Water Proofing Old Canvas

[Shadowfax]

My Bimini is getting on in age and it has started to leak in any kind of serious rain. The fabric itself looks good but it doesn't seem to hold back rain water anymore. I bought a gallon of the West Marine water proofing stuff and gave it a couple of coats with limited success. I've also tried some of that spray stuff Sunbrella [sp] suggests, also with limited success.

Has anybody found anything that actually works?

 

[Frank Langer]

I have used the silicone spray intended for tents, available in department stores. There is a light one for nylon tents and a heavier one for canvas--I used the heavier one and it stopped the rain coming through our dodger. I needed two coats to make it work, applied a few days apart, adhering to the temperatures they said on the can. So far, so good. Our dodger is older, though I don't know how old.
Hope that helps.
Frank

 

[Rhynie]

Paul,
Try some Concrete & Masonary silicon sealer from a big box store. It splashes very easily though so don't do it on the boat - might spot and/or make the decks slippery.

 

[treilley]

It sounds like the weave has opened up too much to have any of those products work. Your best bet may be to replace. Take it to an automotive canvas guy and have him duplicate it with new canvas or even sunbrella.

 

[Dan Callen]

Waterproofing

The 303 product should work very well. Just be sure the sunbrella is clean to begin with. A weak solution of chlorox and water will do the job but then you must treat.If you do not have any mildew a solution of detergent and water should suffice. When you spray on the 303, be sure to do it on a sunny day as the heat is what really cures this product. Yes, if the fabric is in bad condition it probably needs to be replaced. I live in Tennessee and our fabric is over 10 years old and the above procedure works very well. I have no connection with the manufacturers of 303, just 40 yrs. experience in the textile industry where we treated all kinds of fabrics for repellency. Good luck. Dan Callen Ericson32-3 Andiamo