The first time I saw boat cushions secured by magnetic snaps was aboard a Solace 41, about five years ago. Then-president of Solace Boats, Todd Albrecht, picked up a cushion and said, “Watch this.” He tossed it toward the bow lounge, and—like magic—it oriented itself properly and locked into place with a satisfying click-click-clickety-click.
Of note, I ran that boat to Bahamas and those cushions, as well as those on the stern, stayed secure through rough seas crossing the Gulf Stream and also to speeds of over 57 mph on the Bahama Bank.
Yes, magnets are super convenient and up to the task. That’s why many of the highest-end boats now use magnetic fasteners to secure canvas and cushions. If you are replacing canvas or cushions on your boat, you can specify magnetic fasteners, such as those by NuSnaps, and enjoy the same benefits. In fact, if your cushions are in good shape, switching to magnets is also easy—at least with Nu Snaps, whose the “male” and “female” parts directly replace conventional snaps.
To prove the point, when my friend Tom Mansfield had new cushions made for his Grady-White, NuSnaps provided us with magnets. These were then installed on the boat and in the new cushions.
We chose NuSnaps for a couple of reasons. First, unlike some other magnetic snaps, NuSnaps fasteners feature a recessed design that allows the “male” (boat side) part to sit inside the “female” (cushion side) part. This design doesn’t allow the magnets to separate when sideways (shear) forces are applied, as they might occur when guests scooch around on a seat cushion. As you likely know, it’s much easier to separate magnets by sliding them apart as opposed to pulling them apart. The NuSnaps interlocking design makes doubly sure that your cushions will stay put.
The N52 neodymium magnets themselves are very strong, and under direct pull, won’t release under normal conditions. In fact, NuSnaps publishes the data about its magnetic strength. The company’s flush-mount snaps exert 13 pounds of pull force and the surface mount exerts 10 pounds of pull force. That’s per snap, mind you. For a cushion with six snaps, that amounts to 60 or 80 pounds of stay-in-the-boat force.
Another reason we chose NuSnaps, was our concern about corrosion. Those fears were allayed when we analyzed the construction. Unlike other magnetic snaps, some of which are simply coated magnets or magnets in a plastic case, NuSnaps are hermetically sealed inside a stainless-steel vault. The boat we used for this project lives at a saltwater dock, so the NuSnaps will be exposed to the marine environment 24/7. We’ll report back on our social channels about their corrosion-resistant performance. Now, let’s get to replacing snaps with magnets.
The How-To
There are two basic NuSnaps systems: flush-mounted and surface-mounted. These refer to the type of magnetic fastener installed on the boat. The former ostensibly looks nicer when the cushions are removed and may provide more seating comfort, again, when the cushions are removed. The installation of the flush mounts is well within the realm of DIY, though it’s a bit more involved than installing surface mounts. For this project, we chose the surface-mount system.
With either surface or flush mount, the installation on the cushions is the same: simply poke a hole through the flap on the cushion, push the threaded stem of one half of the NuSnap through, and then screw the other half of the NuSnap onto the protruding stem. We found that a few additional steps helped us do a good job. Here’s what we did.
Since we were dealing with newly made replacement cushions, the old-style snaps were already on the boat. NuSnaps use the same screw size (supplied). We replaced these first, applying sealant to the existing holes before anchoring the NuSnap. Then, we laid the cushion in place and checked the fit fore, aft, and across the beam. Next, with the cushion’s flap over the NuSnaps screwed to the boat, we marked the location of the first NuSnap on the flap by pushing a small Phillips screwdriver into the flap and into the center of the NuSnap on the boat underneath. Then, we’d use that tiny “dent” to check the fit one last time before poking the hole.
We poked the holes in the cushions using two methods, just to show different ways to do the job. Most of the holes were punched using a fabric hole puncher, which are available at craft stores and online. The one we used cost less than $20. If you go this route, make sure the tool you order can punch 5/16-inch-diameter holes and that its throat is deep enough to reach onto the flap of your cushion.
We also used an awl to simply punch holes. We had to wiggle it to stretch the holes and make them a bit bigger. Frankly, this worked just fine, though the hole puncher made clean, perfect holes.
With the hole punched, push one half through, screw on the other half, and you are done. Move on to the next snaps.
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Worth sharing is the following: The NuSnaps are larger in diameter than traditional boat snaps. If you are replacing any snaps that are located close to the edge of either the boat surface (near a corner or a change in plane), or the edge of the cushion’s flap, be careful of your layout. You may need to reposition such snaps slightly. If you do “cheat” one snap, the cushion flap may end up bunched along its run. Remember the old axiom of measure twice and cut (or punch a hole) once.
NuSnaps Surface Mount kits cost $25.95 per snap. Flush Mount cost $26.95 each. Keep in mind the NuSnaps can be easily removed and reused when you replace your cushions. They are good for the life of your boat, not the life of your cushions.
For more information and to view a series of installation videos, visit nusnaps.com.
