Headliner Advice?

[Billy Buck]

Tearing out the headliner in the v berth of a Cheoy Lee Perry 35 to get at some stanchion bases. It was time anyhow. Stuff was grody.

Couple of questions -

Are the headliners in v berths usually fabric? Is this for reasons to do with humidity?

Any other suggestions for what I could put up there. Expensive ideas and inexpensive/ingenious ideas both welcome.

c.

[ttex]

I am in the same boat (har har!) and I eagerly await replies.

Grody is what I would call it too.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by ttex

I am in the same boat (har har!) and I eagerly await replies.

Grody is what I would call it too.

Before you rip it all out (you may be tired of it), try this:

• Brew up some borax-based mildew treatment. Formula B, also reviewed in Practical Sailor, has many happy users. Cheap and better than anything you can buy for this specific application. This is what it was blended for. Concrobium is also good, but more money and not as effective.Sail Delmarva: Mildew Treatment for Pennies
• Put it in a spray bottle and soak the fabric, one section at a time.
• Scrub the bad spots lightly with a bristle brush.
• Vacuum off with a carpet vacuum upholstery attachment. This will get the dirt out.
• Do it a second time, probably without scrubbing, to even it up. Vacuum.
• And this is the trick. Do NOT rinse. The residue will prevent mildew from returning for years.

Do NOT increase the concentration of the cleaner. More is not better.


I've used this on several boats with fabric liners and lots of basement carpet. It's the bomb.

[Singularity]

If unable to salvage with the above advice, lots of threads on replacement. Commonly 4'x8' PVC or FRP boards from home improvement stores are used. I used white FRP...looks reasonable, but a little industrial. Off-white, non-white, and alternative textures available by special order from big box stores for basically the same price (and/or available directly from smaller specialized remodeling stores if in your area).

I must assume that the original perforated vinyl (with underlying foam) on a thin plywood back sheet offered some thermal and acoustic insulation that is gone with the hard plastic replacement. I'd try to salvage the original if possible...

[Fore and Aft]

I used outdoor sign writing material from Ulrich aluminium supplies. It is gloss white, aluminium sheet with a plastic core and is about 3mm thick. It cuts out easily with a jigsaw and so far after 3 years still looks good.
Whatever you use, being easy to clean should be a priority.
Cheers

[Marathon1150]

The previous owner of our boat took out the foam backed vinyl (foam was deteriorating after 20 years) and replaced it with automotive fabric, probably designed for use as a trunk liner. It has worked well and offers a bit of insulation. Others with the same boat (Beneteau) have taken out the headliner and painted everything white. No insulation but easy, and access to fasteners etc is really simple. Not the best aesthetically, thermally or acoustically, but it works.

[El Pinguino]

My focsle was that bad that people would choose to sleep on deck, in the snow, in 50º South...
It was the Black Hole of Calcutta but cold and dripping with condensation.

What I did..

The flat panels on the deckhead were sheets of ply covered with foam backed vinyl... the foam had long since turned to dust and we had classic 'Westerly Droop'.
Replaced with new sheets of ply covered with foam backed vinyl.... however... before fitting we glued sheets of 4mm EVA closed cell foam to the deckhead... they sell it as 'sleeping mats' on Ebay... cheap as...

Hull sides .... alu backed 6mm EVA closed cell...

Then there was the issue of the curvey bits around the 'deck house ' sides...
I wanted the foam back vinyl which I have elsewhere.... upholsterer said he couldn't do it but could do that 'marine carpet' stuff and he was stuck with some 'dark charcoal' carpet that I could have for free.

I was somewhat dubious on several levels but it has proved to have remarkably good insulating properties.

OK... so it all looks a bit 'mix and match' but it works.... once everything is back in place you don't really notice the silver...

First piccy is 4mm going against deckhead in aft cabin...

[coopec43]

l would take take El Pinguino Registered User advice and use carpet liner. I have used that on mine and have had no regrets. Very easy and forgiving to apply.

[Group9]

We replaced ours with cedar planks that we varnished.