Any Experience Self-installing Canvas?

[NorthernFocus]

The canvas "camper back" on our 2009 R25 is about worn out. I got a quote locally to replace the canvas and re-use the existing frame. Based on the pricing I assume the shop owner is funding multiple kids in college at the same time. King Canvas who originally made it says they still have the patterns and will sew it up and ship it to us to be self installed. The cost is about half what the local shop quoted. But all of my experience with canvas in general has been custom made in local shops and I know how important the fit is to a good end result. And my personal experience working with it has been limited to adjusting the frame, replacing snaps, etc. I was wondering if anyone has ordered the canvas from King and installed it themselves. If so:

What was the overall experience like?
How did things fit the original frame?
Would you do it again?

 

[ixlr8]

When I ordered my 27OB, I wanted a full cockpit enclosure. King Canvas measured my boat at the factory and made up the templates. The factory was not happy about doing it as it put a little delay in building/shipping my boat. My boat was shipped to me before King Canvas had a chance to finish the panels. KC shipped the panels with no instructions, I had to install the 'hooks' and the straps for securing the canvas bottoms to the hull.
After a few emails to KC and viewing pics of another Tug having the panels installed on their boat, I installed the panels with no issues.
The panels fit fine and I would do it again.
Like you, I found the local canvas shops were each putting at least 3 kids thru an Ivy League collage at the same time. KC was at least half the cost of the local shops.

 

[bill46]

We remove all for hurricanes, clean and reinstall, no big deal If proper size.

 

[Brian B]

About 2 years ago I needed to replace the bimini on my 2010 25SC. I couldn’t get local shops to follow through so I contacted KC. They said they had the pattern and could make a new one for me. I had to add a few snaps but it fit like a glove.

 

[ALICE J]

In defense of the local canvas shops and their apparently skyhigh prices, King Canvas already has the pattern and that’s where a big expense lies, to the local canvas shop. King Canvas is able to amortize the initial pattering over many many boats, ergo when it’s replacement time they have very little cost other than to find the pattern and copy. Remember what Walmart did to a lot of little cities they forced the small businessman out of business they could not compete, as a result the local businessman could not donate for a little league, the football banner, to the local community at large. Does King Canvas contribute to your local economy? Your local Canvas guy can make the canvas the way you want it to tweak small details that make it work for you, And if you need help with a small repair he’ll be there for you and probably do it much quicker if he has made your canvas. And remember his price may not be the final price there’s always some negotiation . The lowest price may not be the best value. And you may make a new friend! :idea: 🙂

 

[ixlr8]

In defense of the local canvas shops and their apparently skyhigh prices, King Canvas already has the pattern and that’s where a big expense lies, to the local canvas shop. 🙂

I know for my boat, King Canvas had to make the pattern for my 27OB. Another 27OB in my marina wanted to have the same cockpit enclosure and KC wouldn't build them one off of my patterns. They said they have found enough differences in the frame work that they said they wouldn't build an enclosure without measuring the boat themselves. Seeing we live in Maine, KC was not going to be able to measure the other boat so my buddy was out of luck.

 

[NorthernFocus]

... The panels fit fine and I would do it again...

Thanks for the input.

We remove all for hurricanes, clean and reinstall, no big deal If proper size.

That's not what I mean by install. We take ours off the boat and set it back up for every trip. By "install" I mean new canvas that's never been on the boat.

About 2 years ago I needed to replace the bimini on my 2010 25SC. I couldn’t get local shops to follow through so I contacted KC. They said they had the pattern and could make a new one for me. I had to add a few snaps but it fit like a glove.

Awesome. That's the info I was looking for. Is the top(aka bimini) tight? Did you have to tweak the frame at all to make it so? I hate it when rain water pools up on a loose bimini then pours down the back of my neck when I'm climbing in/out of the kayak 😳

In defense of the local canvas shops...The lowest price may not be the best value. And you may make a new friend! :idea: 🙂

Yeah, thanks for the lecture. There's fair and there's ridiculous. In 50 years of boating it's not my first rodeo dealing with canvas shops. There are only a couple of them up here and apparently working on the favorable side of the supply/demand curve. I'd be happy to pay a 20-30 percent premium for the custom work. Double is getting a bit shameless.

Nothing wrong with WalMart either. I love to support local business as long as they don't treat me like a stranger as soon as I walk out the door with something. If I have a problem with a product and take it back to Walmart they give me my money back no questions asked. The local guy typically tells me to call the manufacturer and wishes me good luck. And if I want to support a little league team I'll stop at their car wash.

 

[Favunclerich]

I have a 2008 R-25 Classic and did exactly what you are contemplating.

After almost ten years, the seams of my original bimini were separating, and it was difficult to maintain the water repellancy, even with frequent coatings of Scotchguard.

I shared your concern about having to get adjustments from 2000 miles away, but decided to take a chance. I figured that if it was too tight or too loose, I could shorten or lengthen the aft poles without too much difficulty.

I live in Michigan, but was visiting Seattle two years ago. I dropped off my original bimini at the King Canvas shop in-person. Perhaps the pattern they have is based on mine. My boat is not equipped with side curtains, so I asked them to omit the zipper halves that the curtains hang from. Make sure that it's clear what you want. I asked for the original beige color, but there were many other choices of Sunbrella material available. The cost was around $1000. I would be responsible to install the snaps, but they included a kit with the parts and tools required.

About three weeks later, they shipped me the new canvas via UPS. It was very well-made.

It took me an hour or so to install the snaps in the precise positions. I worked from the center outboard, installing each snap before I marked the position of the adjacent one. The tools provided consisted of a frying pan shaped die and a pin designed to bend over the center of the snap. You have to turn the canvas over, set the die on a small block of wood, punch a small hole in the canvas, install the sections and then hit the pin with a hammer. A professional with better tools could probably have done this in under ten minutes, but it's only ten snaps.

The bimini fit perfectly, and no adjustments were required.

After two years, the canvas is doing just fine, and I can heartily recommend using King Canvas for your bimini replacement. I hope that your experience goes as well as mine did.

 

[NorthernFocus]

I have a 2008 R-25 Classic and did exactly what you are contemplating...

It took me an hour or so to install the snaps in the precise positions...

The bimini fit perfectly, and no adjustments were required.

After two years, the canvas is doing just fine, and I can heartily recommend using King Canvas for your bimini replacement. I hope that your experience goes as well as mine did.

Thanks so much. I was wondering about the snaps. This is just the info I was looking for.