Seats turning brown, vinyl pinking or vinyl discoloration has become a very common issue across the marine industry. The phenomenon perplexes many boat owners fearing they ruined their boat upholstery when in fact sometimes all it takes is 30-6o minutes in direct sunlight to make it disappear. The reaction to creating the stains only happens when the boat is exposed to a humid and hot environment at the same time. Boaters struggle with his issue since boats are always wet from normal use then they cover the boat up to protect it from the elements creating the perfect greenhouse environment for pinking to do its thing when things heat up. Marine Fabricator released a great article to explain the science behind vinyl discoloration to help boaters understand more how it happens and how to prevent it.
To sum it up, this is no new phenomenon to Glen Raven and Spradling Marine the two worlds largest marine upholstery suppliers. PVC discoloration has been a problem since the '80s and will certainly be an issue in the future. Here are a few tips Bakes can give to avoid the issue from happening:
- Only Clean your upholstery with factory approved cleaners such as 303 Multi-Surface Cleaner (absolutely no household cleaners, simple green, etc)
- Condition your upholstery with 303 Vinyl Conditioner often to prevent UV degradation
- Use proper Boat Covers made specifically for your boat and ensure they have a Vent in the cover at a high point.
- Avoid having boat covered in direct sunlight on hot days
- Store inside without a cover whenever possible
