How (or should I) Do I Care for my Mooring Cover?

[212s]

Note that the bimini cover and mooring cover are different suppliers - bimini from Surlast and covers from Outer Armour which is made by Sunbrella. Both companies recommend 303 Fabric Guard to "refresh" the fabric to re-treat it for "water-repellency".

 

[212s]

Are the gray ones not made out of SurLast?

Maybe they're not...if someone has a gray cover, perhaps they can check the label on it?

My black mooring cover has an Outer Armour tag on it with the Sunbrella name. My bimini cover has a Surlast tag on it.

 

[suke]

Note that the bimini cover and mooring cover are different suppliers - bimini from Surlast and covers from Outer Armour which is made by Sunbrella. Both companies recommend 303 Fabric Guard to "refresh" the fabric to re-treat it for "water-repellency".

I need to check my cover. Everything I found pointed to ours also being SurLast and the cover was manufactured by outerarmor/commercial sewing. Either way it's a moot point like you mentioned as commercial sewing recommends 303 fabric guard for both SurLast as well as Sunbrella. I'd love for our covers to be Sunbrella but it looks and feels very similar to my bimini.

 

[212s]

I need to check my cover. Everything I found pointed to ours also being SurLast and the cover was manufactured by outerarmor/commercial sewing. Either way it's a moot point like you mentioned as commercial sewing recommends 303 fabric guard for both SurLast as well as Sunbrella. I'd love for our covers to be Sunbrella but it looks and feels very similar to my bimini.

Wow, it must be supplier differences. My mooring cover does not look nor feel like my bimini cover - texture is different. My bimini is thicker/tighter weave with complete sunlight black out for shade, while my mooring cover is thinner/looser weave that lets some light through. Could be how they're made...go figure.
?

 

[Wishfull1]

Here are the labels from my '18 SX195 Deluxe Premium Cover.

I have used the 303 Fabric Guard, but it only lasts a couple weeks beading water. Perhaps I got a bad batch, or doing something wrong? Applying with a hand pump sprayer. No issues with it deteriorating fabric applying a couple times a year as far as I can tell.

Pretty pricey by the gallon with minimal longevity.

 

[suke]

Wow, it must be supplier differences. My mooring cover does not look nor feel like my bimini cover - texture is different. My bimini is thicker/tighter weave with complete sunlight black out for shade, while my mooring cover is thinner/looser weave that lets some light through. Could be how they're made...go figure.
?

? Mine has felt the opposite. Granted I've seen my boat all of once in 7 months. I'll give them both a closer look this weekend when I pull it out. Bimini is still in storage, so I haven't seen that at all.

 

[motomandan]

Clean with 303 fabric cleaner then let dry and sprayed 3 coats of 303 fabric protectant. worked great

 

[Wishfull1]

Clean with 303 fabric cleaner then let dry and sprayed 3 coats of 303 fabric protectant. worked great

Maybe I need to apply 2x or more. Good tip. Thanks!

 

[Bluewater272]

^^^^What he said^^^^^
Sprayed my cover after 3 years of use and within 3 months it ripped and at the end of the season on the way home it ripped itself to pieces. Got a new one this year and nothing going on it this time. Just my experience. This is the grey mooring cover.

Just out of curiosity, did you use the fabric guard, or the all purpose spray? Black or grey cover? Mine's looks like it might be on its last legs (intact, but can see light speckling through from underneath). Debating trying a year with fabric guard, or just ordering now. Worst case is the same, buying a new one.

 

[crazy4life]

Just out of curiosity, did you use the fabric guard, or the all purpose spray? Black or grey cover? Mine's looks like it might be on its last legs (intact, but can see light speckling through from underneath). Debating trying a year with fabric guard, or just ordering now. Worst case is the same, buying a new one.

Used the 303 fabric protector. I had the grey deluxe cover that does not have the cleet covers. I may have over sprayed because I am pretty sure I completely soaked the thing as it was dripping wet. Within weeks it completely shredded itself to bits. Driving down the turnpike with 30 feet of cover blowing in the wind until I noticed it must have been pretty entertaining for the people behind me.

I forget the name of the company I got my new cover from but if I remeber correctly it was Babbits but I know the company has 2 parts biusiness's with different names. It was a really good deal.

 

[212s]

Used the 303 fabric protector.

Sounds like the wrong product. You need to use 303 Fabric GUARD, not the Protectant - totally different uses. And getting it slighly wet while spraying is good, but not soaking wet. You want a nice even wet coat on the clean fabric, then it must dry fully in warm conditions to cure the product. If you used the wrong product, soaking it probably damaged the fabric right through it.

 

[212s]

Just out of curiosity, did you use the fabric guard, or the all purpose spray? Black or grey cover? Mine's looks like it might be on its last legs (intact, but can see light speckling through from underneath).

I can see a bit of light through mine too, even when new. Fabric Guard isn't very expensive so a good cleaning and then treatment might be all it needs. Yearly treatment makes a big difference to water repellency and durability. It helps with UV light breakdown of the fabric too.

 

[TimW451]

Someone on here said that the inside of the cover gets sprayed, not the outside. Is that correct?

 

[suke]

I can see a bit of light through mine too, even when new. Fabric Guard isn't very expensive so a good cleaning and then treatment might be all it needs. Yearly treatment makes a big difference to water repellency and durability. It helps with UV light breakdown of the fabric too.

Mine is/was the same way. Can definitely see light through it and always have been able to.

 

[suke]

Someone on here said that the inside of the cover gets sprayed, not the outside. Is that correct?

It's the outside. Not sure who said that.

 

[Bluewater272]

Mine is/was the same way. Can definitely see light through it and always have been able to.

Maybe I just never noticed until now since I'm getting suspect of its longevity, felt like I was in a planetarium LOL.

 

[The Canuck]

I sprayed the 303 Fabric Guard on our grey cover (2015 AR210), about 3 times over the course of a week. First two times, and I am not joking, we went from not a cloud in the sky or a prediction of rain, to an absolute downpour within 2 hours of me spraying it. Figured first time had to be a fluke. 2nd time I couldn't believe it. Third time I guess Mother Nature was done laughing at me. ?. I know it made a HUGE difference as the boat was now dry. Before I would typically have some water to pump out from the bilge if it had rained during the week. Not any more.

That being said, I did notice after pulling it from the lake to putting it into storage, there was a bit of a tear from a point where it was rubbing. Not blaming the Fabric Guard, though this thread has me wondering. Figure its from the day after day of being in the sun and exposure for 7 years or so. Either way, this will now become part of my yearly process with the boat and prepping it for the season.

 

[1WetBoat]

Do you guys remove the cover from the boat to wash it and apply 303 or just do it while its on the boat?
Feeling lazy and it seems doing it on the boat makes sure you clean it better than laying on your driveway since it tends to not lay perfectly flat.

 

[The Canuck]

When I did my cover, I did the "Oxi-Clean" method that someone posted on here. Soaking the cover overnight in a tub of hot water and "Oxi-Clean". Since I bought the boat used, I was not sure on the upkeep of the cover, and we had developed some mildew. Looked brand new afterwards.

Not sure I would do it on the boat. I would be worried about overspray, or too much on one area that seeps through. I did mine on the driveway and it was fine. I got it about 95% to lay flat if I remember correctly.

 

[1WetBoat]

When I did my cover, I did the "Oxi-Clean" method that someone posted on here. Soaking the cover overnight in a tub of hot water and "Oxi-Clean". Since I bought the boat used, I was not sure on the upkeep of the cover, and we had developed some mildew. Looked brand new afterwards.

Not sure I would do it on the boat. I would be worried about overspray, or too much on one area that seeps through. I did mine on the driveway and it was fine. I got it about 95% to lay flat if I remember correctly.

Thanks for the info, just wasn't sure and I can see the concern with overspray/seep thru on the boat also.