We love our 1994 Hurricane deck boat, 150 HP Yamaha Pro V runs well, and the boat was generally in good shape, especially considering its age. However, the upholstery, both in color and shape, needed help. The snap-in carpets were thread-bare. The Bimini cover and boat covers, in general, were also in rough shape.
My wife has spent the last 3 to 5 summers taping seams on the seats. She had sewn beach towels to make slip-on seat covers to help protect what was left and ensure a comfortable ride. Last summer, I decided at the very least we needed new covers. I found a local craftsman that made boat covers. I chatted with him, saw his work, and knew we had to hire him to reupholster and restore the boat to its former glory.
Initially, the upholsterer, Steve, was unsure if we were serious. He said he gets a lot of calls and spends a lot of time estimating work, only to have the shopper say. “That is way too expensive!” We knew this would not be cheap. For context, when I started to look at the price of a new boat – a comparable size and engine would cost upwards of $64,000. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the boat. After a few conversations, Steve knew we were serious, and we started talking about materials and colors.
Our boat is named, The Howlin’ Wolf. The name comes from the name of our lake, Big Wolf Lake. When we purchased the boat, I made decals with the name and logo – inspired from a Howlin’ Wolf album cover.
Here are some photos of the Howlin’ Wolf from this past summer
The Howlin’ Wolf, docked. Before shot. 
The Howlin’ Wolf on life with seat covers 
Another shot with seat covers 
View from the front to the rear. 
Back 1/2 of the boat. 
Back 1/2 covered. 
On trailer. 
Another trailer shot, note nose is low, might have accounted for excess water in the hull 
The front 1/2 of the boat. 
Another front 1/2 shot. 
Front Covered 
Seat covers. Planning on switching to full cover. 
Captain’s seat.
The work begins
A frozen Howlin’ Wolf was delivered to Up North Canvas Company. The boat had more ice than expected. We need to have a little fiberglass work down to get the hull in better shape. They will also install a keel guard to protect the keel on the trailer, lift, and when beaching.
The main recovering and assembly are completed. Cover, flooring, and bimini are next.
The final product.
