How to soften new Sunbrella?

[LenB]

The Admiral put me up to this....

She wants to make fender covers for our boat to match the Sunbrella on our boat. She purchased a few yards of the stuff, and its really stiff material. She told me she would have a hard time working with the material on her old manual foot treadle sewing machine that she insists on using (seriously!). Since we don't need the waterproofing characteristics of the Sunbrella I told her to wash the stuff in a warm detergent followed by some fabric softener.

Good idea or not?

 

[Msibley]

Since you don't need the waterproofing aspects...you bet, washing machine with fabric softener. I'd probably go with an all-cold water wash and rinse...hot water may bleed the fabric.

Since your Admiral is insistent on a foot treadle style sewing machine, I'd have her beat the fabric against a few rocks down at the stream...

 

[mabbott]

I never understood why people wanted to play dress up with their fenders. I just thought it was a marketing thing to sell dresses to the boating world.....8^)

What function or purpose does it accomplish?

 

[LenB]

Mike,

How'd you know we live next to a river? I thought I was letting her go hi-tech by using the fabric softener; I usually make her chew the fabric.

mabbott:

The fender socks don't really do much, granted. But they do tend to keep the "squeaky" sounds from entering the cabin at night when sleeping, plus they can be washed when they get dirty. That's a little easier than trying to keep the fenders clean. Plus, I've got the material and a willing seamstress - why not?

 

[BobV1]

Fleece fender covers serve a very useful purpose. I'm not sure that Sunbrella will do the same.

If your boat is wet slipped for most of the year your non covered fenders build up a static charge and attract all sorts of foreign particles which in turn do a nice job on the hull, over time. Take a close look at the boats in your marina and you'll see the damage.

If you're not faced with the wet slip situation. I wouldn't worry about the covers.