Sunbrella fender covers ?

Sven

Sven

Seglare
Our fenders are really accumulating fender-gunk. There has to be a technical term for the crud :)

I'm thinking of replacing the t-shirt covers they had with sunbrella fabric covers, I have a few spare yards just sitting around. My only hestitation is that the sunbrella might be too abrasive against the gelcoat ?

It would also be nice to clean off the gunk but I assume none of the fender cleaner chemicals really work ?

Thanks,


-Sven
 
treilley

treilley

Sustaining Partner
Sven, I replaced our old and worn covers a few years back with a thick fleece. I also think that Sunbrella would be too harsh to the topsides. Sunbrella does not stretch either which is essential for getting a good fit when the fenders expand and contract.
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Removing fender crud.

Sven, Acetone or lacquer thinner will remove the majority of crud on your fenders, leaving stains here and there but will result in a 90%+ improvement in appearance. Please note that material like your fenders ( white bilge vents, winch handle boxes, etc get sticky as they age and cleaning them with the above doesn't stop that. So in time after cleaning them, you'll notice that they begin to get sticky again, a little at first getting getting worse. Some might think it's UV exposure that causes the stickiness but I keep a large double-wide fender in the lazarette that doubles as a cockpit seat behind the wheel and it gets sticky down in there too. Hmmm, it's time again for me to get out the acetone too or maybe new fenders are on the list for both of us in the near future. Glyn
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Sticky fenders.

Sven, I forgot to toss out the thought that although once cleaned, the return of the stickies might make any cover you put on them sticky too. That is to say that they might end up getting somewhat stuck to the fenders making it difficult to remove (and replace) them for periodic washing not to mention that the stickies won't wash off anyhow unless the covers first get the same acetone treatment that the fenders got. Ugh! Glyn
 
Sven

Sven

Seglare
treilley said:
I also think that Sunbrella would be too harsh to the topsides.
Click to expand...

I was hoping you would disagree :)

After last weekend the fenders aren't in constant contact with the dock and that might be a way of avoiding abrasion problems but is probably transferring an equal amount of $-wear to the docklines as they will chafe faster.

Glyn Judson said:
your fenders ( white bilge vents, winch handle boxes, etc get sticky as they age
Click to expand...

An exception was the small fenders on La Petite.I think they were still pretty clean and hard (if not shiny) after 4 years of constant exposure. Her vents and winch pockets did suffer.

The red mooring buoy and large white fender balls I bought back in Sweden 30 and 20 years ago respectively are also clean and shiny after all these years with 3-4 months constant very intense sun every year.

If I knew which materials would not become icky-sticky as you describe they would be worth a premium price but there probably isn't a market for quality fenders :)

I wonder if waxing would help ?

Thanks for the suggestions,



-Sven
 
B

Bill Upchurch

Member II
Sunbrella Fender Covers

I was able to eliminate the stickyness from the shore power cord by cleaning it with acetone and then applying two coats of armoral. I did that about four months ago and the cord is still O.K.
For what it's worth.
 
Jeff Asbury

Jeff Asbury

Principal Partner
I have Sunbrella covers that were a gift from a friend that worked at Pelican's Loft. BTW Pelican's Loft does a lot of Canvas work for WM here in So Cal. I as well thought they might be too abrasive but they have not been a problem. The covers them selves do get a bit scuffed from the rub rail on the dock, but it washes off.

I sure don't miss cleaning those fenders. I know, I know I am going to get flak for leaving my fenders on deck. At least they are not hanging over the side. MDR Burgees right?

I think it just comes down to personal preference.
 

Attachments

  • P2280026.jpg
    P2280026.jpg
    51.2 KB · Views: 421
treilley

treilley

Sustaining Partner
Our fenders came with our boat that we purchased in 2006 so they are at least 3 years(Maine 6 month season) old. They were covered with very worn fleece when we got the boat and I replaced the covers. The fenders have not yet shown any type of deterioration which I always attributed to UV. We do not use slips much and they are covered so they did not see much sun.

If it is not UV then I either have the good fenders or that other cause is not present here. The fenders on our YC launches get this problem and this year we have purchased covers for them.
 
mherrcat

mherrcat

Contributing Partner
I purchased some of this stuff with the intention of using it to re-bed my hatches, but haven't had a chance to do it yet. I believe there was a testimonial in the advertising material they sent with the product in which someone mentioned it doing a good job of cleaning a shore power cord without leaving a sticky residue:

http://www.marineformula.com/index.htm

Last weekend I cleaned my fenders with lacquer thinner. It worked, but the fenders were a little sticky afterwards. (It did clean the blower vents well; a harder plastic.) I would be careful with acetone; although it seems not to affect gel coat it will attach some plastics and rubber. I tried mineral spirits on the fenders first since it is much milder than lacquer thinner, but it didn't work well. I thought about using the Debond product, but I had left it at home. It would probably work if it cleaned the shore power cord like they guy said...
 
E

e38sailorman

Member II
Rather then thinner try inflatable boat cleaner on the fenders, vinyl lifeline covers cowl vents and the like it doesn't make them sticky and really works great. as to fender covers go on line and check out Maine Point they make fleece blankets and fender covers that you can have the name of your boat embrodered on...(kind of classy) They have standard sizes for just about any size and brand of fender you might have. The covers fade over time if you get dark ones, but can be washed and are nice and soft. I've had mine for 7 or 8 years, and while faded they still work great and the really great part is you don't have to clean those gunky fenders at all just cover them up!

Marc
E38 Wavewalker
Gig Harbor WA
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Sticky vinyl.

All, I'm get the feeling that some think it's the acetone that's making the fenders, etc sticky. Hey, these things don't need acetone to get sticky, they do that just fine all on their own. How many of us have reached under the galley sink for a fresh water supply hose or grabbed the vent hose of our tanks only to have all that goo residue come off on our palms? The fact that my fender/helm seat and vinyl hoses below slowly become sticky despite being out of the sun simply tells me that the properties of the plastic they're made of inherently causes the stickiness. Glyn
 
S

Sam Vickery

Member III
Sticky Fenders

I clean the "stuff" off the fenders about once every two or three months. I use acetone and follow up with a light coating of a product from %$&! WM. No sticky fenders. I am going down to the boat tonight and will get the name of the product. Because it is from &^%$ WM it is a little expensive, but it does prevent the sticky fenders.

Sam
86 32-3
 
Mindscape

Mindscape

Member III
I think it was Martin

I think it was Martin that suggested at some point to make covers from an old towel. Works great and is easy on the boat, and I can't see the junk on the fenders. Throw them in the washer at the end of the season. Martin if this was not your fault I apologize.
 
E

Emerald

Moderator
Glyn Judson said:
How many of us have reached under the galley sink for a fresh water supply hose or grabbed the vent hose of our tanks only to have all that goo residue come off on our palms? The fact that my fender/helm seat and vinyl hoses below slowly become sticky despite being out of the sun simply tells me that the properties of the plastic they're made of inherently causes the stickiness. Glyn
Click to expand...

I have the same thing going on with my vinyl type hoses. The battery cables have a clear vinyl tube on them that is a great example of this. I've always figured it was a byproduct of some sort oozing out of the plastics over time. Emerald has spent her life split between the Chesapeake and Delaware coast, so she's seen hot humid summers and moderate winters.
 
Last edited:
Sven

Sven

Seglare
e38sailorman said:
Maybe it's a California thing....doesn't seem to happen here in senic Gig Harbor!
Click to expand...

I actually wonder if there is something to that. As I mentioned earlier, I haven't seen evidence of it in Sweden. The Swedish sun in the summer is really intense and the UV component is obvious when you see how fast we tan.

I would suggest ozone or other pollutants but that doesn't jive with the fender pox in Mission Bay as that air there is blown in from across the Pacific. I take that back, we are under the flight path from the SD airport takeoffs. MDR is also right next to Los Angeles Airport.


-Sven
 
G

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
Sticky vinyl tubes over the battery cables.

David, I too had those sticky vinyl tubing covers on my battery cables and solved that problem at least, I cut them off. I've seen that tubing on other Ericson battery cables which suggests to me that they were factory installed. The only remaining question there is why on earth did they do that? Glyn, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
 
E

Emerald

Moderator
I figure that they must have put them on the cables as a chaffing guard. Either that, or someone in purchasing was trying to justify why on earth they ordered 5000 feet of vinyl tubing that was 1/4" larger than the fittings on the water tank :devil:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top