Help with affixing mat to boat carpet

[J._Bricker]

Hope some of you guys can help me out or provide some ideas.  I just had the carpet replaced on the boat, which as some of you know is a pretty expensive in regards to time and money. As you can imagine, I would like to keep the new carpet in good condition for as long as possible.  The old carpet on the deck where I would strap the rods down would soak up all the scent (smelly jelly, pro cure) from my plastics.  Over time not only did this create a black oily mess on the carpet, but it rotted out the glue underneath the carpet.  I'd like to use a piece of left over carpet as a mat in this area to save the carpet underneath.  I was thinking of gluing Velcro to the bottom of the mat and hope it would hold and not get blown overboard when under power. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. JB

[BassnChris]

I would think that a piece of loose or Velcro'd carpet would be a tripping hazard if not outright dangerous.

i would just be careful or use a towel and toss it in a hatch when running.

[gardnerjigman]

If you are using so much scent stuff that it turns your carpet black and actually rots it I'd recommend stepping away from the scent... lol. Sounds like major overkill. 

[OperationEagle]

I agree that this could be a tripping hazard.  

An idea to try is to lay down some wide packaging tape in the area of concern?

Maybe tape down some layers of just regular white paper if you want some absorption?

[JiggMaster24]

I agree with the towel idea, you can always remove it, and having raised carpet could spell disaster!

[Fishing Rhino]

Where do you keep your boat?  In a shelter, garage, under trees, in the open?

The best thing you can do to make your carpet last is to keep it clean and dry.  If you keep it outside, under or near trees, the black could be mold and/or sap.

Your best friend is a wet or dry vacuum cleaner.  When you've been fishing in the rain, use the vacuum on your carpet.  It should leave the carpet slightly damp to the touch, not wet.

If it's left outside, the sun can cause damage to the carpet.  On a nice sunny day, open all the hatches.  Bilges are usually damp places, and the best thing you can do is to ventilate them regularly.

Bass boats typically get a lot of sand on them, which settles into the carpet's fibers.  That's why vacuuming thoroughly, particularly when they are drenched, will remove a lot of that grit which can wear a carpet.  Just think of the high traffic areas in your home that are carpeted.

A boat is even worse because you deal with the elements more so than carpets in a home.

Use the crevice tool or one of the smaller tools such as the one you'd use on upholstery, and move it slowly.  It may take you a half hour or more to do a thorough job, but your deck carpeting will reward you with a much longer lifetime.

I would not even attempt to affix a mat  to he carpet in the areas that are most prone to wear.  All you will do is create a moisture trap that will be near impossible to get dry.

[J._Bricker]

Thanks everyone for your responses and I apologize for not giving you more information to work with regarding my original question.  I wish I had taken some pictures of the damaged carpet before it was replaced. The black, greasy, oily mess took me over 10 years to prefect , and 100 degree summer weather didn't help keep those scent products from getting thinned out !  We're all proud of our rigs and try to keep things in the best condition we can. After being told "Your boat is in really good shape and it's how old?" The next question is usually "What's that black, greasy mess on your carpet?"  I have a 20ft boat and when fishing the rods are strapped down to either side of the deck.  One side of the deck I have rods rigged with plastics the other side of the deck the rods are rigged with various hard baits.

The mat I would like to use would be cut to a 1'X 2' rectangular piece of carpet and would be placed under the rods rigged with plastics so I don't think it will present a safety hazard even though I have stepped on a rod or two over the years.  I agree with and have tried to use a towel as you've mentioned, but it had a tendency to be affected by the wind when under power and getting fouled in the hooks of rigged rods. That's why I thought a small piece carpet would be a little more substantial, plus I have some of it handy.  As for where the boat is stored, it was my wife's idea to keep the boat in the garage.....

Again thanks for your help and feedback on this, JB

[gardnerjigman]

I guess I just don't see the point in putting another piece of carpet down since your problem is the stuff seeping into and through the existing carpet... Kind of like having a leak over a drop down ceiling and just putting up 2 or 3 ceiling tiles to band aid it, I promise, it'll still get thru. 

[J._Bricker]

Hey gardnerjigman, I like your analogy.  And I agree if you're not going to replace the roof it's much easier to replace the tiles if you've got extra tiles.  It's much easier, and in my case more cost effective to replace the carpet than the boat.  And that is why I was asking if the Velcro idea would work on the carpet or if someone another/better solution.  

I attached a photo (trying to figure this tablet technology out) of a mat that I jigged out of a piece of carpet remnant.  I guess my next step is the Velcro...

Tight lines and much thanks, JB

[gardnerjigman]

That looks good. I'd cover the back of that with velcro. 

[ClackerBuzz]

hydro-turf?

http://hydroturf.com/index.php

[J._Bricker]

Thanks guys, I'll let you all know how it works out. JB

[WIGuide]

Instead of using velcro, you could use snaps. If I remember correctly they're pretty easy to install and they should provide a better hold than velcro

[gardnerjigman]

4 hours ago, WIGuide said:

Instead of using velcro, you could use snaps. If I remember correctly they're pretty easy to install and they should provide a better hold than velcro

That's a great idea. The early 90s model Nitro (Rick Cluny editions) had these on both sides of the front deck to put cushions down with. Guess to make it a fish and ski type deal. 

[gulfcaptain]

I'd put a piece of black rubber mat down first the same size as your square to keep things from leaking through. Then use a bit of silicone on some screws (ss with washers) and screw it down.  Then when you don't need to worry about it bleeding through the scrap piece onto your new carpet. Velcro may no stick well and with moisture and cause it to become loose and possibly flop around when you're running which wouldn't be good.  Trying to affix something to carpet to hold isn't going to work.  Use snaps or screw it down....either way you're screwing something into the deck just make sure you put something on that screw to keep the moisture out.

[J._Bricker]

Thanks again for help and ideas. I thought about the stainless screw w/washer set up, but didn't want to drill any more holes in the boat than I had to.  I didn't use Velcro due to how expensive it would be for the amount I thought I'd need to use.  Not to mention the glue was extremely strong /tacky and might damage the carpet I was trying protect.  I went with double sided carpet tape, a product designed (go figure) to prevent a rug from moving when layed on top of a carpet.  I'm not sure if the tape can be used more than once, but a roll of 75 feet cost $8.98.  I don't think I'll use it all...

Good fishing