Mooring Cover Seams

kaydano

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My seams are starting to fray on the backside. A couple have torn loose. It is no longer under warranty. Anyone dealt with this before?
 
Yes ,my dealer also has a canvas shop . They made me a Sunbrella cover
 
Same here. I making a warranty list for the dealer. The faux teak accents on my steering wheel are starting to get bubbles as well.
 
I was hoping to glue, or melt maybe, the seams so they stop fraying. Whatever I apply will come in contact with the vinyl. Trying to avoid $1000+ for a new one
 
Has it stretched out enough over the years where a shop can undo the seams, fold them over slightly on themselves and re sew it?
 
Most of the exposed edges on woven synthetic fabrics like Sunbrella and Surelast will fray if the pieces are not cut with a hot knife. Any edge not folded under twice and sewn will eventually fray unless it is cut this way. I went over the exposed edges on the underside of my cover on my 2017 Bennington with a hot knife to keep this from happening. The canvas shops most likely know better, especially when making a cover out of Sunbrella which runs about $25/yard.
 
The edges of my black factory mooring cover on my new-to-me 2011 boat are very frayed. I tried to get my dealer to get Bennington to replace it through warranty, but I was one month too late according to them. I contacted the manufacturer, Tumacs in Pittsburgh, PA, and they would not help. About 4 months ago I ended up using a pair of scissors to cut off all the fraying as best I could. It has returned. I purchased a beige Bennington factory cover off CL and plan to use that after this season. (It needs to be slightly modified before I can use it. Canvas shop needs the boat out of the water to make the modifications.)
 
If none of the good ideas above work then go to a sewing supply store (or that section in Walmart) any but some anti-fray "glue." It's flexible after it dries, doesn't stain or cause the area to be glossy and should stop the fraying. It's made for clothes which don't have the same amount of force working on them (unless you're in the south :D:eek:) but it could work.
 
If none of the good ideas above work then go to a sewing supply store (or that section in Walmart) any but some anti-fray "glue." It's flexible after it dries, doesn't stain or cause the area to be glossy and should stop the fraying. It's made for clothes which don't have the same amount of force working on them (unless you're in the south :D:eek:) but it could work.
Mod Podge will also work
 
Most of the exposed edges on woven synthetic fabrics like Sunbrella and Surelast will fray if the pieces are not cut with a hot knife. Any edge not folded under twice and sewn will eventually fray unless it is cut this way. I went over the exposed edges on the underside of my cover on my 2017 Bennington with a hot knife to keep this from happening. The canvas shops most likely know better, especially when making a cover out of Sunbrella which runs about $25/yard.

Is a hot knife some special tool?
 
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My seams are starting to fray on the backside. A couple have torn loose. It is no longer under warranty. Anyone dealt with this before?
Kay do you have any pics? Trying to picture the problem. My original cover was kind of a vinyl blend material but it never frayed. Lasted 11/12 yrs
 
What about some of that iron on seam tape / hem tape?
 
Here is a hot knife in action showing how it melts the edge while cutting so it will never come apart.

 
All I can say is congratulations Kaydano, don't think I would have the balls to attempt using that on my mooring cover
 
I just folded it over so the frayed edge was isolated and could easily be touched with the flame without burning a hole through the "good" parts. Not as pretty as the knife, but seems to have worked.
 
Wow that hot knife is a pretty cool tool!

I just saw these posts, but already fixed my frayed edges a couple hours ago. I used one of these... Had one lying around the house. Worked great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00G...hter+torch&dpPl=1&dpID=41yp9sGvvCL&ref=plSrch

Thanks for all the help!!! You guys are the best.


Those mini torches are awesome. I use them for all my wire soldering projects. Instantaneous heat instead of holding a soldering iron on the wires. I have a cheap one that uses disposable plastic lighters, it works better than my high dollar soldering iron!
 
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