Canvas stretching?

[hancoveguy]

Hello all,
Quick question...The canvas on my 24' wellcraft bowrider is in good shape, however, it appears to have shrunk a bit. It is roughly 1" too short/tight at the back of the bow cover and the cockpit cover. I don't want to rip the cover or damage the snaps on the boat.

Any thoughts on either stretching the canvas or are there tools that will help me snap it?

thanks
HCG

Also, I know there is a product that you can apply to rejuvenate the water repellancy but I can't remember what it is...

[jrc]

this may help

http://www.ironwoodpacific.com/products/boat_tools/topsnapper.htm

[hancoveguy]

has anyone ever used the topsnapper thing in the link? i wonder if it would rip the canvas? In other words, how far will it stretch?

thanks again

[Winnipesaukee Divers]

My wet suit shrinks over the winter too! That first dive each spring is such an embarrassment, I try to keep out of sight as much as possible. Talk about stress on the attachment points, when I pull the big zipper up all I hear is: "Don't break, don't break" and then it’s done... Ten pounds of (you know what) in a five pound sack. You think to yourself 'Man, have I let myself go over the winter I got to get back into shape again". Then its one giant leap for mankind as you hit the water and nearly bounce right back up on the dock again. Once in the water its all systems check as you hold you "BC" inflator hose over your head, push the dump valve and your ready to submerge. You hear the air rush out as you slowly sink... But wait, something is wrong, the water level is only partially up the mask and the air is all out of the "BC"! It's going to be a hard swim to the bottom where you settle down for the last minute system check; the weighs are fine, the buoyancy is good and dive system trims out good and you’re off onto the next underwater adventure. Once back to the surface and it time to doff the suit and you slip right out, it amassing how much weight you lost during the first dive of the season.

So, I guess the moral of this story is; take your boat cover for a swim along the bottom and it will fit ever so much better.

PS: For throes non-divers a “BC” is a buoyancy compensator, the vest that holds the tank, weights, knife, tools, snacks and the air bladder.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Hello all,
Quick question...The canvas on my 24' wellcraft bowrider is in good shape, however, it appears to have shrunk a bit. It is roughly 1" too short/tight at the back of the bow cover and the cockpit cover. I don't want to rip the cover or damage the snaps on the boat.

Any thoughts on either stretching the canvas or are there tools that will help me snap it?

thanks
HCG

Also, I know there is a product that you can apply to rejuvenate the water repellancy but I can't remember what it is...

Have you looked at these "Extend-a-snap" ? I have a similar problem and I use 3 to reduce the tension on the canvas so the seam won't imprint on the boat seat. I think they have them at Parafunalia but you can certainly get them online or at a Boat US store.

http://www.defender.com/images/751111.jpg

As for the "restorer" the one most recommended (by Sunbrella even) is 303 High Tech Fabric Guard.

[jrc]

I have the topsnapper and I love it. Now that the boat is a few years old I only need it once in awhile in the cold weather. The vinyl window panels shrink way more that the canvas panels.

I guess you could pull too hard and rip something, I haven't yet.

The forked part is especially helpful, you can attach the snaps along the windshield from inside the boat.

[Coastal Laker]

The most effective way I've ever stretched canvas was to get it wet. (Think wet pair of jeans)

Best to do on a warm sunny day, soak your cover for about 20-30 minutes, wring it out (will take some effort), and stretch the damp cover and snap it in place. It should stretch without much effort if it's warm.

Let it dry in the sun and it will retain it's shape and be easy to snap the next time. If you do this on a day like we had this past weekend, you won't have to worry about creating any moisture/dampness issue in your boat. It will dry very fast.

[LIforrelaxin]

Hello all,
Quick question...The canvas on my 24' wellcraft bowrider is in good shape, however, it appears to have shrunk a bit. It is roughly 1" too short/tight at the back of the bow cover and the cockpit cover. I don't want to rip the cover or damage the snaps on the boat.

Any thoughts on either stretching the canvas or are there tools that will help me snap it?

thanks
HCG

Also, I know there is a product that you can apply to rejuvenate the water repellancy but I can't remember what it is...

Hancoveguy,

How old is the boat and cover? What material is it made out of?

Are you talking about a cockpit cover or a full canvas type cover?

If you have a full canvas type cover, that you can leave up while running there is probably some adaptability in the top that can get you the what you need to fix your issue in the back.

Depending on where you are on the lake I would be more then willing to take a look at the problem. My father and I kept an old vinyl cover working on a 20 year old boat just by adjusting how the top sat.... of course we finally had to make some drastic adjustments, the last year we used it.... Thank goodness I talked Dad into a new Cockpit cover the next year.

[Sammy]

While it's wet, what is the best thing to clean it with?

[Grady223]

has anyone ever used the topsnapper thing in the link? i wonder if it would rip the canvas? In other words, how far will it stretch?

thanks again

A similar product came with my boat. It works well, the only thing that may happen is you'll tear out the snap - pulled the top off two.

I have the same issue as jrc, the vinyl windows shrink in the cold weather and become less flexible, the only thing that helps is a strong sun.

[NoBozo]

While it's wet, what is the best thing to clean it with?

Last summer I took my "Sunbrella Fabric" cockpit cover (20' boat) to the laundromat and washed it in "Woolite" using one of the heavy duty washing machines. I did not use a dryer. I took it back to the boat Wet, snapped it on the boat all around, and let it dry the rest of the day. The next day I spread the dry cover over a picnic table and "Spritzed" it with "Wests Marine Waterproofing (with Teflon)". I used almost all of the 22 Oz bottle. The waterproofing will dry in a couple of hours.

It worked great. Water now beads and rolls off. :)

BTW: Washing will remove any waterproofing and has to be re-done each time. NB