canvass top leaking

M

menos22

Member
May 26, 2009
165
Colonial Beach, VA
Boat Info
1994 Sea Ray 350 Express Bridge
Engines
Twin 454 Mercruiser With V-Drives
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix a leaking enclosure top.. It is old and tired and will be replaced next season. In the meantime looking for a solution to keep water out of the bridge over the winter. Can I shrink wrap just the top? Do not want to use a tarp as it gets windy here in the winter and it will just blow off or get ripped up. How about a good waterprofing spray, if so whats a good one? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike
 
Sounds like a job for Flex Seal: https://flexsealproducts.com/#1 per the info commercial

On a serious note, duct tape may limp you to the end. Or just ask you canvas guy to do a quick repair to get you through.
 
Last edited:
fwebster said:
303 Fabric Guard is recommended by Sunbrella. I've had good results using it just as you plan to use it…i.e. get a few months more life out of a top at the end of a season.
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Forgot about that stuff, agreed. Didn't they change the ingredients though? I have an old bottle, 10+ years old, in my basement.
 
mrsrobinson said:
Forgot about that stuff, agreed. Didn't they change the ingredients though? I have an old bottle, 10+ years old, in my basement.
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I think they just re-packaged the 303 product with different labeling for several applications…..goes on the same way, looks the same, works th e same, etc.
 
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I agree 303 its the best!
 
303 & then this product or something similar on the seams directly
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menos22 said:
Anyone have any ideas on how to fix a leaking enclosure top.. It is old and tired and will be replaced next season. In the meantime looking for a solution to keep water out of the bridge over the winter. Can I shrink wrap just the top? Do not want to use a tarp as it gets windy here in the winter and it will just blow off or get ripped up. How about a good waterprofing spray, if so whats a good one? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks, Mike
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you can certainly have just the top wrapped. Most of the bridge boats by us do just that, wrap the bridge and the transom
 
When I called Great Lakes about my 1992 original top and to get a zipper pull, they said to use the Starbright and sent me a tube of seam sealer. I have one small hole the size of a ball point pen tip and I rubbed a small bead of silicon sealer in the hole. Can only see the hole by the day light shining through from the bottom and can't see it from the top.

Star bright worked pretty good. Water beaded up and ran off during summer rain storms. Now that it's been raining for a few weeks, the top is all wet. But it's not running in through the seams like it was before.
 
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I've used both 303 and star brite, both are excellent products. I use star brite exclusively every season after I pull the canvas off and wash it, I spray it with star brite on both sides and I have zero leaks. 303 works very well also just cost's more and I buy star brite by the gallon.

I absolutely hate canvas and envy the newer boats that have none.
 
I am with u @SKybolt , we have a 44DB and love it. But a damn hard top would be nice.
We had a 390MY and thats the only thing I miss.
 
I alternate between 303 and starbrite. They both work well, but I'll roll it on in the spring and again in the fall. Too easy not to.

I picked up some seam sealer as I have two spots where water came in, during a MAJOR rain event we had a month ago.

And yes, no canvas would be great as we leave ours up 24/7. The previous owner of my boat bought a new Regal 38GC - gorgeous! I asked they take good care of it and call me in 8 years!
 
I always used Starbrite. Canvas, clothes, boots. Very satisfied. Tried 303 last summer because Sunbrella recommended, didnt do squat. Back to Starbrite. Just me. YMMV.
 
firecadet613 said:
I'll roll it on in the spring and again in the fall. Too easy not to.
!
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Now I wish I had rolled it on a few weeks ago. If I get a few days of clear and sun, I might just get up there and roll on some more. Seeing as it had been neglected by the PO, I should have rolled on two heavy coats instead of the one. Or maybe I'll get out when it dries out and put the big tarp on the whole boat again this year. The only and last time I buy a 40X60 heavy tarp. A true homeless person's mansion.
 
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