Stretching canvas

D

Dougit

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Joined
Feb 22, 2006
RO Number
20316
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6
I have a canvas top. The zipper plastic windows don't fit due to shrinkage over the summer. Any ideas? Will soaking them in hot water for a time work? Is there a better way? I will losen up tension bars first,wet top and windows and wait. Don't want to ripe the seams out. Couldn't find a search heading to look up topic. Doug
 
Vinyl covered boat canvas tends to shrink with age. Sunbrella won't. The vinyl will also contract a lot in the cold (don't we all?). Try warming the sections well in the sun or heat in a well heated area, then hang 'em fast before they cool. Or maybe hang all of the sections first and crank up an electric space heater in the cockpit to warm them up. Won't wetting the top make things colder?
 
My canvas top is Sunbrella and it has shrunk a half inch. I will try using snap extenders to fit. The weather has been in the 60's.here in Tennessee. I'll wait for warmer tempature and try again. Thanks for your reply. Doug, with 32ft. Bayliner-Avanti
 
To help prevent that problem, always keep your zippers zipped and your snaps snapped. I had custom screens made to fit the "window" sections so that I can keep my canvas from shrinking, but get the ventilation I need when it is hot. Once you have allowed zippers to remain open or snaps to stay unsnapped, the battle has been lost.

When I got to my boat last Saturday, a zip slider was missing from one of my panels. I think someone was trying to board my boat and pulled it off. Now i need to get that replaced. If it isn't one thing, it is three more!
 
I use screened panels during the summer too, and always have the boat snapped and zippered up when I leave. Didn't think that was keeping the canvas from shrinking, but the idea makes sense.

After the panels are stored several months, they are a tight fit to get them on again, but after a day or two snapped and zippered they fit just like they should. The canvas is Sunbrella, nine years old in a covered slip.
 
Hot sun or hot water. I have been known to go so far as to place them in a BLACK garbage bag and let them sit out in the sun.

G
 
If you can get it to stretch using hot water, it'll likely shrink again.
 
Yes it will shrink again unless you keep the enclosure zipped and snapped 90% of the time.
 
My clear side windows have been stored all summer. Tempature in cabin sometimes reach 120 degrees plus. Screens have been on canvas top all summer. I like your idea of placing the windows in black garage bag in the sun. Doug
 
On my old boat with soft top I installed a 2nd set of snaps just in the area where I could no longer stretch canvas to original snaps when cold. When the canvas warmed with the sun I'd just switch those few back to originals-very easy & convenient. Saved a lot of bad words and broken snaps.
 
Loosen the frame and fasten the canvas. Then gradually re tighten the frame. Not too fast or something will let go either frame or canvas.
 
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