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WATERSKI Magazine1. To waterproof the seams in your canvas boat cover (the most common sources of boat cover leaks), rub them down with a wax candle (in white or the same color of your canvas). Coat them with a thin line of silicone caulk or spray on Star Brite's Waterproof & Fabric Treatment.
2. If strong winds keep tearing out the attachment eyes in your canvas boat cover, sew the torn areas, then sew loops onto the edging of the canvas (or take it to a canvas shop and have them do it). Next time you tie down your canvas cover, use buckled tie-down straps instead of regular line. They'll provide the tightest fit and prevent any lifting.
3. If the sharp edges of your windshield and other points are tearing your canvas boat cover, mark the potential wear spots with a pen. Then reinforce the danger areas by hot-gluing scraps of leather or double-folded canvas to the underside of your cover.
4. Zipper broken or torn from its seams? Then use a hot-glue gun to install Velcro straps over it.
5. If your one-piece canvas boat cover sags and accumulates rain, cut a section of anchor line (or similar rope) the length of your boat plus 5 to 7 feet. Tie one end of this line to your bow eye, run it over the windshield (place a towel underneath the line to prevent chafing) and any other high spots on the boat, then tie off the other end tightly to the transom. Put your boat cover on over this line, which will create a tenting effect that should provide a natural path of drainage. If there is just one particular spot that's annoying you, forgo the line and prop up that spot with a soft-ended adjustable pole.
6. You put your canvas boat cover in the wash, and it's shrunk! If you haven't shrunk the cover a ridiculous amount, wait until a hot day (the heat will cause the canvas to stretch slightly), then wet the canvas down with a mixture of fabric softener and warm water. Now use all your might (and that of a friend or two) to pull the canvas cover onto the boat. Tie it into place and allow to dry.
7. Do not remove the canvas from a T-top or a bimini top frame before cleaning. They never seem to fit right again after cleaning and drying. Use a mixture of dishwashing detergent in warm water and scrub the canvas with a hard bristle brush while it's on the frame.
8. When your boat Sunbrella becomes dirty from use, do not remove it from its frame. Clean it with a mixture of 1/4 cup mild dishwashing detergent such as Ivory and 1/2 cup non-chlorine bleach in lukewarm water. Brush on, and allow to sit. Feel free to scrub at tough stains. Then rinse with cool water and allow to air dry. -Sandy Lindsey
