Flybridge Enclosure - Sunbrella vs Vinyl

Bilgewater said:

In your cruising, do you ever run on just one engine? And if so, do you keep the idle tranny engaged so as not to freewheel? Best of luck on your cruise, I'm envious!!!!!

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Some if not most marine gears do not lock when you put them in gear. The ubiquitous BW Velvet Drive, for example, does not lock when you move the shifter to forward or reverse and then move the boat forward with that engine unpowered. The transmission will still freewheel with the prop and shaft despite the shifter being in forward,. This is why we have to tie off a shaft if we have a precautionary engine shut down.

And if you have to tie off or lock a shaft the turbulence from the stationary propeller will cause a lot more drag than a freewheeling prop so you will probably be less efficient than if you went ahead and ran both engines.

Marin said:

Some if not most marine gears do not lock when you put them in gear. The ubiquitous BW Velvet Drive, for example, does not lock when you move the shifter to forward or reverse and then move the boat forward with that engine unpowered. The transmission will still freewheel with the prop and shaft despite the shifter being in forward,. This is why we have to tie off a shaft if we have a precautionary engine shut down.

And if you have to tie off or lock a shaft the turbulence from the stationary propeller will cause a lot more drag than a freewheeling prop so you will probably be less efficient than if you went ahead and ran both engines.

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Geez Marin, Talk about hijacking a thread! I'm guessing the board had a malfuntion. Oh and what was that you were saying about computers being dependable

All this talk of Sunbrella fading and leaking has me worried. Mine is only 23 years old. I've had to restitch it three times but the fabric is still strong and waterproof. I think I took it off and washed it once but that's about it. I don't know what kind of Sunbrella it is but I think back then there was only one Sunbrella. Sorry, Pacific Blue was a good color back then.

HopCar said:

Sorry, Pacific Blue was a good color back then.

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Perhaps a less ubiquitous/boring yet-handsome color is in your future.

Budds Outlet said:

Geez Marin, Talk about hijacking a thread! I'm guessing the board had a malfuntion. Oh and what was that you were saying about computers being dependable

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Learn to read before hitting "send," dude. in the post above your first one up above here a bit Bilgewater asked about locking a transmission in forward to stop it freewheeling. He asked it in this thread. So I answered him in this thread. And if you think a BW Velvet Drive is a computer controlled transmission, you are in the way wrong hobby..

Wasn't this supposed to be about flybridge covers?

Markpierce, I have to admire your taste in canvas color, but I can't buy new canvas just to get a new color. This damn Sunbrella just won't quit.
"Coast Guard! Come quick, my boat is sinking!"
"Yes sir, we're on the way. What does your boat look like?'
"It's white with blue canvas."

Did not intend to offend. I guess I did not see that little tag onto Bilgewater's post. It just apeard to be so incongrous with the previous posts I really actually assumed the software had a glitch and put the post in the wrong thread.

HopCar said:

Markpierce, I have to admire your taste in canvas color, but I can't buy new canvas just to get a new color. This damn Sunbrella just won't quit.

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We have the same problem. Our boat came with exterior fitted Sunbrella covers for every piece of exterior teak except the half-round and bullnose cabin trim. All the rails, transom, sailing dinghy, most of the windows, the entire flying bridge, etc. etc. etc. had custom covers plus the bimini, flying bridge panels and so on. In Mark's favorite Pacific Blue (if that's what it's called).

My wife has made covers for things like the BBQ, our new windlass, the name/nav light nameboards, the outboard on the dinghy and so on. We would love to change the color of our canvas to dark blue or black or maybe dark green. But it would cost well over $10,000 to replace all the canvas currently on the boat. So we justkeep adding fuel to the fire by making anything new out of the same Pacific Blue and she keeps the old canvas going by resewing deteriorating seams with Tenara and making strenghening patches where they're needed.

Saves us a ton of money but we're both REALLY tired of blue.

Marin said:

We have the same problem. Our boat came with exterior fitted Sunbrella covers for every piece of exterior teak except the half-round and bullnose cabin trim. All the rails, transom, sailing dinghy, most of the windows, the entire flying bridge, etc. etc. etc. had custom covers plus the bimini, flying bridge panels and so on. In Mark's favorite Pacific Blue (if that's what it's called). My wife has made covers for things like the BBQ, our new windlass, the name/nav light nameboards, the outboard on the dinghy and so on. We would love to change the color of our canvas to dark blue or black or maybe dark green.

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You mean a bit like this Marin...? Our boat's canvas was that lighter blue, and I do like the darker better when it all finally died and we had a chance to re-new. However, it is the reason we stuck with Sunbrella, (thinking of that other thread re bimini material), as it is hard to kill.

Try SeaMArk which is a vinyl coated acrylic(like Sunbrella) for the top of your enclosure and use the same color of conventional Sunbrella for your sides. What did he say about glass?

markpierce said:

Wasn't this supposed to be about flybridge covers?

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That's what it says at the top.

rwidman said:

Originally Posted by markpierce
Wasn't this supposed to be about flybridge covers?
That's what it says at the top.

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SILENCE!! The Prince of Hyperbole and Tangential Thought had spoken! Be thankful for the morsels tossed to you from the Imperial Throne.

Peter B said:

You mean a bit like this Marin...? Our boat's canvas was that lighter blue, and I do like the darker better when it all finally died and we had a chance to re-new.

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That's a lot nicer color than what we have, Peter. I'd take that over the Pacific Blue anytime. A lot of the newer GBs in our marina have an even darker blue, almost black, that we like a lot. And actually black looks good, too, although it certainly highlights bird poo.

Probably our favorite is the deep green that a few GBs in our area have. It looks great with the white boat and teak trim. Most of these boats have green bootstripes, too, over blue bottom paint which looks real nice with the green canvas.

Our boat's bottom and bootstripe are what the factory used on our generation of GBs--- black bottom paint and a red bootstripe. Like the Navy used/uses on its launches and other small boats. Don't know how the Fire Red (that's the name of the color) would look with the green.

Anyway we'll live with the Pacific Blue until we have to replace it. If we end up turning the boat over to a yard with "make it new and call us when its ready" instructions we'll certainly change out all the canvas along with the engines and everything else. But that's a decision yet to be made.

Seamark and Sunbrella Supreme are both Sunbrella with vinyl - like coatings on the inside. I was having a conversation with a top canvas shop here in NC, and she said she won't use either in our climate. That the vinyl side shrinks and cracks and breaks through the Sunbrella side. When I told her our bimini is Seamark, she said to make sure it gets good ventilation because it will mildew easily and to make sure to coat it with 303 protectant.

On a side note, the Tanera thread will last longer than your bimini.

psneeld said:

I think this is where most fabrics used on a boat fall short of what they should...bad thread/stitching....the other weak point is the clear vinyl windows...unless you get the good stuff and treat it better than your kids...

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I concur. Great fabric and thread used which is not UV resistant will fall apart. Glass needs to stay clean, once it cracks you are done.

i am confused...

is the OP considering to have a cover made or a bimini enclosure complete with IS etc?
by cover, i mean a protective cover meant to be removed before cruising...

My Admiral is looking at doing canvas work herself. In her research she has found out that Sunbrella can actually have a diluted solution of bleach applied to it without causing the colors to fade. the process is used to treat mold. But I found that to be very interesting. The Mfg indicates that this is something that should only be done by professionals.

Per said:

i am confused...

is the OP considering to have a cover made or a bimini enclosure complete with IS etc?
by cover, i mean a protective cover meant to be removed before cruising...

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Bimini enclosure with IS

Papa Charlie said:

My Admiral is looking at doing canvas work herself. In her research she has found out that Sunbrella can actually have a diluted solution of bleach applied to it without causing the colors to fade. the process is used to treat mold. But I found that to be very interesting. The Mfg indicates that this is something that should only be done by professionals.

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We just got Starbrite Mildew remover for our seamark and it worked like a champ. We took the bimini down to clean it. By the time I sprayed a seam from one end to the other, it was CLEAN...and not just a little...like NEW clean. Hosed it off, put it back up. It took us longer to get it on and off than to clean it. Easy Breezy.

Besslb said:

We just got Starbrite Mildew remover for our seamark and it worked like a champ. We took the bimini down to clean it. By the time I sprayed a seam from one end to the other, it was CLEAN...and not just a little...like NEW clean. Hosed it off, put it back up. It took us longer to get it on and off than to clean it. Easy Breezy.

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From what we are learning the Sunbrella material is setting the standard for the industry. Sounds like a boost but that is what we understand. Seems like when we were getting quotes from shops either they were using Sunbrella or they were saying that they were offering material that was equivalent to it. That made up our minds that what ever we do, the cost will be expensive so might as well use materials that are designed to last.