Sunday, November 27, 2016

A job worth doing - a warning!

The waterproofing fluid arrived late the next day - yesterday - and we applied the necessary second coat this morning. It's drying well, and we should be able to take it back to the boat tomorrow, and refit it. Job done, and we're glad of it.

But we've learned a few lessons from this experience. The cratch cover's ony two years old, but there are marks on it now that look as if they'll never come out. It's a general sort of grubbiness, particularly on the roof of the cover. And this is a disappointment.

Our warning to you, then, is this.

If you have a cratch cover or stern canopy on your boat

  • clean it regularly - mild detergent, preferably a preparation made for this specific purpose, a softish scrubbing brush, and plenty of water for rinsing, a hose being best. 
  • apply waterproofing fluid every 6 months. It's what's recommended by the manufacturers, and by the makers of the covers. Be aware that sunlight reduces the cover's waterproofness over time, not just rain, hail, sleet and snow.
  • do both jobs together once annually

These covers cost upwards of £700, so you want them to last as long as possible, and you probably want them to look good just as long. And though the cleaning and proofing fluids aren't cheap, what you'll spend on them over the life of your cover won't be anything as much as the cost of a new cover.
photo - www.ybw.com



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