Magnetic Cushions?

[GradyGuy3420]

I’ve been seeing magnetic cushions on CCs vs. the traditional snaps. Seems like a much better option as long as the magnets are strong enough.

Wondering if anyone has retrofitted their cushions to be magnetic and, if so, which magnets, what was the process, are you happy, etc. Also, does it interfere with your compass at all?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Capt Bill]

Magnets... ferrous iron and steel: I wonder if this could become a rust stain problem.

 

[DennisG01]

I did something kind of similar on one my previous boats with the cockpit entry door - not huge, but about 2-1/2' high by 18" wide. Normally, it was held "open" with a nylon strap and a snap. But it was never "tight" so it still jiggled. I bought Nd magnets from K&J online. I drilled a hole in the door (backside, where it would touch the fiberglass "wall" when opened) with a Forstner bit and sunk the magnet in the hole so it was flush and used PC-11 to keep it in place and also cover it to make it roughly invisible and to protect it from the elements. Then I glued another magnet on the inside/backside of the "wall". It actually turned out pretty slick.

I think you'd need a lot of magnets to avoid the cushion sliding out of place under the stress of a person's back and rough seas, but it sounds doable! It's not clear from what you wrote, but if you're talking about a seat "bottom" cushion, I think that would stay in place even easier.

 

[GradyGuy3420]

I did something kind of similar on one my previous boats with the cockpit entry door - not huge, but about 2-1/2' high by 18" wide. Normally, it was held "open" with a nylon strap and a snap. But it was never "tight" so it still jiggled. I bought Nd magnets from K&J online. I drilled a hole in the door (backside, where it would touch the fiberglass "wall" when opened) with a Forstner bit and sunk the magnet in the hole so it was flush and used PC-11 to keep it in place and also cover it to make it roughly invisible and to protect it from the elements. Then I glued another magnet on the inside/backside of the "wall". It actually turned out pretty slick.

I think you'd need a lot of magnets to avoid the cushion sliding out of place under the stress of a person's back and rough seas, but it sounds doable! It's not clear from what you wrote, but if you're talking about a seat "bottom" cushion, I think that would stay in place even easier.

Thanks for the reply.

That concept is exactly what I've seen/what I'm thinking. Drill out slightly at the four corners of the fiberglass base/seat and sink one side of the magnets in and seal it off flush with epoxy, while the other magnets are stitched into the bottom sides of the cushion.

Mostly thinking for the seat cushions that have storage underneath them. Snapping and unsnapping four (or more) snaps every time we go into those storage areas...there has to be a better way!

 

[DennisG01]

If the fiberglass isn't too thick, you can just glue them on the back side like I did - Nd are very strong - and you pick and choose the strength you want. I suspect you would need more than 4... but it's easy enough to add more if 4 doesn't work as well as you like.