Marine Vinyl

Question
 We have a boat that we suspect was not made with marine grade vinyl.  The company has said they did use some vinyl that had not been "treated".  We know they replaced the seats on another boat. Of course, they do not want to replace ours.  Is it normal to cover your boat with factory cover, with it dry, on a lift, under a dock and come back to totally black seats the next season? None of the boats around us have this problem. They seem to report a few spots. The boat right beside us on the dock had no mold this season.

How can we determine if marine grade vinyl was used?  How much difference would it make if we were to continue to argue this and get new vinyl?  The seats are in perfect condition (except for the mold problem). We have nothing to gain aesthetically (that is after we clean them).

Would it help if I sent a picture made yesterday of what we found when we opened our boat this season? We just want to know if this much mold can occur if marine grade vinyl was used. It would be much easier for us to be able to find a remedy other than a long tedious battle with the manufacturer.

Thank you so much for your years of experience regarding this question.

Answer
Hi Donna.....Thanks for selecting the undersigned to reply to your question.

It appears an ideal environment exists wherein mould is encouraged to grow, and can affect almost any absorbant material such as fabrics, wood, etc.

I'm not aware of "marine grade vinyl". Vinyl is vinyl, but, some are treated with chemicals to protect the product from fading from UV exposure, prevent
brittleness, and minimize growth of mould. Mould grows and persists to exist because of the presence of a high degree of moisture, combined with warm temperatures and a lack of proper and effective ventillation.

I get the impression there isn't sufficient ventiallation being maintained, and there might be residual water in the vessel's bilge that wasn't completely discharged. Check the position of the bilge pump and ensure it is sitting correctly and is properly secured and functioning.

Safe Boating
Ron