How do you waterproof the canvas cover?

3

340DA

Member
Jul 21, 2008
365
LI Sound
Boat Info
2000 Sundancer Sport Cruiser
Engines
454 Mercruiser w/Bravo III Drives
I purchased my canvas cover from Great Lakes Boat Tops several years ago. It is i god condition. It is time to spray on a water repellant onto the cover.

1. How do you recommend I water proof the cover?
2. What spray product should I use to do this?

Thanks
 
Wash in the machine on gentle cycle with gentle detergent. Hang dry do NOT put in dryer. Once completely dry spray with 303 and it will be like new.


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Love 303 products but also use starbright. Dumped some on my driveway by accident and it repelled water for almost a year!
 
Use 303 to restore the water repellency but DO NOT wash it in the washing machine. Washing in the machine will completely remove all factory water repellency and leave you with a canvas cloth. Believe me, I will tell you from experience that washing your canvas will turn it into a sieve. I washed mine on my last boat then re-applied 303 and it was no different than trying to use a cotton t-shirt to keep the water out. I even saturated the canvas with 303 according to specs and let it dry completely but the canvas was just a dust cover after that.

Sunbrella recommends that you spray your canvas down and lightly scrub as needed with a mild detergent and a brush then re-apply 303 per instructions.
 
Tonka Boater said:
Use 303 to restore the water repellency but DO NOT wash it in the washing machine. Washing in the machine will completely remove all factory water repellency and leave you with a canvas cloth. Believe me, I will tell you from experience that washing your canvas will turn it into a sieve. I washed mine on my last boat then re-applied 303 and it was no different than trying to use a cotton t-shirt to keep the water out. I even saturated the canvas with 303 according to specs and let it dry completely but the canvas was just a dust cover after that.

Sunbrella recommends that you spray your canvas down and lightly scrub as needed with a mild detergent and a brush then re-apply 303 per instructions.
Click to expand...

Sunbrella told me to use the washing machine. I did as have many others and turned out like new. Not sure why you're wouldn't have the same result.


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I lay a big tarp on my driveway so the canvas is not right on the cement, mix up a bucket of warm soapy water and scrub it with a broom style scrub brush. Hang over the fence to dry. After that I fill a plant sprayer with a gallon of starbrite waterproof and spray the top side of each piece, one by one. Hang back over the fence to dry. I tried 303. Starbrite was just as good and half the cost. Do it every year. One gallon is plenty.
 
Ours is quite old; we left it installed and used the hose, blue Dawn liquid, and a brush to clean both sides. Used a foam roller to apply StarBrite to the top side; it was time consuming, but once dry, water pretty much bounced off. We're using a hand sprayer this next time around, one recommended in some other threads: Solo 418 One-Hand Pressure Sprayer, 1-Liter
 
I take my cover to a commercial laundromat and wash with Woolite in a large machine. Spread it out and let it dry in the garage and then treat with 303. Looks like new and repels water like new.
 
i never tried it on the sunbrella but on my last boat i put the canvas in the washing machine and it resulted in disaster. it was clean and shiny on a sunny day but waterproof like a tshirt , no spraying with water repellant helped. after giving it to a commercial which soaked it with water repellant the result was better but never again really rainproof . i clean with a soft brush only now.

best regards
 
I was told by the local boat top people to wash in the machine with a mild SOAP, and NOT a detergent. Then apply waterproofing as you see fit, I used a foam roller.
 
I have washed my tops both ways with same results. Most recently I just use a brush & bucket of diluted boat soap, then air dry. I spray the Starbrite sealer on liberally and use Beeswax on the topside of the stitching. That prevents the little seeping that you get on heavy rains in those areas.

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Bop said:
Wash in the machine on gentle cycle with gentle detergent. Hang dry do NOT put in dryer. Once completely dry spray with 303 and it will be like new.


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Click to expand...

+1 A SMALL amount of gentle detergent.
 
Tonka Boater said:
Use 303 to restore the water repellency but DO NOT wash it in the washing machine. Washing in the machine will completely remove all factory water repellency and leave you with a canvas cloth. Believe me, I will tell you from experience that washing your canvas will turn it into a sieve. I washed mine on my last boat then re-applied 303 and it was no different than trying to use a cotton t-shirt to keep the water out. I even saturated the canvas with 303 according to specs and let it dry completely but the canvas was just a dust cover after that.

Sunbrella recommends that you spray your canvas down and lightly scrub as needed with a mild detergent and a brush then re-apply 303 per instructions.
Click to expand...

Did you use fabric softener or an all in one detergent? That would cause the repellent to not bind.

Bryan
 
magstang1 said:
I lay a big tarp on my driveway so the canvas is not right on the cement, mix up a bucket of warm soapy water and scrub it with a broom style scrub brush. Hang over the fence to dry. After that I fill a plant sprayer with a gallon of starbrite waterproof and spray the top side of each piece, one by one. Hang back over the fence to dry. I tried 303. Starbrite was just as good and half the cost. Do it every year. One gallon is plenty.
Click to expand...

+1 I always do this-works extremely well!
 
340DA said:
I purchased my canvas cover from Great Lakes Boat Tops several years ago. It is i god condition. It is time to spray on a water repellant onto the cover.

1. How do you recommend I water proof the cover?
2. What spray product should I use to do this?

Thanks
Click to expand...





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Which "303" product do you recommend?


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Here are the instructions from Sunbrella. https://www.sunbrella.com/en-us/how-to-clean/clean-sunbrella-marine-canvas
I'm taking my mooring cover to the laundromat tomorrow to wash in a big machine. I don't plan on using Woolite or any soap. The last few times it rained I got black streaks on the boat, so I want to get dirt etc. out of the snaps more than anything. I think a cold water wash with plenty of water should do it. Also have 303 to treat when dry.
 
I use two 303 products.

Cleaning: 303 Fabric Cleaner.
Waterproofing: 303 High Tech Fabric Guard.
 
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