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Dave Dave is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 6
Default Replacing vinyl windows on canopy

"Mark" wrote in message
...
Does anyone know the technical specifications for the vinyl windows used
on canopies, and possible sources to purchase (preferably around South
Eastern Ontario or Northern New York state to minimise shipping costs)?

The windows on our canopy are getting old (10+ years) and have gone foggy
and now getting stiff (and starting to split in one spot as well). The
Sunbrella material is still in reasonably good condition and with my wife
being an avid sewer / seamstress (having already re-stitched most of the
seams and zippers), I would like to source some replacement vinyl. We
have tried the local canvas shops and they bascially say "Oh bring it in
and we can do it". This may be a better avenue to go in the long run,
but I want to try sourcing the material to compare costs and give my wife
the option to accept the challenge.

I know there are different grades (thicknesses and quality), but are there
benefits to going thinner (for flexibility) or thicker (for durability)?

Are some types of vinyl material better than others?

By the way, my wife purchased one of those $20 sewing machines at Canadian
Tire not long ago and it works great! It runs on batteries or AC and she
was able to re-stitch the canvas with it while relaxing on the boat at one
of the local islands.

Mark (the Rail, Canopy, & LifeLine Hook guy)
www.ripnet.com/vtf/prod03.htm


Don't know much, but do know that there are two basic forms of the vinyl:
roll and sheet. Roll form is a little more flexible but if you look very
(VERY) closely, it has a slighly perceptable eggshell surface texture. The
sheet form is heavier, and more expensive, but has a smooth glasslike
surface texture. Sorry, that's all I know.