cleaning a boat cover

[msidd]

Hey, has anybody used a commercial washing machine to clean their boat cover? Results?

[johngsandusky]

I have washed sail covers and cushion covers of Sunbrella in a laundromat and an extra large home machine, hung to dry. Slight shrinkage, or maybe to foam expands. In any case they still work.

[msidd]

Thanks for the input John. Its the shrinkage factor that I am concerned about. The cover fits tight.

[jpatrick]

I bet that if you were to wash it and then put it on the boat while still wet, shrinkage wouldn't be an issue. It might shrink-to-fit and just be a bit too snug, but it would still fit.

Jeff

[msidd]

Thanks Jeff,
Good Idea!

[msidd]

Hi John,
How did you place a picture of your boat along side your name?
THX

[johngsandusky]

Hi John,
How did you place a picture of your boat along side your name?
THX

On my profile, it's an avatar. I put it there years ago. Just now I went to my profile and didn't see an option to change it. If you go to your profile and click on your picture, it might give you an option to load one. Or someone more computer savvy than I will post better instructions.

[Breakaway]

^

At the top of this thread page click, " Forum Actions."
Then click: " Edit Profile"

Then you will see a page where you can change a lot of things, including your "Avatar," which is your picture.

NOTE: for some reason, one cannot access the " edit avatar," function from," My Profile." You must go to, "Forum Actions," first, as stated above. Why? I do not know.

Kevin

[Todd Bradshaw]

The key issue here is what the cover is made from. If it's acrylic like Sunbrella, or polyester (Odyssey, Top Gun, etc.) it is unlikely to shrink at all. If it's cotton or a cotton blend it will probably shrink some (the best boat cover cotton canvas is Sunforger which has about a 3% shrinkage factor). Others may shrink a bit more or a bit less (blends) or even in one direction but not the other depending on the weave. Cotton covers often tend to be smaller when wet than dry because the wet cotton yarns swell. If you aren't sure what it's made from, then the material used probably had a big effect on the original price you paid for it. You aren't likely to get premium fabric without paying a premium price.

The other thing that should be considered is the construction quality, as washing machines tend to be somewhat more violent than laying it out on the driveway and scrubbing it with a soft brush as the manufacturers usually suggest. Exposed cut edges of most of these fabrics (even the best) can tend to ravel, so the seams and edges need to be well sewn, tucked, bound or otherwise protected. You can figure though, that if a 100" long section of a cotton cover shrinks 3%-4% it isn't likely to ever come back and your 100" long edge will now be 3"-4" short.

[msidd]

Thanks Breakaway, i'll try it.

[msidd]

Thanks Todd,
I think I will wait till spring and wash it on the deck. I think its canvas, I did not buy it it came with the boat.

[msidd]

Thanks Breakaway, as you can see I was successful