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Mooring Cover Sealer

Kahlua0517

Kahlua0517

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After 2.5 seasons my mooring cover is leaking like a sieve when it rains.  From the inside I can actually see through the tiny pores of the cover during the daylight.  Can this be sealed?
 
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303 fabric protectant.
 
I just used Starbrite waterproofer. We'll see how long the water beads up.....
 
Typically the protectant doesn't really seal the cover, it just makes the water bead and roll off. I can see through my brand new cover, but the water just rolls off of it. By fall it will probably need a 303 spray. 
 
Kahlua0517 said:
How much would you need to do a 25' mooring cover?
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Minimum 1 gallon thin coverage, probably you'll use 1.5 gallons.   Buy 2 gallons and maybe you'll have enough for the bimini cover too. I'm not 100% sure... I buy one gallon but I only have 22'.
 
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AND DONT DO IT WITH COVER INSTALLED !! It can easily damage your upholstery if you apply a heavy coat and it soaks through. Luckily, on my old toon, you can barely notice where that happened. I can see it, but no one else will probably ever be able to notice it. 
 
Royal4 is spot on.  I have a 25' cover.  Needed 1.5 gallons, and then used the remaining .5 gallons for the Bimini covers (have double Bimini).  Don't make the mistake I made the first time I treated the cover.  I bought the gallon size hoping it would be enough, it wasn't.  So, then I bought a quart, almost made it, but came up short.  So, I bought another quart.  OK, GREAT, I just spent more on two individual quarts (only a half gallon) than I did on the original gallon.  Lesson learned.
 
Sounds good.  I ordered 2 gallons of 303.  Does this need to be done every season or will it last more than one?
 
I think most do it every year, but I've only done mine every other year. Cover never has leaked and in fact had one of my front poles collapse and a mini lake form on top in front of the helm the second season. Had to crawl under and push it up with my back to empty. Seats didn't even get wet. 
 
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One of my poles also collapsed, you can tighten them up via the screw on the clamp
 
Link said:
One of my poles also collapsed, you can tighten them up via the screw on the clamp
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Jack M said:
Mine is a Torx , " I think " a T15 
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That is what I did. Just took a time to find the right size to tighten it. Then checked the rest to be sure it wouldn't happen again. Don't remember now if it was a screw or torx but it worked. 
 
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Kahlua0517 said:
How much would you need to do a 25' mooring cover?
Click to expand...
With a small pest/landscape sprayer I was able to do my mooring cover, double bimini, and jet ski covers with about 1.5 gallons.
 
I have a two year cover and it also leaks. I don’t recall reading that you have to do this. Shouldn’t it be a warranty item?
 
Pbakk said:
I have a two year cover and it also leaks. I don’t recall reading that you have to do this. Shouldn’t it be a warranty item?
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That's a good point! Never thought of it that way. I never waterproofed my original Tumacs cover. I always thought it was kind of vinylized. Had that cover almost forever until it got so brittle my wife put her hand right through it. Then we had a Sunbrella custom cover made. I started waterproofing that cover after the first season until we sold the boat
 
Pbakk said:
I have a two year cover and it also leaks. I don’t recall reading that you have to do this. Shouldn’t it be a warranty item?
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It’s water resistant, not waterproof and it’s made for protection from massive water intrusion, dust, dirt and sun.
Sealing it is like waxing your car. You don’t have to do it but it will last longer and look better.
 
Thanks SemperfI8387.

I understand that it is not waterproof, but having owned boats for the past 25 years, it should be more water resistant. I had issues in the first month and the dealer suggested that I seal the seams.

I get water in my glovebox and in many of the compartments. The glovebox I can deal with (the dealer answer was to drill a hole which seems cheap, but so be it).

However, having items in the compartments get wet because the cover is not what I would expect from a quality boat is disappointing. If water is getting into the compartments, then it is more than just a drip. A breathable dust cover that is semi-water resistant would be fine if I had a boat lift. However, I have sea legs and no canopy.

Just my opinion and maybe I am alone, but I doubt it.
 
Not an expert on this but i think it needs to be somewhat like this as it not only lets some water in it also has to let it breathe to let moisture out to prevent mold.
 
Could be correct regarding mold prevention. I always thought that was what the vents were for similar to a house roof with vents at the top. Air comes in from the bottom around the doors and other gaps, warm moist air rises up and exits through the vents. People who are sealing their covers would seem to be at a greater risk for mold if the cover needs to vent. I am not an engineer, thus could be 100% wrong. Just seems that my cover is allowing more moisture in that is working its way between seats, cushions, and getting trapped in storage areas filled with life jackets, etc.
 
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