Re: waterproofing for dodger and bimini

[Jim Hardesty]

My dodger and bimini are original 2001.  I'm hoping to get another year or two out of them.  But, the canvas (sunbrella) is not waterproof anymore.  What product do others here use and recommend?  Or am I just kidding myself and should just replace?
Jim

[Craig Illman]

303 High Tech Fabric Guard  They also make a cleaner.

[jfssail]

Hi Jim, I have used StarBrites Waterproofing for 6 years now.  My Sunbrella is 20 years old and the Starbrite product seals areas that water penetrates. Usually spray once a season and lasts all season.

Jack F Stewart
1993 C36 #1233 "Windancer"
Port Clinton, OH

[Gary]

Hi Jim,

Our old dodger (20 + years) made from Sunbrella began to leak like a sieve this year. Applied one coat of Sunbrella 303 (available at West Marine and Amazon) and have no leaks at all now. We just came back from a Labor Day cruise to Little Snow Island. the return was 6 hours in torrential rains and reasonable high seas. The leeward scuppers were draining like fire hydrants all day but under the dodger it was completely dry. No leaks at all. Water was beading up on the top and running off.  While the directions call for spraying 303 I was advised by Hallett Canvas and Sails in Falmouth that any over spray on clear acrylic and decks is messy. They suggested applying with a 2.5 inch brush. Worked very well but it does take a lot to cover just our dodgers top surface. I used very close to a quart to get thorough surface coverage.

I suspect with old canvas this may require a yearly redo...we'll see. Still cheaper than a new dodger.....

Gary

[chuck53]

I'm sure the Starbrite is a good product but I also agree with 303.  great product and I believe it is the only one recommended by Sunbrella.

[Ron Hill]

Jim : The Hi Tech 303 works great.
 
I have a white Bimini (cooler in sunlight) and wash it every couple of 4/5 years and the re-waterproof with the 303.  The zippers will wear out faster than the Sunbrella fabric even after washing and re-spraying!!

Chuck is right that Sunbrella Co recommends 303 for use on their fabric.   A few thoughts

[mregan]

Speaking of zippers, is there anything to put on them to keep them lubricated.

[Stu Jackson]

Speaking of zippers, is there anything to put on them to keep them lubricated.

McLube Sailkote

[Ken Juul]

A great trick for applying any of the waterproofing.  Take the spray handle off and pour the contents into a cup, apply with a disposable brush.  Much less loss from over spray and more consistent application.

Try some chapstick on the zippers if you don't have the McLube.  WD40 works also, again spray some into a cup and apply with a q tip or small brush to keep from staining the fabric.

[waterdog]

These are great for waterproofing the bimini...

http://www.solar-electric.com/kyocera-kd140sx-ufbs-140-watt-polycrystalline-solar-panel.html

[Roc]

303 is too expensive.  I buy the gallon of the Starbrite waterproofing solution.  I pour it into a paint tray and use a small foam roller.   Don't get ANY on the eisenglass on the dodger.  It will cause non-removable spots (basically small speckles of deformed material).....I have a few....

[Dave Spencer]

mregan,
Each spring and maybe once during the year, I soak a portion of a paper towel with silicon spray and rub it along the open zipper teeth.  The improvement in zipper operation is amazing.  I never spray directly onto the zipper for fear that the nasty silicon will end up where it doesn't belong possibly causing future grief.

[mainesail]

303 is too expensive.  I buy the gallon of the Starbrite waterproofing solution.  I pour it into a paint tray and use a small foam roller.   Don't get ANY on the eisenglass on the dodger.  It will cause non-removable spots (basically small speckles of deformed material).....I have a few....

The Starbrite and West Marine products are nowhere near the same product as 303 this is because 303 is a patented formulation that other companies can't currently match or copy. I have had long talks with the Glen Raven rep about this. They have tested all of them and still the only recommended product for use on Sunbrella is 303 High Tech Fabric Guard.

It is expensive because it works extremely well and is made of significantly more expensive ingredients. You can often find it on-line for not much more than the Starbrite..

I pay $18.10 for the 32 oz HTFG and $10.78 for the 16 ounce HTFG. The Starbrite product from the same vendor costs me $13.90 for 22 oz. Course I buy a lot of 303 HTFG so perhaps they give me a better price on it than they do on Starbrite.

That means:

32oz HTFG = $0.57oz
16oz HTFG = $0.67oz
22oz Starbrite = $0.63oz

So for me and where I buy the HTFG actually costs less per oz and is recommended by Sunbrella. I am sure you can find places where the Starbrite costs less but for the couple cents or bucks in savings I will stick with what the manufacturer thinks is the best product for our 6k + canvas job..

Even the company that makes the product for West Marine, I've spoken with the owner, admits 303 is a superior product. When you say 303 HTFG is too expensive, how expensive is new canvas....? Our canvas job was well over 6k. $18.10 +/- per treatment to maintain it is not half bad.... 

Shop around and you may find 303 HTFG to not be much more if any than Starbrite.

Oh and for windows there is only ONE product too and that one is IMAR...

6 year old dodger glass only ever touched by IMAR products and brand new microfiber rags. The right products for the job often do make the difference...

[Albreen]

Wow - I don't think I ever heard of IMAR - I thought I was looking at glass in a hard dodger in those pics, Mainesail. That is incredibly clear.

[Clay Greene]

I second that about the Imar products.  In addition to the spray for daily use, they also make a cream for more heavy duty cleaning.  The company that made our bimini and dodger recommended Plexus but I find that the Imar products work much better.  Unfortunately, no matter what the advertising says, nothing will take out scratches from flopping sheets unless they are very superficial. 

As long as we are on the general topic, a boat neighbor recommended a touch of Carmex on the dodger cover snaps to make them easier to go on and off.  Even though he is a power boater, I gave it a try and I have to admit that it works.  No more complaints from my daughters about how difficult it is to get the covers snapped on.  They still complain about having to do it but Carmex can't help with that.