Mold inside seat

[Hammered]

Hi. I'm a new member 1st post. I have a 2013 GTI SE 155 35 hours on it 2 seasons. I bought this machine new and have always dried it off after using, removed the seat to air dry inside etc. When I bought the machine I bought the factory cover and always use the cover when not in use. The Sea doo is removed from the water after each use and trailered back to the cottage. I was getting it ready for winter storage the other day(always stored inside a garage for winter) and noticed spots inside the seat on the vinyl seat skin. Turns out to be black mold. All along the seams and random spots on the side panels.

1 - Is anyone else having this problem?
2 - Will Sea doo do anything to repair?(still on the Extended service)
3 - Any options for removing the mold?
4 - Is the stitching supposed to have a sealer for water penetration?

I have never rolled the Sea doo over in the water and although the seat has been wet I would expect the water to drain out. I have noticed that it sometimes drains while off the machine.
I have had 2 other Sea doo's and never had a problem with mold like this.
Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated.

 

[LouDoo]

I'm afraid I can't give you too much advice, I can however give you some advice on getting rid of the black mold. I had black mold on the cover of my boat, I removed it by using half distilled vinegar and half water, it did a real good job of removing the mold without harming the cover.

Something else I do, especially for winter storage is use Damp-Rid.

Lou

 

[3ftDeep]

I'm not so sure it's mold. I have a 2012 GTR 215 (same seat) and I have that discolouration, but also have yellow, blue and pink stains! Others are having the same problem with coloured stains. Not sure exactly how it happens, but it's either defective vinyl, or bleed through from the foam? It doesn't bother me anymore, as my seat is now ripping extensively at the corner seam.

 

[LouDoo]

After looking at your pictures I tend to agree, if that is black mold it appears to be coming from the inside out. Which would indicate either the material is not marine vinyl or an inferior grade of marine vinyl. My 96GTI which still has the original vinyl is showing no sign of staining or mold.

I would contact BRP about the problem, start at the dealer level.

Lou

 

[Hammered]

Thanks for the replies. I agree with you LouDoo, it may be an inferior vinyl or not marine vinyl at all. I took a few pics of the mold that is on the inside skin where the passenger strap goes down into the seat.

I've owned boats, and Sea doo's before and never had problems like this. My 96 GTX had no mold and the seat was perfect. I did contact BRP and they did tell me to contact my dealer and in turn he told me that the warranty does not cover cosmetic problems after the first year. He did tell me to take it to a marine seat business close to where i live. I think that will be my next step to find out if the vinyl is not the right kind for marine use and what can be done with it. I thought I would contact BRP just so I have a record in case I have to fight this. Looking closer at the seat I can see what looks like darker colors on the back side of some of the other seams on the seat.
Sorry to hear about your seat 3ftDeep. These Sea doo seats should not be problematic after a few year. That's just unreal. I don't see anything on the foam with the limited access but it sure is from the inside out.
I don't see this as a cosmetic problem.

 

[DavesNotHereMan]

My 2011 GTI LTD 155 has the same spots as well as some pink, so it looks like it goes back a few years.

My 2001 GTX RFI seat is fine.


-Dave
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Spimothy Leary]

the pink stains are called "pinking"

ever since the vinyl industry had to remove arsenic from their material (which killed the little microbes that cause pinking) all vinyls are subject to pinking, but you just can't see it on the darker colors.

its an issue for all white vinyl, for sure.

Also seems to be a two part thing, pink mold near stitching, and pinking elsewhere.

my vinyl guy explained this to me after I told him I wanted a white seat on my gtx and he was like "are you sure about that?" and gave me the above info.

i was told that regular use of warm soapy water helps, and was told to not use bleach... but doesn't solve the problem, just slow's down the progress and makes the vinyl a less attractive host to the micro organisms that cause this. more of an issue in warm/humid climates and obviously more of an issue if a ski is stored outside and/or under a cover when not in use... ie: if garage stored with no cover it is less prevalent.

as far as black mold, i've found great results using tilex bathroom cleaner, i know some bleach is involved there but I didn't care, it worked.

 

[LouDoo]

Good to know, but it kinda begs the question. Why does Seadoo use white vinyl?

Lou

 

[Spimothy Leary]

Good to know, but it kinda begs the question. Why does Seadoo use white vinyl?

Lou

it looks good in the showroom

similar issues have popped up with several boating manufacturers (including seadoo, mastercraft)

and its not a real problem if some minor preventative steps are taken although I think they just reduce the problem not eliminate it. I have a friend with a GTR and his seat looks perfect.

Not complaining myself... I still have a few GTR seatcovers in stock that are white and orange and they sell fast, I suspect its due to the pinking. When i had the opportunity to buy a bunch wholesale I bought every one they had because I knew that they'd sell quickly.

 

[3ftDeep]

I know why they use white. Apart from the complementary look it gives the GTRs, when it's 40 degrees outside and your ski has been baking in the sun all day, you can jump right onto the seat without a second thought. It still amazes me how much the white reflects the rays. The same seat made with blue or black vinyl will cause bad burns if approached the same way. For that reason alone it's going to be hard for me to replace the seat with any other color.

 

[3ftDeep]

Great info, thanks! The staining is a nuisance, but nothing like the flaw in the seat stitching. The separation at the seam is very bad now, and will undoubtedly be experienced with all GTI seats with >150 hrs.