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Everything you wanted to know about canvas but were afraid to ask!
This article is for first time boaters and for the old salts too. If you're a first time boater there are a few basics things that you need to know. Don't expect to call your local canvas company and expect them to take the cover off the shelf and hand it over. Fabricating custom covers takes time. The fabricator is going to have to see the vessel. So that means that you either have to bring the vessel to them or they have to visit the vessel. After you agree on the cover and the design, along with the material and yes the most important part the price, the job will get scheduled. Most fabricators are going to ask for a deposit. Like any other purchase before you give anyone money you should be sure that they are a reputable firm. Most of the time you can get a recommendation for a fabricator from other boaters or your local Marina. Keep in mind that if you go through the Marina they usually are entitled to a referral fee. This isn't such a bad thing as most times Marinas get priority by the fabricators, as they want their customers taken care. This also means that most times you will also get an industry acceptable job and if you experience any problems you will have some leverage.
Keep in mind that while you are home in the winter snuggling next to the warm fire, most marine fabricators are sitting home waiting for the phone to ring. Of course I'm exaggerating a little but in real terms in the Northeast it's difficult to build a cover when there's a few feet of snow on the ground. So what happens is everyone forgets about their vessel when it's laid up for the winter and when the snowmelts everyone is looking for the "canvas guy". The fabricator coming off a long, hard, cold winter starts taking on jobs and of course everyone wants it yesterday. The poor fabricator who is shell shocked from barely making ends meet all winter is afraid to tell his customers that they will have to wait a month to get their cover because he doesn't want to loose the job. So what happens he makes unrealistic promises when the jobs will be done ergo the reputation that fabricators "AKA canvas guys" are unreliable. How do you as a consumer get around this? First I recommend that you consider starting your project in the fall. Most times you will get a better price as the material increase usually goes into effect in January. Second the fabricator isn't paying anyone over time this time of the year. My second recommendation is be realistic with your expectations when you book your job in the spring. Depending on the weather most reputable fabricators will be running 6 - 8 weeks behind by the end of March. This will continue into July and then they run 3 - 4 weeks behind. When I say run I mean that if you book the job the end of March your job wouldn't be started until 6 - 8 weeks from that date of booking. Another scenario that we have to throw into the picture is the weather. Throw in some rain, windy or exceptionally cold days and this pushes the start dates back further & further. I caution you about trying to book the fabricator early in the year, like January or February. What inevitably always occurs is you think that you're first on the list. You are but there are always the estimates the fabricator has to go on and the quick repairs for the quick buck that comes along. So the early jobs don't get started on time especially if weather is a problem and then wham the fabricator has 40 - 50 jobs all promised for next week. That's without considering any equipment break down or lack of funding for inventory purchase. So that you don't get disappointed it's important that you have open & honest dialogue with your fabricator up front. I have always believed in open and honest communication and realistic expectations. Have I always met those expectations and delivered all my jobs on time? I wouldn't be truthful with you if I told you I did. I now after almost 30 years in the business have learned to appreciate the importance of scheduling realistic expectations for the jobs. In my early years in the business I had to learn the hard way that this monster was out there and every year I have to fight so that it doesn't rear it's ugly head every spring.
Be very careful whom you chose to fabricate your cover. There are some fabricators out there that haven't a lot of experience and may not be using brand name materials. Once again a recommendation from a fellow boater or a Marina will insure you are getting what you pay for. After all that's all you are expecting, if you think that you are getting something for nothing your only fooling yourself. Another suggestion that you may want to consider if you find yourself chasing your fabricator to get the job done is not to rush him too much. If you rush your fabricator most likely they will cut corners. Keep in mind what the fabricator does to your cover you will live with for the next few years. I strongly suggest that in the height of the season you keep your expectations reasonable and know whom you are dealing with. I have had many customers come to me in April or May and tell me that they have been waiting for quite some time to get their jobs done by another fabricator, but they can't get the fabricator to call them back. Many times these folks have paid a handsome deposit and are now coming to me. Unfortunately I can not push their jobs ahead of the customers that I have made commitments to but I can give them a accurate time frame of when the job would be completed. Many times these customers are shoppers and there's nothing wrong with shopping (I encourage it), but what happens is these fine folks get delayed waiting for the first fabricator. Then they come to me in the height of the season and I have to tell them it will be another 6 - 8 weeks before I can start their job. As I said earlier you get what you pay for and sometimes paying for a quality, on time job costs more. Another word of caution: be very wary of any fabricator that in the height of the season tells you he can build you a cover in anything less than 3 weeks. This is a sign that either the fabricator is new or he has many customers very unhappy. In either instance I would proceed with caution. Many times I will get an inquiry about a project and when I advise them that I am booked for 8 weeks they tell me so & so can do the job in 2 weeks. They then go to Mr. So & so & it never fails they come back to me the following month looking to book the job, or I see the job in the fall to fix all the problems no where to be found Mr. So & so messed up on.
Designing the proper cover is of the utmost importance. Many times I will spend hours discussing different options to suit the boaters needs. There are many issues that need to be considered when designing a cover. Once again this comes with experience and how you the owner of the vessel will be using the vessel. There have been many times that I have talked a customer out of building something that they would not be happy with. This is especially true when it comes to camper backs. Building a camper back is a high-ticket item. I have found very few fabricators that will talk their customers into a less expensive cover. I have found that treating the customer like you would like to be treated you will get a lot further in the business world. Getting back to the camper back example. Most times boaters will go on other boater's vessels. They see something that they like and want it for their vessel. As an example I spoke to a fine lady who was on her friend's vessel and saw a camper back. The vessel that had the camper was a 24' vessel. This fine lady had a 19' vessel. So when she called me and asked about the camper I asked her how does she use her vessel. I was told that the vessel is on trailer and that they took day trips here and there and that her husband and young boys fish off the back of the vessel. She said that she would like to take 1 trip a year and sleep on the vessel. After learning how she boated I was able to give are all of the information she needed to make an informed decision. I advised her that storing the frames was an issue on a small vessel, along with storing the actual material. I discussed the issue about traveling with the cover up on the trailer (cover would have to be removed before each trip) and the cost of fabricating such a cover. After going over all of the pros and cons she realized that by sewing a screen in her aft curtain (as I suggested) for the one time a year they slept on the vessel, outweighed storing the cover and the frames when not in use the rest of the year. She realized that there is a difference between the room on a 24' vessel and a 19'. Had I not pointed out these issues I surely would have sold a camper back and profited by doing so. On the other hand every time she would have to crawl over the frames and over the cover in the little cuddy she would have cursed me. After you come to an agreement with regard the design of the cover make sure that it gets reduced to writing so everyone is on the same page, and there is a record of the agreement.
Being an educated consumer and negotiating a fair price is recommended certain times of the year. If you're not careful you could get what you pay for. Many times in the fall I have had customers try to negotiate a price that would barely cover my material and labor price. I walked away from those jobs. If I did all my covers for cost I wouldn't be around to do business very long. Many times I have seen fabricators take on these jobs in the fall for much less than they would have gotten in season. They feel that it will keep them busy longer and they will make a little something. Once they get into the job they realized that they weren't making any money and they start cutting corners. I don't have to say it but you get what you pay for. Don't be surprised if you wind up with seconds or thirds on your cover for material. Instead of the cover lasting 4 - 5 years it will last 2 - 3. I'm not saying every cover you have made in the fall will be an issue and earlier I said it was the best time to get it done. I'm just trying to caution you that if 3 fabricators want a $100 do build a cover and there's one guy out there willing to do it for $50, you should proceed with caution.
What can you expect after you have booked a job? After you have gone through the design process and have a start date you can expect a reputable fabricator to be in touch with you if the start date moves. Without hearing from your fabricator after your booked most reputable fabricators will start the job by going to the vessel and getting blank sizes. A blank is raw material that is sewn up so that it can be pin fit to your vessel. If you are having a mooring or cockpit cover this is most likely what will occur. After the initial visit to get the blank size the shop prepares the blank. After the blank is prepared the fabricator will visit the vessel to pin the cover and mark the cover. The cover then goes back to the shop where it is reinforced and bound. Once this is completed the cover is installed on the vessel. If you are getting a top, sides and aft or a bimini with an enclosure the process is a little different. If you are getting new frames the frames must be bent at the shop. Then with the blank and the frames the top must be fit on the vessel. After the top is sewn it must be installed and the remaining curtains fit. After they are fit they get sewn and then installed on the vessel. Some fabricators will make a pattern of the cover out of paper or plastic rather than pin fitting the actual material and this is acceptable. My purpose in discussing the actual manufacturing of the cover is so you would be familiar with the process and can understand what is entailed. Like I said these covers aren't just pulled off the shelf and put on the vessel. Keep in mind that fitting the cover in warm non windy weather will result in the best product. I have seen fabricators pushed by the customer to do a job and they are out there in 10-degree weather setting side curtains. Do you know what those curtains are going to look like in the summer when it's 90 degrees? A lot of work goes into making a custom cover and not always is the weather agreeable. So I suggest that you discuss with your fabricator what to expect up front and decide if there is anything you can do to make the job go smoother. You will be doing yourself a favor in the long run as the job will get done better and quicker. As an example when ever possible bring the vessel to the fabricator. This will save him time between trips back and forth to the vessel when he is fitting the cover. What ever you can do to assist with the project will reap you tremendous rewards in the end.
In the following paragraphs I will discuss the nuts & bolts of what goes into making a quality cover.
The toughest decision you are going to make besides the design issue, is deciding on what material your new canvas will be made of. There are many products on the market and the process can get confusing. The biggest issues in deciding is, how long are you going to be owning your vessel, your budget and what type of exposure the material will be exposed to? Keep in mind that there is very little price difference in the labor. If I am quoting a job and the customer wanted a few options for pricing there would be less than a 10% difference between the least expensive vinyl and the most expensive acrylic. You may be asking why? That is because as I stated earlier the labor remains the same, no matter which material you are using, and there is a minimum difference in cost of material in the over scheme of things.
Let's talk a little about material, as I stated the labor pretty much remains the same. There are 3 basic materials. The one that will last the least is the expanded vinyl laminated to denim back. This product will last any where from 3 to 5 years depending on how you take care of it. It has a tendency to shrink and does not allow the vessel to breath. This usually results in mold growth on the vinyl upholstery and the canvas cover. It also should not be stored in the cold and can crack and delaminate in the cold.
The next product is a polyester material that is the same color front and back. Laminated into the material is a cord which is a rip stop. This material allows light to pass through but is very durable for cleaning inside or out. Keep in mind that this is still a vinyl product but it doesn't support mold growth as easy as the denim backed material we spoke of earlier. This product is perfect for a fishing vessel, as it easily cleans up and does not stain easily.
The last material we will be discussing is the acrylic material. This product has no appearance of vinyl. It looks and feels and acts like cloth. It breaths and very rarely do you find mold growing on the product or what ever it is covering. For the most part you don't have to worry about any cold cracking as it's not a laminated product, its woven. The only down side to this product is because of it's cloth like construction some of the lighter colors may stain. I have had covers out there that have lasted 17 years. I'm not saying that this is what you can expect but if you take care of the cover this is the potential.
It is very important that you know that there are quality name brand products out there. You should also be aware that there are some imitations which are NOT the material I described in the preceding paragraphs. When you are choosing a fabric it is very important to discuss with your fabricator exactly what product they will be using. Most of the top brand manufacturers will warranty their product for 5 years. Some of the top names I use, Sunbrella, Stamoid, Top Gun & Chrysler.
It is very very important that you understand what goes into the construction of your cover, the product will only be as good as the weakest link. Now you're probably saying what does this mean. Even if you pick a top brand material and the fabricator uses poor thread the cover will only last as long as the thread holds up. What type of thread, binding and hardware that is used is as important as the type of material that you have chosen. If you are using a top quality Sunbrella fabric, then Sunbrella binding should be used. The hardware should be all marine grade. Where the hardware passes through the fabric there should be proper reinforcement. Some fabricators will reinforce the acrylic material with scrap acrylic. Without having some vinyl sew in-between the acrylic the fasteners will tear out in a short period of time. I have also seen some fabricators reinforce the acrylic with vinyl. In instances such as this mold usually becomes an issue in theses areas. I personally use webbing as reinforcement on acrylic where the hardware passes through the cover. The thread that is used should have built in U/V inhibitors. I have found that Coats & Clarks products to be very acceptable. In certain instances I will even use Gore Tex. Good thread is very expensive and some fabricators will "cut corners" in this area.
If you select a cover that needs frame work there are two materials that you can choose from. If the vessel you wish to cover is less than 21' then in most instances you can use aluminum frames. The fittings on the end of the frames and the deck hardware can be plastic or die cast. Once again there are different grades of aluminum, along with different thickness. The minimum width that you should use is 7/8" it should be at least 065 thicknesses and be polished aluminum, marine grade. If you need frames on a vessel larger than 21' you may want to consider stainless steel. This material for top quality stainless is very expensive. Some considerations when choosing frames are the width of the vessel, over 8' beam I always recommend stainless. How long you intend on owning the vessel may also dictate which material to use. I have some stainless frames out there over 20 years and they still look like new. Taking care of the product will greatly lengthen its life.
Clear side curtains are another tough decision that you will have to make. There are many products to choose from. On vessels less than 21' most side curtains can be made with normal 16 to 20 gauge clear. Depending on how you take care of them they will last anywhere from 2 to 5 years. I have seen some side curtains yellow in a year and a-half because of the U/V exposure and the curtains not being cleaned. Then I have seen side curtains that where cleaned after every use stored properly last 5 - 6 years. Some other clear vinyl products are 020, 030 & 040 optical clear. This product is used on vessels when there is an enclosure and viewing through the clear is how the vessel is going to be operated. This product is a laminated vinyl product with the clear polished for clarity. On larger vessels there is 060 & 080 available. In all instances these products scratch very easily. There are some products on the market that remove the scratches but they also dull the finish. They act almost like a compound. Proper care will extend the life of this product tremendously.
Zippers are a common product that will be used in the construction of most covers. The zippers that hold up the best are plastic zippers made by YKK. It is also important that the zippers be covered. Zippers that aren't covered by material even if it's clear material will not last as long as covered zippers, because the zipper is exposed to the sun and the U/V's from the sun. There are different sizes of zippers from #5 to #10. The strongest is the #10. When turns are needed coil zippers are most successful.
We have talked about proper care, exactly what does that mean? If you want to maximize the life of your cover there are a few things that you need to do. On this site you will find care instructions for vinyl & acrylic so we wouldn't go into that in depth here.
General care instructions will be discussed in this paragraph. Most important never put the cover away wet. When the cover is on the vessel make sure that all of the fasteners are secured. Never tow with a navy top or a bimini top up. The wind gets up underneath the top and it acts like a sail. This upward pressure is not meant to be put on the seams and will greatly reduce the covers life. If one of the tie downs fails and the top starts to flap as you are towing it will tear the cover and shred it. We have done a number of jobs because the cover was up while being towed. Never ride with the aft or the camper back closed while under way, if the engine on an I/O or in-board develops an exhaust leak you can get carbon monoxide poisoning. Never leave the cover on in the snow. When it gets cold out try to keep the cover in a warm place. Always clean the cover do not let salt water or bird dropping stay on the cover for any length of time. Always roll the clear never fold it as it will tear at the point of the fold. Never use harsh chemicals to clean the cover. Only clean the clear with the products you would use to clean your face.
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