Canvas winter covers are expensive and rot out in about 10 years (Quoted
C$1400 for a 36x22). Cheap woven plastic tarps wear out in a year or two
(Can buy similar size for C$100 - $200)

Has anyone used any other type of cover? One would think that here would be
some type of synthetic fabric that would outlast canvas yet still have it's
weight and abrasion resistance.

Sunbrella?


"Graham" wrote in message
...
Canvas winter covers are expensive and rot out in about 10 years (Quoted
C$1400 for a 36x22). Cheap woven plastic tarps wear out in a year or two
(Can buy similar size for C$100 - $200)

Has anyone used any other type of cover? One would think that here would be
some type of synthetic fabric that would outlast canvas yet still have it's
weight and abrasion resistance.

Sunbrella?


I have see 20 years of service from a full (38') Sunbrella cover for my last
sail boat. It went into the shop about once every 5 years for minor repairs,
due to chafe and towards its end we put a new layer of Subrella at the
peak/high stress area.

Most of this time period was in So. Calif. (LA smog area).

The cover cost the previous owner about $1500 in '76 and it was turned over
to the the fellow I sold the boat to in '96.

However, ya gotta be careful that your canvas shop is going to use True
Sunbrella. Some will insist that what they use is 'just as good'..


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

Where are you buying your tarps from?!? I bought a 30 x 20 Heavy Duty 14x14
mesh (the heavist I could find) with a 1000 micron coating for $36 as
Princess Auto. they were on sale. Normally they are $50 If you really want
to get fancy, shrink wrap, Otherwise spend $50 every other year. Pretty
cheap way to cover the boat.

I only bought the 30 foot long one as my mast is my ridge pole and I wanted
it fully covered (the boat is 22')


What size boat are you covering?

Pierre

"Mole" wrote in message
t...
Sunbrella?


"Graham" wrote in message
...
Canvas winter covers are expensive and rot out in about 10 years (Quoted
C$1400 for a 36x22). Cheap woven plastic tarps wear out in a year or two
(Can buy similar size for C$100 - $200)

Has anyone used any other type of cover? One would think that here would
be
some type of synthetic fabric that would outlast canvas yet still have
it's
weight and abrasion resistance.

I checked out Princess Auto - For a single tarp to cover a 32' boat, nearest
size was 40x30 at $139.99. Slightly less for two tarps of more suitable
size. I bought a swimming pool cover (~38x22) locally for $99.00 but it may
not be as good a quality and it does not have grommets or bolt rope - just
loops of same material around edge.

Graham

"98stratus" wrote Where are you buying your tarps from?!? I bought a 30
x 20 Heavy Duty 14x14
mesh (the heavist I could find) with a 1000 micron coating for $36 as
Princess Auto. they were on sale. Normally they are $50 If you really
want
to get fancy, shrink wrap, Otherwise spend $50 every other year. Pretty
cheap way to cover the boat.

I checked out Princess Auto - For a single tarp to cover a 32' boat, nearest
size was 40x30 at $139.99. Slightly less for two tarps of more suitable
size. I bought a swimming pool cover (~38x22) locally for $99.00 but it may
not be as good a quality and it does not have grommets or bolt rope - just
loops of same material around edge.

Graham

"98stratus" wrote Where are you buying your tarps from?!? I bought a 30
x 20 Heavy Duty 14x14
mesh (the heavist I could find) with a 1000 micron coating for $36 as
Princess Auto. they were on sale. Normally they are $50 If you really
want
to get fancy, shrink wrap, Otherwise spend $50 every other year. Pretty
cheap way to cover the boat.

About 10 years ago I bought a 40x20 plastic tarp for $200 from The
Chandlery here in Ottawa. It is black on one side, silver grey on the
other, and has a filament woven in it. Although it has a couple of
small holes, and is a bit ratty, I think it has a couple of more years
left in it.


"Graham" wrote:

Canvas winter covers are expensive and rot out in about 10 years (Quoted
C$1400 for a 36x22). Cheap woven plastic tarps wear out in a year or two
(Can buy similar size for C$100 - $200)

Has anyone used any other type of cover? One would think that here would be
some type of synthetic fabric that would outlast canvas yet still have it's
weight and abrasion resistance.


Larry Bradley VE3CRX
Remove "removeme" from my e-mail address for direct mail
Ottawa, Canada

(use the e-mail address above to send directly to me)


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One material that I have not seen in shops but is talked about for car
covers etc is Dupont's Tyvek - This is a white material that is very tough -
You see this used for Fedex envelopes and for sheathing houses. It is
apparently waterproof and very light. Anyone know of anyone making boat
tarps from this material? Any experience with it?

Graham

I'm thinking hard about using Tyvek this year to cover my pearson 422. You
can buy it at Home Depot in wide rolls. Dupont advocates using it for
covers, see http://www.tyvek.com/na/covers/english/. It has also been
advocated for sails: http://www.boat-links.com/Tyvek/ and for hiking.

The problems I see are 1) I'm not sure about its abrasion resistance, 2) how
to join it at the seams, and 3) how to attach grommets (I saw an article
that said there is a problem). I have used Tyvek tape (not made of Tyvek -
used to join it) to hold blue tarps together over the winter and it faired
better than any other tape I have used. DuPont gives instructions for
sewing on their web site, but that's not something I want to get into until
I have a workable pattern. Maybe the tape is good enough???

Derek


"Graham" wrote in message
...
One material that I have not seen in shops but is talked about for car
covers etc is Dupont's Tyvek - This is a white material that is very
tough -
You see this used for Fedex envelopes and for sheathing houses. It is
apparently waterproof and very light. Anyone know of anyone making boat
tarps from this material? Any experience with it?

Graham

Interesting links, I always just thought Tyvek was housewrap.

I wonder how this stuff compares to sunbrella fabric?

"Derek Rowell" wrote in message
...
I'm thinking hard about using Tyvek this year to cover my pearson 422.
You
can buy it at Home Depot in wide rolls. Dupont advocates using it for
covers, see http://www.tyvek.com/na/covers/english/. It has also been
advocated for sails: http://www.boat-links.com/Tyvek/ and for hiking.

The problems I see are 1) I'm not sure about its abrasion resistance, 2)
how
to join it at the seams, and 3) how to attach grommets (I saw an article
that said there is a problem). I have used Tyvek tape (not made of
Tyvek -
used to join it) to hold blue tarps together over the winter and it faired
better than any other tape I have used. DuPont gives instructions for
sewing on their web site, but that's not something I want to get into
until
I have a workable pattern. Maybe the tape is good enough???

Derek


"Graham" wrote in message
...
One material that I have not seen in shops but is talked about for car
covers etc is Dupont's Tyvek - This is a white material that is very
tough -
You see this used for Fedex envelopes and for sheathing houses. It is
apparently waterproof and very light. Anyone know of anyone making boat
tarps from this material? Any experience with it?

Graham