Our warranty on craftsmanship is two years from the date of final delivery, it covers the stitching, the seams and our installation, and it transfers to the next owner if you sell the boat. The materials themselves, the vinyl, canvas, foam, thread and flooring, are warranted by the companies that make them, and we pass those warranties through to you.
A warranty is a set of words, and the words decide what happens when something goes wrong. So rather than describe ours loosely, here it is exactly as it appears in our signed terms, followed by what it means in practice.
The clause, word for word
From clause 7 of our Terms and Conditions:
"two (2) year limited warranty covering failures in stitching, seam binding, and direct installation craftsmanship from the date of final delivery. This warranty is transferable: if the vessel is sold during the warranty period, the warranty passes to the new owner for the time remaining, measured from the original date of final delivery."
It applies to all of our work on any builder's boat: a full interior package, a repair, a single cushion or a standalone piece of canvas. The one exception is budget-tier work, covered below.
What that covers, in plain terms
"Stitching, seam binding, and direct installation craftsmanship" is the work our hands did. If any of the following happens within two years because of how we built or fitted it, we put it right:
- Seams. A structural seam or a run of decorative piping unravels, tears or separates.
- Fit and tension. A cushion panel loosens, stretches or shifts well beyond normal break-in.
- What we fastened. Snaps, staples, tracks or backing frames that we installed come loose or fail.
The thread we sew with is the reason we are comfortable putting this in writing. SolarFix PTFE thread is standard on every package we build, and PTFE thread is made to hold its strength in sun and salt. A seam that opens early on a modern seat is almost always a craftsmanship problem, so that is exactly what we warrant.
What it does not cover
The same clause lists the exclusions, and we would rather you read them now than discover them later. The warranty "does not cover damage resulting from commercial overuse, neglect, improper washing/ cleaning (including the use of harsh bleach or high-pressure washers), trailing canvas while driving at highway speeds exceeding specified design limits, or general wear and tear."
Each one has a reason:
- Commercial overuse. A charter boat with dozens of people a week is a different duty than a private boat. It needs a different conversation at the quote.
- Neglect. Salt left to dry on the vinyl, a cover snapped over wet cushions, a seam left torn so water gets in. Upholstery on a boat needs basic care.
- Bleach and pressure washers. Harsh bleach attacks the materials and the stitching around them. A pressure washer can blow out stitching, split seams and force water through the vinyl backing into the foam.
- Trailering canvas beyond its design. A storage cover driven down the interstate is carrying loads it was never built for. If you trailer with canvas on, tell us before we build.
- General wear and tear. Vinyl and fabric age in Florida sun. Fading and wear from normal use over years are not failures of craftsmanship.
Our terms also make clear that we do not separately warrant materials against UV degradation, mould or mildew growth, staining or chemical damage. In practice that means sunscreen and bug spray staining, fuel spills, mildew from damp storage and fading are material questions, handled under the material maker's warranty where one applies, not ours.
Transferable: what happens when you sell
If you sell the boat within the two years, the warranty goes with it. The new owner is covered for whatever time is left, counted from the original date of final delivery, not from the date of sale.
An example. We finish your interior and deliver it. Fourteen months later you sell the boat. The new owner has ten months of craftsmanship warranty left.
That is worth saying out loud when you sell. A buyer looking at a boat with a documented, transferable warranty on its interior is looking at less risk, and that helps your resale. Our article on upholstery and resale value goes further.
One honest note. The transfer applies under our current terms, in place since 28 September 2026. If you are buying a boat with older Rivers Refined work on it, ask us and we will tell you exactly what applies to that job.
The budget-tier exclusion
We also offer a budget-tier option, sold as a Budget Refresh or marked budget-tier on the estimate. It carries no craftsmanship warranty from us. Our terms say why: budget-tier work "uses budget-grade vinyl and polyester thread and does not include Dry-Fast foam repair," and we do not recommend it for Nor-Tech vessels.
Because no craftsmanship warranty is given on that work, none transfers to a later owner. Material warranties from the manufacturers, where any exist, still pass through. You will never find this out after the fact: the exclusion is printed on the estimate and you initial it there before any work starts.
Material warranties: passed through to you
Vinyl, canvas, foam, thread and flooring are warranted by their makers, and we pass those warranties to you. They vary a great deal, and the details matter:
- Sunbrella Horizon marine vinyl carries a five year limited warranty, plus a three year warranty against microbial pink staining. In the first three years it includes an allowance toward labour as well as replacement vinyl. For aftermarket work it runs from the date the vinyl was sold to the shop, not from your delivery date, and it excludes thread, foam, and staining caused by amines in the foam or adhesive.
- Some marine vinyl warranties do not reach aftermarket work at all. At least one maker limits its warranty to boat builders and their direct suppliers. So it is worth asking which warranty, if any, applies to the material on your quote.
- Thread. Gore Tenara and SolarFix are each warranted by their makers for the life of the fabric they are sewn into, but only where the item is sewn entirely with that thread.
- Canvas. WeatherMAX 80 carries a ten year limited warranty from its maker, and Serge Ferrari backs its Stamoid fabrics for up to five years.
Most material warranties replace the material. The labour to strip, re-pattern and rebuild is usually not included unless the maker says it is, as Horizon does for its first three years.
Keeping it simple
The care that keeps an interior out of the exclusions is short: rinse with fresh water after every trip, wash with a soft microfiber mitt and a pH neutral boat soap, keep bleach and pressure washers away, and never snap a cover over damp cushions. Our marine vinyl care guide has the detail.
If you notice a problem, text the shop on (954) 390-1100 with your project details, a short description and clear photos. The full terms are on our Terms page.
Send us photos
If you are weighing up an interior and want to know exactly what would be covered on yours, send us photos of the boat. We will price it from them and spell out the warranty that comes with it.
Send us photos of the boat and we will price it from those.
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