What are the pros and cons to carpet in or out of your boat?

Carpet is comfortable and doesn’t look like cheap ghetto [censored]. That sea deck stuff, or some other non-carpet solution, leaves HUGE gaps between the deck lids…good place to shove a rod handle when trolling I guess.

Sea deck type stuff looks ok on the center floor…that’s about the only place I’d consider having it.

I guess the only real “con” of carpet is cheap carpet only lasts around 8-10 years if you take care of it. Good carpet can last 17-18 years, which is what I got outta my skeeters original carpet. $700 later, it looks like brand new and is ready for another 17-18 years.

I've had both and I'll go without the carpet.

What is your reason to go without?

I've had both and I will take carpet. The only time I don't want carpet is when I use a boat that may get mud in it. Sea Deck did not hold up as well as I thought it would in a bay boat. My Phoenix has a sea deck like material in the cockpit and other than quick drying I'm not real impressed with it. It shows dirt and scuffs
really bad.

Obviously the carpet will get wet...its a boat. How does it dry out? Does it seem to smell mildew like over time?

This ^^

My carpet takes about 2-3 hours to dry. It will mold if it stays saturated for days. If I get the boat carpet wet, I will wait till it dries before covering the boat. The padding under the carpet is specially made marine closed cell foam, so it doesn’t easily (if at all) absorb moisture.

This, I prefer a smooth surface. Don't have to worry about things getting snagged in it, easier to pull stuff out.

When it does get a hook in --- it will tear a small hole.

This and the way carpet gets nasty after a while. I also like the way you can wipe clean non-carpeted decks. Each to his own preference though.

No carpet but I have a center console. I was happy when I took out the carpet from my Kenner. The deck is now easy to keep clean and water will flush out easier. The blood stains, dirt, and sand were a pain to clean.

I looked at a Basscat recently that had the sea deck style in the cockpit area and it turned me off to that idea. It showed all the dirt and scuffs but the gel coat around the corners were filthy and appeared to be hard to clean. It sucks when that area gets wet with carpet, but it looks like it’s even harder to keep looking good with sea deck.

Yeah the sea deck would not really be the alternate to carpet I am looking at, I was more so thinking something more like a spray on material similar to a spray in bed linear.

Carpet or not has me banging my head against the wall. I see boats I am interested in that have it all, trolling motor I want, electronics, power pole, price is good, but they have carpet. I have never owned a bass boat and have never been on carpet to know reasons for or against it. Maybe I would love the carpet...not sure which direction to go here. Other than what others have said I have no personal experience against carpet.