Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

I need some guidance with my cover... .

Currently own a two piece snap-on canvas cover that came with the boat. I like it, because it is already paid for, but I am not sure if it is useful anymore.

I took it to the canvas shop last winter for a patch and seal. I fear the guy remembered to charge me for waterproofing, but forgot to actually waterproof it - I know it should breathe, but it leaked in heavy rain.

Is there a product that can seal the canvas -- or am I due for a new cover?

Last year we trailered the boat (the snap on needed to be bungied down for long trips, but worked fine since the ramp is about 1000 feet from the area we store it).

This year we intend on keeping it in the water - so I was looking at covers here on iboats... but they look like only trailer covers? and not for use mooring.

So if i cannot reseal this cover, I may be in for getting a new one sewn.

Am I right?

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

Get some of this.

http://www.iboats.com/303_High_Tech...07548435--**********.069389498--view_id.39565

Clean the cover and get in a place with no wind blowing and spray it on per the instructions and when it dries you should be good to go, unless the cover is truly gone.

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

Ayuh,...

Sunbrella type covers,+ biminis can be waterproofed with Scotchgard, or sprayed with Pure Sillicone...
Scotchgard is probably safer,.. Sillicone will sometimes bother the colors...

A Heavy coating a Scotchgard, annually will keep you pretty Dry...

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

I treat mine to a gallon of gallon of Star Brite fabric waterproofer with ptfe. at the beginning of the season when the boat comes out of the garage, it leaked like a seive until I began treatment and now the water beads up and sheds off. I saturate the cover with the fine spray pattern from a run of the mill pump up garden sparayer, 1 gallon treats my 20' cover if I apply it just right. It's about $45.00 a gallon.

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

Excellent news.

One last question, since it is an old cover... how will I know if it has had it and it's no longer a good cover? I'm not sure what type of canvas it is since it came with the boat.

Thanks for the replies.

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

If the canvas can get the canvas to pull tight and snap securely without tearing it's good, my canvas is 19 yrs old and been patched in a couple places but it does the job. You still need an automatic bilge pump if you slip the boat just to be safe, I always trailer mine so I'm not experienced with all the do and dont's about slip storage.

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

What a good way to start out the day - that's good news. Mine stretches without tearing - so I am looking for dry rot in a BAD cover. OK.

We did the same things last year - had it dry docked. This year my husband wants me to have the experience of having it in the water. It should be fun. I don't mind dry dock.... and might even miss it a little. But he says I'll like just hopping in and heading out. I think I may worry a little more. Bow up and plug out never sank a boat on a trailer - I always knew it would be dry.

Just bought and installed a new bilge pump last year. So we're covered there.

We're going to pull the boat out of the lot and take it over to a warehouse for two weeks to get things put back together.... we've been redoing the upholstery. And since we'll be moving it... the blue tarp needs to come off and I need to make sure the canvas is doing it's job. Scotchguard is going on this weekend... and I'll test it.

I'll be sure to post a thread about slip storage... sure there's a ton I could learn.

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

Will these waterproofer's still allow the cover to breathe?

Re: Cover/Canvas sealing info needed

Backyardhockey said:

Will these waterproofer's still allow the cover to breathe?

Click to expand...

Yes.