How long should my canvas last?

[Vince_nj1]

My boat is a 2006. The canvas seems to be in decent shape, but there quite a few snaps that need to be repaired and I see some threads that are coming loose.

The boat behind me in the marina is 2002 and it had a nice set of canvas on it which I assumed was original. Last week the owner put on the "old" canvas back on for winter storage and I couldn’t believe how trashed it was .:wow: (You couldn’t even see through the isinglass)

So, now I am wondering how long before I am going to need to replace my canvas? The canvas will be up April through October and taken down for winter storage.

Is there anything that I can do to make it last longer? I figured it would last 10 years, :smt009 but now I thinking 4 to 5 is the average..

 

[fwebster]

Your question is really location dependant.

I think our exposure to the sun, heat, cold, salt, winds, etc is close to a worse case situation for Sunbrella fabrics. I get 4-5 years useful life out of regular Sunbrella and about 3 years out of SeaMark, or the vinyl coated Sunbrella. I haven't used the new flocked Sunbrella from Glen Raven Mills yet. The regular Sunbrella's life can be extended by regular cleaning and by regular re-coating with 303 High Tech Fabric guard.

Isinglass last us about 3 years before it begins to yellow and degrade.

The stitching in the top usually fails first. At year 3 on new canvas, we need to have the top removed and all seams re-sewn then we are good to go for a few more years.

My guess is that your winters are pretty hard on canvas, but someone from the North East may have a better idea of useful life.

 

[searaycruisn]

I replaced my canvas the beginning of the 2008 boating season. The boat is a 2000, so the old canvas was seven years old.

 

[quality time]

Mine's an '01 and everything was replaced in March of '07 by the previous owner. It was from Florida. From the looks of the original backdrop it was time...

 

[joe and ali]

My boat has been on fresh water for the past 20 years and is still in very good condition. Other than needing some minor stiching here and there, it looks and functions great. No leaks, see through the Isinglass fine, still clear with minimal scratching. Of course, the boat has been kept under roof.

 

[mrsrobinson]

I think the canvas on ours is the original, 13+ years old and it still looks good. We treat it 2 times a year with 303.

 

[skolbe]

It starts showing some wear after 5 years in my area. But you can easily get 10 years in the midwest. That being said our neighbor with a 96 - 330 has very nice looking original canvas. He lost a clear vinyl panel in the water a few weeks back - wind caught it while taking it down. Great Lakes Canvas got him a new panel - So now the others look a little worn.

 

[Jack380AC]

Like many things on a boat, it will last as long as your effort in taking care of it. Search for all the tips on caring for the canvas and the glass. Have a routine that includes good winter storrage and in-season care and you will get good life out of it. You will, for the most part, get what you put into it.

Having said that, my canvas is shot (REALLY shot after 8 years) but it was the plastic laminated stuff SR no longer uses.

 

[sbw1]

You may want to consider buying a cockpit cover. Whenever I buy a new boat, the first piece of canvas I buy is a spare cover or aft curtain. We used to run with just a bimini up to keep the sun out of the cockpit and maybe some isenglass if the lake was rough. We keep our boats 10-11 years and the canvas looks as new when we sell. The cockpit cover looks pretty worn, but it's a cheap piece of canvas and can be used as a pattern for a replacement. We are in the 4th year on the aft curtain that attaches to the hardtop of our current boat. It still looks very fresh, but has been patched in one area. The original aft curtain is still brand new and in the bag that it came in. We will get another 2-3 years out of the current piece of sunbrella and I will replace it when it starts to look bad.

 

[Overextended]

I have always used PLEXUS on my isling glass and our 03 320 DA had windows that were in great shape. Now that I have have Strataglass we use the stuff that they say to use...put PLEXUS is the stuff to constantly treat the stuff on the 320 with. Also if you are interested in a cocpit cover for a 320 DA PM me and we can talk - I kept my old one thinking I was going to do something with it....I have not.

 

[Mr Salt]

I sill have the original canvas and I took delivery in Jan 2001. The boat sits outside all of the time. The summer canvas is up from early April through late October, then I put the winter covers on. The canvas still looks good, there are some small sections of clouding from water. Each winter I clean the canvas and put several coats of wax on the isinglass.

Mr Salt
2001 540 CPMY
Caterpillar C-12s
Cape Ma, NJ

 

[Presentation]

I have always used PLEXUS on my isling glass and our 03 320 DA had windows that were in great shape. Now that I have have Strataglass we use the stuff that they say to use...put PLEXUS is the stuff to constantly treat the stuff on the 320 with. Also if you are interested in a cocpit cover for a 320 DA PM me and we can talk - I kept my old one thinking I was going to do something with it....I have not.

I also use Plexus. I get it from West Marine. I need to see if buying it online would save me some money because the stuff is expensive. My boat is a 2003, original isinglass and we keep it up April thru early October and not covered. The boat is stored indoors in the winter. The isinglass looks great.

That being said, our slip neighbor uses lemon pledge, at a small fraction of the cost versus what I spend. I have read here many times “Don’t use lemon pledge!” I’m calling BS! This slip neighbor has used it exclusively and his isinglass looks as good as mine.

Frankly, I’m not sure why I’m still spending all the money in Plexus.

 

[vernh59]

My canvas is 4 1/2 years old and it is shot. The top and stratoglass is keeping some of the rain out but it all looks faded and ragged. My boat sits in the water year round and is exposed to everything.

 

[Sundancer]

The canvas on our 250 DA was 15 years old when we replaced it. It still looked good, but it was designed for midgets and we wanted to be able to walk around upright like humans should. We have the original canvas on our 1989 300 DA. I had all of the seams resewn last winter and the glass has been replaced once during it's life. Should last a few more years at current burn rates. We only have it up during the weekend. Then we roll it up, put the boot over it and use a mooring cover on it while it's parked in the driveway. That will need replacing in the next year or two!

 

[douglee25]

I also use Plexus. I get it from West Marine. I need to see if buying it online would save me some money because the stuff is expensive. My boat is a 2003, original isinglass and we keep it up April thru early October and not covered. The boat is stored indoors in the winter. The isinglass looks great.

That being said, our slip neighbor uses lemon pledge, at a small fraction of the cost versus what I spend. I have read here many times “Don’t use lemon pledge!” I’m calling BS! This slip neighbor has used it exclusively and his isinglass looks as good as mine.

Frankly, I’m not sure why I’m still spending all the money in Plexus.

You can find Plexus online for about $10 - $11 per 13oz. can plus shipping ($4-$6). You will still be charged the same to ship 1 can vs. 4 cans so it pays to buy somewhat in bulk.

Doug

 

[Presentation]

You can find Plexus online for about $10 - $11 per 13oz. can plus shipping ($4-$6). You will still be charged the same to ship 1 can vs. 4 cans so it pays to buy somewhat in bulk.

Doug

Doug - thank you.

So can #1 nets no savings. You are correct, it would only save money if I buy multiple cans.

I'm still consideting converting to Lemon Pledge.

 

[le cras]

I think I may have the winner :grin:
Thanks to the previous owner in part.
Mine is original and spent 10 years in florida before moving to sunny Guernsey.
which makes it 23 years and counting.
It's more than a bit tired now but i've just had a quote to replace it last week from a local supplier, £2,500 yes pound:smt013s.

Looks like it'll get another wash using fabric softner and a coat of amersil waterproofer again this year.

 

[mrsrobinson]

"I clean the canvas and put several coats of wax on the isinglass"

What kind of wax do you use on the isinglass?

 

[Drama Queen]

we had the original canvas on our 1995 250DA and it looked great, no rips, tears or seams coming undone. I still see it up at the marina and it's still looking strong at 13 years old. We also have the original on our 2000 310DA, there is one place the stitching is coming undone other than being a pain in the arse to put up it still looks great.

 

[hack4alivin]

I have a habit of squirting my boat down with fresh water after every trip, including the canvas. I had a friend tell me that it is not good for the canvas. He said the chlorine in the fresh water will rot the stitching faster… Anyone ever here of this and is there any truth to it??:huh: