I've been reading through all the seat upgrade threads. My 2010 TI as the original Hobie seats and they have a few problems. Mainly, the "bullets" that secure the seat to the hull won't stay put. Over the last few years, the threads in the bullets have become frozen and very hard to reinstall. I often end up sitting on them, which is no fun. Also, having your rear end sitting in a puddle gets old after a few hours. I'm sure you all have experienced this, hence the many threads on new seats.
As I am trying to keep my Hobie budget low this summer, I thought I'd try a simple and cheap upgrade. I found a simple 1-1/2" thick foam pad at Menards (big box home improvement chain in Michigan) that I used on a floor install project to protect my knees. It is just the right size to fit into the Hobie seat well. I pulled out the bullets and repurposed the holes to pass a stainless steel zip tie through. I drilled strategically-placed holes in the foam pad, and used a strip of aluminum to protect the mat from the zip tie. I used some Gorilla clear glue to stick the Hobie seat to the pad.
I'm now 1-1/2" out of the puddle on a soft (but not too soft) pad. Total investment: $25
And, here is my TI floating on Lake Huron at our place in Lexington, Mi (near the knuckle on the Thumb in the left-hand map of Michigan you all carry with you.)
I also did the front hatch seal upgrade shown in the video. I bought foam that was too thin, so it took me two iterations and some strategically-placed 2nd layers to get a good seal.