How I Made DIY Saloon Cushions for Our Sailboat

The saloon is the heart of the boat; a safe space to eat, socialize, work and relax. You want it to have comfortable cushions that you can sit up or lay down on, but on our boat, that simply wasn't the case.

Redoing the saloon cushions aboard SV Liger had been on "The List" for a while now, and after years of waiting, our latest haul-out presented the perfect opportunity to get this DIY task out of the way.

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Why the factory cushions had to go

There were a few reasons why we decided to remake the saloon cushions, but in a nutshell, the original ones sucked.

First, the foam quality was poor. Most of the cushions were a combination of regular foam and foam chips that were glued together - it felt like sitting on a concrete slab. We had to pile up extra pillows just to be comfortable enough to use it, which isn't great when the boat is your full-time home.

Second, the design wasn't very practical. The factory used angled edges where the back rest and seat foam met, which I assume was to help support the back rest. The problem with this; it made the area it too narrow for a person to lie down and sleep if you took the backrest off.

Finally, the covers were in dire need of replacement. During the warranty repairs the fabric was damaged, including epoxy smears, so in the end we just gave up on them and decided to start over from scratch.

Selecting the right materials for life at sea

Choosing the right materials is the most important part of any upholstery project.

If you pick the wrong foam, you can find yourself doing this exact same work again a few years down the track. I chose a high-quality, medium-density foam that came with a long-term guarantee.

For the fabric, we had a small debate about the color. I wanted a more neutral gray again, but Trent was set on a blue. After looking at various options we settled Outdura® Reflections Lagoon Fabric, and once I saw the blue fabric swatch next to the wood laminate inside the boat, I realized he was right.

To do the job right, I used these specific tools:

• Sailrite Edge Hotknife: I prefer to use a hot-knife over scissors as it cuts and seals the edges of the fabric at the same time

• Brother Sewing Machine: I use my Brother machine for lighter sewing tasks that don't require a heavy-duty walking foot

• Hoover Grey Tech 70 Thread: This is a very strong thread that will not break down over time and color matches the fabric

The "Frankenstein" Method: Gluing and shaping foam

To get the right angle on the backrests, I had to glue different pieces of foam together. I call this the "Frankenstein" method because you are building a new shape out of several parts. I used an adhesive called Bostik Fast Tack, which is great for boats because it sticks almost instantly and held up over 6 months of testing with a dog pillow I made for Rose.

After the foam was shaped, I wrapped the outer surface of each piece in batting to give them a smooth, professional finish. Without it, the fabric often looks loose, wrinkled, and messy over the foam, and it creates a bit of a margin for error as a DIYer.

Patterning and cutting

To make my life easier, I used the actual foam blocks as my guide. I laid the foam over the fabric and marked the lines directly with grease pencils. I then marked in my 1.5cm seam allowance before cutting it with the hot knife.

The hot knife is a total game-changer for this stage of the project. Since most boat fabrics are made of synthetic materials, they fray the moment you cut them. The heat from the knife seals the edges perfectly, making it easier to sew and preventing the covers from falling apart inside.

The sewing process

The actual sewing requires a lot of focus and patience, and I did have to redo at least one line of stitching that I wasn't happy with.

For me, the hardest part of the entire process was sewing the zippers. I highly recommend using double-sided basting tape to hold the zipper in place before you ever get near the needle. This stops the fabric from sliding around and helps prevent puckers.

Making your own DIY yacht cushions

While I'm not quite finished, the transformation of our saloon is already amazing.

When I finally finished the first cushion, I sat on it, then sat on the old one just to compare the feeling. The difference was unreal. We were so happy with the result that we threw the old, hard cushions off the back of the boat with glee!

If your boat cushions are making your life miserable, don't be afraid to take on the project yourself, especially if you have experience sewing. Redesigning the cushions to fit your specific needs is much better than just living with what the boat came with, especially if your boat is your home.