We bought the Ultrasuede fabric and had it delivered to Angie’s parents’ house. Angie picked it up and brought it back to Mexico in one of her three 50 pound bags loaded with Madrone gear and parts
When we were shopping for the boat that became Madrone, we had a long list of “musts” and an even longer set of “wants”. One of the “wants” was comfortable interior cushions in a color and design that we liked.
Luis & Luis working on shaping the new foam. Note all of our old cushions piled up in the guest cabin
Madrone ticked all of the “musts” on the list, but she fell short on the cushions. Neither Angie not Mike was a big fan of the color or the pattern. And despite having completely differently sized and shaped bodies, the cushions turned out to be equally uncomfortable for both.
With the boat parked in one place for a few months, it seemed like a good time to redesign the cushions and have them covered in fabric that we like.
We thickened the bases to make the seating surfaces a bit taller, reduced the height of the bolsters at the front edge of the seats, and increased the angle of the backrests. Once the new cushions were built, we had them covered in Ultrasuede microfiber in a rich dark blue called Indigo.
New taller seats and more angled backs. Overall the new cushions are much more comfortable
The result is fantastic. The seats are more comfortable to sit in, the fabric is softer to the touch, and the color is exactly what we were hoping for. A local shop did all of the work to a decent standard, and they even got it all done before we left (although it was very close!)
Making patterns for the carpet
After one too many dings in cabin sole from dropped tools, we also decided to cover the floors with carpet. We bought a big piece of carpet with soft backing attached, and then painstaingly built paper templates with all of the curves, notches and holes needed.
Cutting the carpet to size
We used the templates to cut the carpet, and then Angie even more painstakingly spent many days binding the edges with her trusty Sailrite sewing machine.
The result of this project is also fantastic. The carpets fit exactly perfectly and still allow access to all of the underfloor storage on the boat. The look is very different from the beautiful teak and holly sole underneath, but it will be very warm and comfortable as we move towards cooler temperatures.
A big project and a great interior improvement to Madrone.
