New Canvas

Captains don't think about their canvas. We just assume it is going to work. I mean it's there, right? Well, not always. Like anything on a boat, they require attention.





July 4, 2013 - clearly the wrong time to have this conversation with yourself:








It rained - HARD. It blew. We rolled. Violently enough that a Navy Vet that was aboard got seasick. Things in the cabin were travelling horizontally. It blew hard enough that the zippers on my aft canvas - well let's just say they were no more.

I had the top patched, I re-waterproofed it.It still leaked. I knew nothing was going to save the aged and brittle zippers. I knew it was time as the canvas may have been original to the boat. 25 years.... not bad.

So I hired a well respected canvas company (Boatswains Locker) here in Jax to do the work. When Bill came out to look at it, he says to me "Oh yeah, I did ton's of these boats when they were new over at Beach Marine". SAY WHAT? The boat is 25 years old! If you did these 25 years ago, I think you got this.

I told him that I wanted the top extended and that I wanted a drop curtain in the back and different vents in the top. He recommended going to heavier hardware and rails and stainless instead of aluminum. Ok - in for a penny right?

Here's what she looks like now:

I can tell you that when it rains now, it's quite dry inside and warm in the winter. It almost feels like an inside space when the canvas is all buttoned up.

I chose navy blue Sunbrella canvas because I plan to change the stripes over to navy as well. I think the Navy is a little more modern and sophisticated.