 1/2" PVC board to follow the basic curve of the rail to hold the shape better and laminated it with High-density foam for comfort.  The final version will be a little wider with a taper into the corners now that we see how much width we have to work with.  

 

So, this is one idea for backrests.

Jeff Hare

Solstice #17  

 

image001.jpg
image002.jpg

Phil Kling

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Nov 7, 2021, 4:30:46 PM11/7/21
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Looks great.  Please post a pattern or template to the site when done.

Phil



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Neil McLaughlin

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Nov 7, 2021, 6:50:30 PM11/7/21
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Hi Jeff,
Those look great.  Such an interesting idea.  Please do post the designs when convenient.
Nice job!
Neil
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