Want your boat to have great canvas? Ask the right questions.
Issue 147: Nov/Dec 2022
Marine canvas can make sailing more enjoyable and safer while sprucing up a boat’s aesthetic. Yet so many people don’t know what they are buying when they hire a marine canvas professional.
At a glance, it can be difficult to see the difference between one dodger and the next, because much of what defines quality canvas is in the details and workmanship that stem from the canvas maker’s knowledge and experience. These differences become more evident when you sail on a boat on which the canvas maker has added hand grabs and hard legs to the dodger, so the framework offers stability as you move fore and aft. Likewise, a thoughtfully built dodger will be placed at precisely the proper height for you to see through, rather than over, from the helm, and fasteners will pull the fabric tightly but not rip it.
A lot of details are small but key to the overall project, like adding webbing where there needs to be extra strength, chafe protection where there is a lot of use, and using plastic zippers with plastic cars to prevent corrosion issues.
As owner of Inner Banks Sails and Canvas in Oriental, North Carolina, I see a lot of canvas on a variety of boats, and although pricing among canvas shops does not vary too drastically, the quality of craftsmanship and attention to detail does. As canvas is the finishing touch on most boat refits and sewing is somewhat of a mystery to most people, it is no wonder that many sailors simply call a shop and hire them without knowing if this shop can create durable, functioning, and beautiful canvas.
Frequently, customers get ahead of themselves—they’ll call me and want to know what their fabric choices would be, and whether I can create an entire custom framework for their solar panels once I am done with their bimini. They focus on details that happen in the construction or even post-construction phase, rather than the basics of initial hiring.
Good canvas is worth every penny; knowing what good canvas is makes the difference. The following questions will demystify the process, help you understand how to vet different shops and see if they’re right for your project, and help ensure that you’re getting quality canvas for your boat.
Finding the Right Shop
How far is the canvas maker booked out? Canvas shops typically have a backlog of work, and depending on how many employees they have it could be as long as a year. Rather than seeing this as a negative, you might realize that it’s often due to the quality of work that the shop produces. If clients are willing to wait, there’s a reason.
When you are looking for something extremely custom like this two-toned dodger and bimini combination, it’s important to find a shop that is
willing to work with you on design ideas that are both beautiful and functional.
Are they typically on schedule? If you do take a booking with a shop, it’s good to know when the project will actually start and if there is any detail that might delay it. For the past year, our shop, Inner Banks Sails and Canvas, had to get materials months in advance to start a project on time, and it was imperative that clients knew the challenges we faced so they could keep apprised of the progress.
Can you find references, testimonials, or past work examples similar to what you are looking for? It’s important to ask other sailors who they use for their canvas work and who they recommend, especially if they have a similar boat to yours or you think their canvas is done well.
Are they sailors? Not all canvas shops are run or staffed by sailors, which is a shame because so much of good canvas is rooted in a deep understanding of boats and what the canvas will do underway in different circumstances. While this isn’t a make-or-break question for a shop, it is something to take into consideration.
Do they have insurance? Marine insurance is expensive, no matter what line of work you are in. If a shop has insurance, it proves two things; that your vessel is protected while they are onboard, and that they are professional enough to work in any marina or boatyard with the added credential.
Added canvas, such as window covers, might not come standard but they might be a good idea to add to extend the life of your canvas.
How much will the price change from the original estimate, barring any change to orders or add-ons throughout the process? When cold-calling canvas shops, you will most likely get a ballpark estimate, so it is important to know how much that estimate might change moving forward.
What is the warranty on the canvas they make? Good shops will stand behind their work, and this is a simple question to ensure that they do.
What kinds of materials do they typically use? What is standard for their shop? Most sailors have heard of Sunbrella, but thread, chafe protection, and interfacing materials are less widely known. It’s important to ask the canvas shop what other materials they typically use in a project and for what reason.
What makes their canvas better? I have only ever been asked this one time, which surprises me, as I would think more people would want to know why we believe our shop is the right shop for the job. This question gives the shop a chance to gloat a bit about their work but will also give you insight into what you will be paying for.
Sewing up the Details
At Inner Banks Sails and Canvas, we meet the client on the boat for their onboard consultation a month before the start of a project. This is when design details are hammered out, fabric colors are chosen, and the price is firmed up. This gives everyone a chance to provide input on the upcoming project so there are no surprises when the work begins. At this point and throughout the construction process, your shop should be keeping you up to date on any changes or modifications, and as a client you should be asking the following questions to make sure you are getting exactly what you want.
Test fitting this bimini frame for a canoe-stern Pacific Seacraft allows Breena’s staff to check that all of their measurements and calculations were correct before bringing it out to the boat.
What can I expect from the end product? Often, sailors know what they want their canvas to accomplish, but they don’t necessarily know how to go about communicating that to the shop. These questions will ensure that you address the functionality of the canvas and don’t get any surprises when a zipper leaks water or you can’t use a winch underway when your enclosure is in place:
• Will it be watertight?
• Will there be softness in the glass vinyl, or will it be rigid?
• How long will this canvas last? When should I expect fading, loss of water repellency, or zipper failure?
• Will I be able to use winches/cleats/ etc. while the canvas is in place?
• Is the framework sturdy enough for me to use as support, a more permanent structure, or is it something I can quickly dismantle?
What steps are taken to prevent typical wear and tear? Canvas shops (especially ones that accept canvas repairs) know what typically starts to break down in canvas. It’s important to know what the shop you hired does to prevent these typical breakdowns. Following are parts of the canvas that fail most often:
• Fasteners pulling out of the fabric
• Sun-damaged zippers
• Glass glazing or yellowing
• Chafe on Sunbrella
• UV damage of thread
Finishing seams prevents fraying and gives all the projects a more finished look.
What could I add to make it last longer? Items like window covers or a storage bag for enclosure panels could add to the overall price of your canvas package, but they can also prolong the life of your canvas by years, so they might be a wise investment depending on your boating plans.
How are the seams finished? Nothing irks me more than fraying seams on canvas work! Yes, I may be the only person to notice, but to me it indicates work that was done fast without longevity in mind. When a seam is heat-sealed (cut with a hot knife) or fully felled (folded and tucked under itself), it may take a little longer for the shop, but it means your canvas will look better and last longer.
Do you take water diversion into consideration? Biminis made to shed water outboard of the coamings so you don’t sit in the cockpit and get water dripping down your back, or a seam turned downward so there’s no pooling and the water just runs down the fabric instead, are small details that make a big difference. It’s important to know that the canvas shop you hire is taking such details into account.
How does the shop handle change orders? Every project has small changes that the client requests or the shop may recommend. It’s important to know ahead of time that you will be told the cost and schedule effects of these changes rather than being surprised when you’re handed the final bill.
After the canvas is installed and the client uses it, there may be some minor adjustments or additions that need to be made. Make sure your shop is willing to come back out and address them.
Zipping it Up
Now that your beautifully functional canvas projects are complete, these are the final questions you should be asking to keep the canvas in tip-top shape.
Can you provide closeout documents? After the project is complete, the shop should give you the following documents in case you ever need to reference them for repairs, pricing, or even to recommend aspects of the project to fellow boaters:
• Materials list
• Warranties
• Care and maintenance instructions
When should I take the canvas down? It’s important to know what your canvas can withstand when it comes to weather and long stints of storage.
Added hard legs and hand grabs make this dodger incredibly sturdy. Little details like a red snap on the port window cover help clients easily install them in the correct locations
How do I take the canvas off and how do I store it? There is an order of operations when taking canvas off and putting it back on that makes it so much easier. I’ve seen so many people leave their dodgers, biminis, or enclosures up during a storm because it is too much of a hassle to get the darn things off. Your canvas shop will know the easiest way to remove the canvas and put it back on without too much effort. They will also tell you the best place and way to store it.
How do I clean and maintain the canvas? Don’t scrub Sunbrella! I just had to say that first, because I get asked—often after someone has already done it—how they should clean their canvas. It’s important, because doing it incorrectly can break down the fibers. Your canvas professional will tell you how to best clean it—including what products to use—so that you won’t harm the fabric or vinyl.
Are there any warranties I need to register myself? Warranties for certain products start at the time of installation, and it is important to know if the canvas shop is registering you, or if you need to do so yourself.
Is there a time period during which if I find issues, you will still address them? Your canvas shop should offer a warranty, but they should also be available in the first couple of weeks of use to address anything that is not working as it should. We installed a full enclosure on a trawler and were trying desperately not to use Velcro, as we did not like the look of it for this application. During a rainstorm, though, when the storm flap flew up and rain entered, it was clear that we had to add it. It’s important for you to feel comfortable telling your loft to come back and address something if it isn’t exactly what you both agreed on and to feel confident that they will, even after the check has cleared.
Marine canvas shops often do more than biminis, dodgers, and enclosures. They often do exterior and interior upholstery as well.
With these final questions asked, you should be left with long-lasting, beautiful canvas that functions exactly the way you expected it to. There should have been no surprises throughout the process, and in the end, you will have chosen a shop that provided excellent service and worked best with you and your boat.
Breena Litzenberger sailed for more than 10 years on seven different boats before she and her husband bought Inner Banks Sails and Canvas in Oriental, North Carolina. Sewing and sailing have been Breena’s passions, and now she works in her dream job in one of the most wonderful sailing towns she’s ever visited. She and her husband accumulate boats, work on boats, and sail boats, all from their backyard and all outfitted with canvas from their shop.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
