'80's 390 EC question?

[tobnpr]

1980's 390 EC question:

Any 390 EC owners? Recently purchased and can't figure out how the canvas would be rigged to provide privacy for the sliding glass cabin door (no canvas for this provided with the boat). Surely Sea Ray had this at least as an option, how's it done without obstructing operation of the door?

 

[fwebster]

The factory canvas for the 390EC cabin entry door snapped in place on all 4 sides. When in use, it was normal to leave the port, and top sides snapped and fold the lower stbd corner up to enter and leave. Look for several snaps around the entry door. The panel was a plain flat piece of Sunbrella matching your canvas and it should be cheap and easy to get a canvas shop to fabricate one.

 

[HokiesFan]

Correction

I think Frank hardly ever makes a mistake or offers bad advice, but in this case I think he has perhaps mis-spoke. It will be easy for the canvas shop to make, but not cheap! :wink:

I'd like to offer that you can buy Sunbrella by the yard in a couple of different widths from BoatersWorld and a couple of other sources and then you can have almost any seamstress do the seams. (There could possibly be an issue with using the correct thread, but you can buy that also, but it doesn't sound like this piece in question would be subject to much stress.)

I've very proud of my dash cover. Sea Ray wanted $410, local canvas shop wanted $350. I spent a total of about $80 which included the snap kit which cost $25.

 

[fwebster]

Excuse me......Frank did not miss-speak.

I said: "........it should be cheap and easy to get a canvas shop to fabricate one." For the 390 door, it takes about 2 yards of Sunbrella @$16.50/ yd. and there isn't more than about an hour's labor involved to hem or bind 4 sides and put some snaps on for another $65. Total cost right at $100.

The "gotcha" here is this has to come from a custom canvas shop since patterns from Sea Ray are long gone, and if the buyer insists on "I need it by Friday" he pays for at least 2 trips to the boat for the canvas guy. If you let he canvas guy work it into his schedule when he's going to be near your boat and does not need special trips for measuring and fitting snaps, then there is no reason the above costs are not achievable.

On the other side of the coin, if the owner tries to make one at home, he still has the $33 fabric cost, the cost of a snap tool $25, you say, and he has to contend with trying to make Mama's "Touch N Sew" sew canvas....or pay to have it fixed when it will not.

But your point is well taken........this one is within the realm of the do-it-yourselfer.