Interior cushion dimensions wanted

[jasmith13]

I'm new to this site so am unsure if this is the place to ask but would be very appreciative if someone who has a Hunter 27 Cherubini model could send the measurements for the interior cushions. An odd request perhaps but I am in a different location than my boat and forgot to take measurements when I was there last and want to work on replacing the cushions. Thanks for assistance or for redirecting me to a link/site that has this information.
Julie

 

[Steve Dion]

Julie:

Are you in the market to make your own or have them made?

If you are looking for someone to make them, I would suggest that you contact US Yacht Cushions in St. Peterburg Fl. The make nice stuff and have the patterns in stock for your boat.

 

[ggrizzard]

I second Steve's recommendation. US Yacht Cushions made mine at 2/3rds the cost of others and they have great selections of styles and fabrics. They might "give" you the dimensions for a small consideration if you are determined to make your own.

 

[rardiH36]

Julie:

You don't mention what you will do with the dimensions.

Into this void, I want to chime in with an observation/opinion. One of the primary reasons why I chose my particular used 1980 Cherubini over anything else that I looked at was because the interior cushions were recently new -- and done professionally. The PO (wife probably more than husband probably) had good taste with interior design (to my and my wife's viewpoint anyway) in regards to the fabric and how it interfaced with the interior wood and layout. All edges were (and still are) sharp and accentuated with piping. After buying the boat, I've refinished the wood in the interior and cleaned/scrubbed all grime off the interior surfaces. My wife and I now love sitting "down below" reading, enjoying food and drink and watching DVD's on our 15" big screen. This compared to friends' boats where somebody at some point decided that red/white/blue/green/yellow striped fabric stretched awkwardly over foam cushions was the proper nautical look for real men? (Hope I'm not offending any readers here.) OK these friends have 32" screens, but I still want my interior.

I'm a die-hard DIY'er. In four years of boat ownership, the only thing I've paid someone else so far for is pulling the prop that was frozen hard on the shaft after 30 years. I've even done my share of simple (very simple) home upholstery with satisfying outcome. But I wouldn't even consider doing my boat's interior upholstery myself. Unless one has professional upholstery training, the best DIY outcome for a boat interior will probably be equivalent to a slip cover look.

Do a cost/benefit review for DIY materials, and time, and probaby disappointment vs. a professional job.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Rardi has a point. Sanders' interior is a good example. So bright and comfortable.

 

[H33CRich]

Julie:

...I'm a die-hard DIY'er. In four years of boat ownership, the only thing I've paid someone else so far for is pulling the prop that was frozen hard on the shaft after 30 years. I've even done my share of simple (very simple) home upholstery with satisfying outcome. But I wouldn't even consider doing my boat's interior upholstery myself. Unless one has professional upholstery training, the best DIY outcome for a boat interior will probably be equivalent to a slip cover look.

Do a cost/benefit review for DIY materials, and time, and probaby disappointment vs. a professional job.

On my previous boat, I remade all of my cushions from scratch; new foam and covering. While it is not difficult, it is very time consuming. It took me 3-4 weeks of tracing old foam on new foam, cutting all the boxing, top and botom plates, and then sewing together. The 3-4 weeks were spent 2-3 hours each night and 8-10 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. I had an instructional DVD on sewing your own cushions (produced at the New Brunswick University adult education facility) to get me started and may have it in my archives on my backup drive, but then again I may not... Since doing it, I know the drill and have not looked for the DVD. My website has some of the photos I took/had-taken during the project: http://www.richgard.com/cushions.htm. The results were very satisfying, but knowing how much time it takes, I may not do it again. I have other things I need to do and can subcontract that out. Figure out what 100 hours of your time is worth, plus ~ 25 yards of fabric, +2 king sized foam mattresses for a 33 or larger boat (1 - 4 inch cal-king foam toppers is what I used on the 26' Tanzer), heavy duty sewing machine if you do not have one, plus several spools of polyester thread and do the cost benefit analysis.

 

[DianaOfBurlington]

It's easy to measure them. Most upholsterers will know what to do with even raw numbers (such as when you provide them with only the flat-bunk dimensions). The best help is to make a set of templates using kraft paper, capturing the dimensions of the flat bunk top (use Sharpie marker), and then either folding more paper up the side of the hull to represent the curvature of the cushion's thickness or just interpolating it and adding the numbers to the flat-bunk measurements. Anyone experienced in doing boat berths will understand that.

If at all possible try to get closed-cell foam. Also, there is an absorbent matting that can be bonded or glued to the underside to keep the foam from sopping up humidity from the plywood bunk top. Do not doubt that it will sweat horribly, adding to cabin humidity, mildew, bad odor and a propensity to rot.

When you go about making new foam, keep in mind that no one likes to sleep on any less than 4"-thick cushions. I think I will do my new ones in 5". Stiffness counts too-- I do not think you can have them too stiff, since you can always add a thin layer of softer foam to the top and make them more liveable. The 4" I sleep on now is too thin when I lean on an elbow or kneel on it; and it's just about impossible to make 'too-soft' any stiffer.

I maintain that the simplest upholstery is the best for smallish yachts. Too much 'fluff' begins to make the boat look like it's trying too hard. Be sure to add the batting to upper inside corners (where people will sit) to keep the edges from being too blockish. Other than this, straight and simple will be cheapest and easiest-- and will look most appropriate in a small necessarily cluttered cabin.

As far as fabric goes, Sunbrella would be unnecessary and prohibitively expensive for down below. You are NOT restricted to fabric marketed as 'boat upholstery'. Any cotton 'sailcloth' fabric or anything viable for heavy-duty upholstery will suffice.. Natural fibers are preferable to polyesters. 'Too-thin' wears too quickly and 'too-thick' is rough to sleep on.

I found some denim in a popular fabric shop around here and can't wait to get going with it. Some of it comes with little embroidered crabs or shells or lighthouses, and I am making a throw pillow out of each variant.