When we took our canvas down last year, the thread on our OEM Bimini broke and the zippers pulled away in a few spots. Sunbrella Bimini.
When we had a camper top made at Shipshape, they used "forever" thread... no problem there. Obviously, the OEM bimini did not have forever thread.
I have watched a couple of threads on canvas over the winter, and when I brought up having the canvas repaired my wife said she wanted to try something.
Back in 1973, she bought a Pfaff sewing machine, which was one of the top line sewing machines at the time. She made a ton of clothes for our two kids, me and herself. Over the past 10 years or so, the machine hasn't been used much at all. However, she felt the machine may be able to handle the repairs.
She bought some uphostery thread, some new heavy duty needles, (had a 50% off coupon at Joann Fabrics), and decided today was the day. The sewing machine came out to the kitchen counter, the canvas came into the house, a zipper foot put on the machine, the bobbin was filled with the upholstery thread, and with a deep breath, she stepped down on the foot control, and the machine, and her, did their thing. Went over all the seams, and it looks like we will be good to go.
Needles were $5-10, thread was about $5, and she got 50% off. Took about an hour of her (our) time. We'll see how we will make out.
Over the last few years, we kept the bimini and camper top up full time. Camper top got very dirty and mildewy, and so did the bimini. As I said, the bimini zipper connections suffered.
I have an old cockpit and bow cover that we currently using , and are going to re-stitch, and we will use that at the dock. I am going to put cover vents in where the uprights go to keep the canvas up. Will have to see how it all works out.
If we have problems over the summer, it will be off to one of the canvas shops.
