Custom Sunbrella Cover for TomCat 255

For those of you with Sunbrella covers, an issue came up today that has me thinking:

Apparently Sunbrella Plus covers don't breathe like the regular Sunbrella, which leads to more mold/mildew problems. I'm a little sensitive to the issue of mold and mildew.

Is this true of Sunbrella Plus?
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mike
 
I know many owners love their canvas covers but I'm the opposite. I'm absolutely tickled I don't have a stitch of external canvas on Napoleon.

$8500 buys a complete Furuno system with thousands to spare...the extra dry room in the cockpit would be nice but I would personally prioritize other things.

Do you have interior Sunbrella curtains? Those can be had (pattern and color matched) for the Tomcat for $6-700 for example. Interior curtains are a must for privacy and temperature control when on the hook/slip.
 
wannaboat:

I wonder why you wish to deal with a far away canvas person? There are lots and lots of canvas outfits near you in Md and Va who will come and measure the boat and make your cover. Most marinas can put you in contact with canvas people. I can't say if they would be cheaper but you might get a better, personalized fit and some useful additional info about materials and colors. OK, so buying out of state might save the sales tax which is a lot on such an expensive item, but with the economy being as it is you should be able to negotiate it away.
 
matt_unique":2g0scytz said:
$8500 buys a complete Furuno system with thousands to spare...the extra dry room in the cockpit would be nice but I would personally prioritize other things.
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Tell me about it! I was thinking the same thing. Psychic, are you? :)

But Matt, how do you protect your boat from the weather, leaves, pine needles, etc.? Perhaps more importantly, from the Sun? The TomCat Manual says the gelcoat will yellow over time if left in direct sunlight. Of course I read that after the boat had been sitting out on the Sun for the last six months. :(
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mike
 
YACD":5hijp770 said:
I wonder why you wish to deal with a far away canvas person?
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Actually, it is not my preference. The canvas shop in Washington was attractive because of their excellent reputation and also because they are not far from the Factory (so they could go measure a TomCat there).

I have not yet found any reputable canvas makers that will travel to me for measurements. But I am still looking.
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mike
 
matt_unique":z2zirvx9 said:
I know many owners love their canvas covers but I'm the opposite. I'm absolutely tickled I don't have a stitch of external canvas on Napoleon.

$8500 buys a complete Furuno system with thousands to spare...the extra dry room in the cockpit would be nice but I would personally prioritize other things.
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Matt,
In this part of the country having a camperback and since we boat year round is (in my opinion) a huge plus and a worthwhile investment. As, to $8,500, I too would have to "choke" on that. We have the 22' C-Dory and paid approximately $1,500 for a superb camperback and window curtains installed in 2004. Obviously a camperback would cost more for your vessel but it is hard to fathom a cost that high. Surely the cost hasn't risen to that extent in the past 5 years. It provides us with an additional very usable room for us in the "drizzly" Northwest weather. Even in summer evenings, if we store anything in the cockpit, it will be damp from the nighttime dew without the protection of a camperback.
Perhaps others with a Tomcat would divulge the approximate cost of their camperbacks for comparison sake.
 
Dave, I will be looking at a camper back for my new boat. Who did you have do yours? Sounds like it was very reasonable compared to some of the prices I have had thrown at me. I know it will be more now but shouldn't be twice as much. Thanks
 
Wefings":180gj2p9 said:
Here's your non green thought for the day;
How many blue tarps and grommet kits and bungee cords would $8500 buy?
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This brings up a question: wouldn't blue tarps wear away the gelcoat when the wind blows? How about compared to a fitted a canvas or Sunbrella cover?

Warren
 
wannaboat":2gs7mzxu said:
matt_unique":2gs7mzxu said:
$8500 buys a complete Furuno system with thousands to spare...the extra dry room in the cockpit would be nice but I would personally prioritize other things.
Click to expand...
Tell me about it! I was thinking the same thing. Psychic, are you? :)

But Matt, how do you protect your boat from the weather, leaves, pine needles, etc.? Perhaps more importantly, from the Sun? The TomCat Manual says the gelcoat will yellow over time if left in direct sunlight. Of course I read that after the boat had been sitting out on the Sun for the last six months. :(
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mike
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Hi Mike,
Your gelcoat will last a lot longer than any canvas. I find canvas is good for about 5-7 years. It is incredibly costly to replace as you know. Gelcoat can be buffed with a light compound and look fresh and white for many, many years. There are 20 year old boats with great looking gelcoat based on good care.

I keep Napoleon in the water from mid April to the end of October. Where it is on the water there is no opportunity for pine needles or leaves or anything else. I have to be mindful of keeping my scuppers clear so rain water and get out. When she is out of the water for the season I have it shrink wrapped.

I absolutely love the fact that I have no canvas on Napoleon. I have plenty of room in the cabin if I want to get out of the weather and the open cockpit is nice on nice days.
 
akroyd":1toqy8ie said:
Dave, I will be looking at a camper back for my new boat. Who did you have do yours? Sounds like it was very reasonable compared to some of the prices I have had thrown at me. I know it will be more now but shouldn't be twice as much. Thanks
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Unfortunately, the fellas (Canvas Riggers) that did my camperback are apparently not in business now.
In looking at a brochure for a 22' Cruiser that I still have from the former C-Dory builders in 2003, the quoted price at that time was $925 for a camperback with zip out sides and back and $450 for snap in window coverings. The brochure also stated that the canvas work was "contracted out to and warranted by King Marine Canvas Products".
 
I am having a tent and awning company build the enclosure for the cockpit on my R25... Sunbrella fabric in a light tan (BEIGE)... Heavy wall tubing and 316L stainless fittings, large windows, sunshades, mosquito screens, and will fold up for towing... Three grand...


denny-o
 
Wefings":1z8374ug said:
I was kidding about the tarps . Unless you could get Tarp money to buy them with .
Marc
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Yeah - how do us mere mortals get some of that stimulus money that is just sitting there mostly undispersed?

Uh oh... better to not myself get going on politics. I swell up to many times my normal size, turn bright green, and loose all ability to speak. Then I start grabbing up politicians and tossing them about like little toys....

:)
 
Just a reminder--insist that the canvas worker sew with a gortex thread (Tendril). I have an RV I keep out West, and just spent several days working on repairs on the Sunbrella cover, because the canvas worker did not use a UV resistant thread (as he was susposed to). The canvas was good, but the stitching had to be re-done. It costs much less to have the resistant thread used, than to re-sew the seams.

Sunbrella should last at least 7 years and I have seen many covers which last 10 years. A lot depends on the care, and construction.
 
thataway":ppslox7n said:
Just a reminder--insist that the canvas worker sew with a gortex thread (Tendril).
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Is that the same as "Tenara"?

Lifetime Guarantee! The unique PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) fiber construction of GORE™ Tenara® thread extends the life of fabric seams and ultimately the products in which it is used. Tenara has high strength and durability that for over ten years has proven to be unaffected by exposure to UV radiation, cleaning agents, pollution, saltwater, air, rain, and snow.

Tenara thread is a UV proof, waterproof, color fast marine canvas and upholstery thread that is great for outdoor applications. Tenara thread will not rot if left outside year round. Remains colorfast and flexible even in extreme temperatures and frost. Although more expensive, Tenara is a greater value than other polyester threads when considering life span and re-stitching costs. Choose Tenara thread to improve the performance of fabric and outdoor projects where seam life and integrity are of the utmost importance!


Lifetime Warranty: "Tenara sewing thread...will not be damaged by exposure to sunlight, weather, or water during the life of the fabric with which it is used. This warranty does not apply to boat sail..."
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Yeah Bob, I growled at them that if the stitching started coming apart in a few years they would be redoing it for free... They assure me that the fabric and thread is guaranteed for 10 years...
I'm just waiting for a break in the weather to take the boat to them... I didn't want to go through the hassle of winterizing the boat since it is in my heated shop... It is going to be 10 degrees tonite... So it will be a bit yet...
denny-o
 
Thanks for the correction --yes it is Tenara--I should not rely on my old brain, and should have looked it up. Another thread which is UV resistant and suitable for long term Sunbrella is Prolifen, a PTFE coated thread.

Older canvas products only last 3 to 5 years, and the dacron thread is suitable, but with Sunbrella lasting much longer, the UV resistant thread makes sense.

The UV resistant threads cost about 5x as much as Dacron, but the labor is the real cost of making a cover, as well as the material. Thread costs are a very small amount.
 
Thanks, Dr Bob. I've been doing some reading (Sailrite.com) since I'm in the process of getting some items made out of Sunbrella for the 25. Seems that Tenara thread is the way to go, like you said, but it has a special process for sewing it that a regular machine can't reproduce.

I've got a good upholstery guy who does boat products/interiors etc too, but he's been a sever flake lately and has not followed up on my offers of work. :roll: Guess he doesn't need the job :thdown so I'm looking to do it myself or find someone who will.
 
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