How do you use your canvas?

yobub

yobub

Well-Known Member
Jul 29, 2016
952
Northern Illinois
Boat Info
1998 400 Sundancer
Engines
Cat 3116's
I am in the process of getting quotes for replacement canvas for our 400 Sundancer. While talking with one of the canvas shops the person expressed surprise that we take the front Isinglass windows out each time we go boating. She said most people leave them in.

I'm curious as to whether most people leave the front windows in, which leaves the helm enclosed, or whether you open your boat up when you go out. For me, the idea of boating from an enclosed helm or enclosed cockpit just isn't appealing. I want to feel the wind and smell the water. I want to be able to interact with people on the bow, and I find the visibility is better with the windows out.

I know some of this may vary regionally which is why I posted in the Great Lakes forum. Other locales are welcome to comment, but let me know where you are.

I leave the main top up, typically roll back the bimini over the helm, and pull the front windows, side curtain, and back curtain all down.

What do you do?
 
tiara in the snow 01.JPG
We boat in a fully enclosed helm all the time and it is not a problem. Even with the A/C turned off it's good. You have the center window vent that opens. In our case we have hatches on the hardtop that open. And if it's really hot, we put a drop curtain on and turn on the A/C. If you boat on Lake Michigan, the more common issue is staying warm, and canvas offers an easy fix for that problem.
 
We run with front canvas in, aft canvas off, weather permitting. If it’s hot, we can open the hard top vent and front W/S vent. With newer front canvas, vision isn’t an issue.

Part of reason leaving Forward On is the polycarbonate glass, from what I’ve read, will get scuffed and scratched as you stack them on top of each other and zippers bang it and what ever else happens as you remove and re install over time. My previous canvas was all scuffed and visibility was an issue. Now it’s crystal clear and I want to keep it that way.
 
Weather permitting, I remove all canvas/glass.
 
While it is a personal preference I tend to leave mine up all the time. I will occasionally take down all the visors and side curtains to give a wide open feel on warm days with a good weather forecast ahead. Fall and Spring - they almost never come down. To simplify this I do have "frowns" sewn in to mine so that I can open up to let air flow through - but I have regular eisenglass and not a poly sheet.

Your intended use will (and should) come into play when designing your enclosure. There are many types and grades of eisenglass and each have their best use. As mentioned, the heavier gauge or poly sheets are probably best for visibility but do not function well for taking up and down and storing. Likewise a 20 gauge panel sewn in as a window will give good visibility and light in a piece of canvas that frequently gets rolled up and stored away.

The more canvas jobs I talk to people about the more I am surprised that a number of fabricators do not even discuss these things with client.

-Kevin
 
When I bought my boat new to me in 2013 I bought Great Lakes Canvas new which had the Rubber channel method of installation for the front windows I do not have a mooring cover for my boat so I leave my canvas up all the time I also thought it wouldn’t be a good idea in season to remove and replace the windows three or four times a week figuring that the rubber would just either wear out or not set the right way so for the last six years in season my canvases on most of the time I did have to have all of my windows i.e. isinglass Replaced approximately one year after they were new I brought them to a local canvas shop who put in 40 gauge OPTi clear which has lasted almost 5 seasons blemish free the factory 30 gauge roll isinglass is absolutely shit when I called my Great Lakes dealer within the first year he said that there was no warrantee for anything that goes wrong with the isinglass but when I sent him the pictures he could not believe how quickly it Deteriorated eventually I called the factory after the warranty. And the woman who I spoke to was nice enough to offer me a deep discount on a mooring cover that I have not yet pulled the trigger on ,Just my experience with leaving the canvas up from May until December in the Northeast I’m guessing the angle of the windows in the front and the aft curtain window ,the UV rays just destroyed them with the low-quality glass that was used from the factory
 
Most of the Time i just take down the middle if its really hot ill take down the hole front but i leave the sides on...
 
I leave the front on for three reasons:

1. Wind protection
2. Spray protection
3. My canvas is older and a bit tight so it's difficult to put back on

I remove the cockpit side panels....

Let me know what your quotes are. I'm going to either hire a canvas person or attempt to do it myself...

EDIT:

I will say that I can roll-up my side panels and the center front panel for air. So, it's really only the two on the port and stbd side that stay zipped... Plenty of air circulation...
 
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In Virginia with our 320, I took the front curtains down occasionally for the air. In Wi. I never took them down.
 
Off, here in FL, unless it's cold or rainy. We have a cockpit cover when the boat's sleeping at the dock so all the panels are below with towels in between each.
 
Most of the time my glass is down. Early Spring and Fall I tend to leave it up. I stow it down below laying flat on the front bed with towels between each piece. I install it every evening when we return to the dock and remove it in morning before we head back out. I know it sounds like a lot of work but it's really not that bad and I just can't have the boat sitting without canvas overnight. My OCD would not let me sleep.:D.
 
It's a seasonal thing for me. In the winter, it's nice to block the cold wind. In the summer I prefer it to be open in the front. I just got a bid for a new camper top. I will be leaving the top on all the time, However, in the summer I will likely remove the front and sides and store them away. One thing I'm doing is getting extra-thick glass in the front which is better for clarity but not as good for rolling up. I'll use thinner material in the back and have some straps installed to capture the rolled up windows,
 
Off if the weather is good. I did both canvas and glass panels. Canvas takes 5 min to put up and take down. Only use glass when needed for protection under way. Keeps the cockpit cooler too. Bimini always on.
 
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We rarely have any of our isinglass on. I do leave the front and usually the rear bimini up too but unless its raining or a cold day the curtains are all off. I like the wind in my face
 
In winter they all stay up. In the summer, because we live in a desert area and often have temps 85* and higher, we leave the front window in but they stay rolled up all the time. The first curtains on the side we leave in but all the rest of the 13 panels come down. Just too darn hot with them all up.
 
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