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Boat cover maintenance: water proofer / UV protectant


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Team, 

Any experienced advice on a water proofer / UV protectant for a standard 2014 black nylon boat cover?

Mine is 3 years old... No rips or tears... But is starting to show age and XXXX local dealer allowed water to pool and stretch Dec-Jan. %@*#!!!

If there are any standout products... easy to find or order...easy on the budget... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Still waiting on Cory to fit my boat the  I'll get one of his.

 

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Saw this on the axis site.

If you mix 1 quart Mineral Spirits
½ of a 2.8oz tube 100% Clear Silicone Caulking
And brush it on , you will have the best longest lasting cheapest waterproofing available, dries clear and is very durable....

 

 

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1 hour ago, Simo said:

Saw this on the axis site.

If you mix 1 quart Mineral Spirits
½ of a 2.8oz tube 100% Clear Silicone Caulking
And brush it on , you will have the best longest lasting cheapest waterproofing available, dries clear and is very durable....

 

 

Two concerns - 1st, would this destroy breathability, and 2nd, would the mineral spirits eat the nylon??

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I have done the 303 water repellent since I got the boat new and have been really happy with it on my cover and my Bimini. Granted the cover only gets put on outside 10-15 times a year at night when it might rain or if there are a lot of bugs and hasn't sat out for more than 48 hours straight, but it has never leaked even with the cheapie OEM Malibu cover. I do lay it out flat in the garage to apply it per the directions. They even carry it at Lowes now in the patio furniture section, at least where I live. I hope the Uncle Sam is treating you well. Bill

  • Like 4
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My boat spends 365 days a year outside. This year during Nov - Feb I had a tarp over it to keep the snow off the cover. Last waterproofing I did was with 303 2 yrs ago & it still isn't leaking. Then again I live in a sort of high desert area that doesn't get a ton of rain too.

I've also used Aquatite a few years ago & had good luck with it too. Only reason I used 303 this last time was because Sunbrella recommends using it. Works great for me. I buy it on Amazon for the cheapest price I can find. Cover the boat with a tarp, then put the cover over that. Then spray the cover (keeps the chemical off the gelcoat & interior).

  • Like 1
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Ya, it's laying flat and dry on the floor down in the basement... Used the shipping cover over the winter to cover the boat.  

 

I suppose I could do it all down there as long as it doesn't stink up the whole house.

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Probably depends on what your bimini is made of. And be aware that there are several 303 products. The High tech Fabric Guard is for water repellency & sun damage. This is the stuff that Sunbrella recommends for their product.

Then they have 303 Aerospace Protectant, which is the "sunscreen for your stuff", which works great for seats, dash, and various plastic pieces on the boat. But does nothing for making it water repellent. 

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Another option is Starbrite Waterproofing with PTEF.  I used this back in the spring of 2012 and the cover is still beading water, original Malibu cover.  I laid the cover on the ground and spread it out as much as possible.  Bought a gallon off Amazon and used a pump up bug sprayer to apply.  My boat sits on a lift year round with a covered dock unless I have it on the trailer for maintenance or tinkering.  

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I've had good luck with 303 products.  I spray the cover once a year at the beginning of summer and it remains water tight all season.  Boat sits in the lake from mid June till early October and original cover is put on every night and during rainstorms.  Factory shipping cover is used during off season.

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5 hours ago, BlitzedVLX said:

Would the 303 protectant be good to use on the bimini to make it look new again? 

I had some greying on mine from I assume normal in the air crud. I put it in a gentle wash cycle and let it air dry and reapplied the 303 and it appeared to bring it back to life. If that doesn't work I would look to redying with Ritz dye from Wally World. I have redyed some items then rewashed the item to make sure it wouldn't bleed when I reused it with good success. 

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14 hours ago, wdr said:

I had some greying on mine from I assume normal in the air crud. I put it in a gentle wash cycle and let it air dry and reapplied the 303 and it appeared to bring it back to life. If that doesn't work I would look to redying with Ritz dye from Wally World. I have redyed some items then rewashed the item to make sure it wouldn't bleed when I reused it with good success. 

Great idea with the dye! I will pull mine off for a good wash. Did you use the 303 protectant or fabric guard?

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Fabric Guard, it has the green label IIRC. I use the whole line though, the cleaner, protectant and the water repellent. I actually used the repellent on my snap out carpet and it worked pretty good for a while.

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On March 21, 2016 at 7:47 PM, Simo said:

Saw this on the axis site.

If you mix 1 quart Mineral Spirits
½ of a 2.8oz tube 100% Clear Silicone Caulking
And brush it on , you will have the best longest lasting cheapest waterproofing available, dries clear and is very durable....

 

 

 

So I bought this stuff.... We'll see how it turns out

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So one set of this wasn't enough for a large boat cover.. Need a second set for a really good coating.

using odar free mineral spirits and a 12" paint roller... It took less the 5 mins.

Need another set.

 

 

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I wouldn't be so eager about the dye. What if it bleeds on to the interior?

Sunbrella doesn't really fade so it is a non-issue on a Sunbrella cover. No dye or "sunscreen for your stuff" necessary.

I washed my cover a couple years ago in an industrial washing machine. If effectively washed out every ounce of water repellency from the cover. I had to use a ton of 303 Fabric Guard to get it to repel again, which is costly & time consuming. Plus it just got dirty again a week later anyway.  In the future I will lightly wash the cover with a garden hose & broom & hang it out in the sun to dry. Then apply 303 too. But I expect it to not need as much of the 303.

  • Like 1
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Ok, so if anyone wants to do this for a bigger boat cover, skip the quart of mineral spirits and the 2.8oz tube of silicone.

get a gallon of mineral spirits and the full sized 10.1oz industrial tube of silicone. $35 total.  Will allow you to saturate the cover several times.  Use a 12" long nap paint roller with a stick... Super fast and easy.

 

 

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ahopkins22LSV
15 hours ago, nyryan2001 said:

Ok, so if anyone wants to do this for a bigger boat cover, skip the quart of mineral spirits and the 2.8oz tube of silicone.

get a gallon of mineral spirits and the full sized 10.1oz industrial tube of silicone. $35 total.  Will allow you to saturate the cover several times.  Use a 12" long nap paint roller with a stick... Super fast and easy.

 

 

Did you do this with the cover on the boat?

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In regards to the 303, I applied it to my old boat with the Sunbrella cover.  Made the mistake of doing it with the cover on the boat, and got overspray onto two of the black Fiberglas vent covers.  It ended up turning the Fiberglas a hazy white.

 

I also saw on another forum where a guy used it in his basement and he ended up with a severe allergic reaction to it, ended up in ICU for 3 days with lung problems (he is fine now).

 

I like the product, and will continue to use it, but I will NEVER spray it without protecting my boat from overspray, and I would advise caution if you are not using it in a well ventilated area.

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^^^^please report back on how well this works. Been using the 303 product with success for several years but the stuff isn't cheap despite buying it by the gallon. My cover is getting on in years so anything to make it last a bit longer before I go the Cory/Evolution route would be great. Thanks in advance...

Edited by jgates237
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I have used the 303 before... To cover a big boat cover well you need 2-3qts at $25ea. It latsted approx 18 months thru 2 full summers 24/7 365 full exposure.  Last couple months it wasn't repelling at all. Especially with how the dealer let it pool and stretch.

i put a lot of silicone in the mineral spirits solution... After drying....There are a couple areas where I have some white streaks... We'll see how it performs.

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  • 1 month later...

follow up:

holy crap that worked well.

 

1 gal mineral spirits

big 10.1oz tube of silicone

Slowly dissolve 1/2 to 2/3ds of the tube into the spirits. Only put in as much that will break down and dissolve. No silicone chunks left in the bottom of the bucket or pan.

apply liberally with a paint roller with long stick and paint paint

A++

 

 

 

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