What can I do to keep my dodger/Bimini in good shape? A: Both power- and sailboats often have a windbreak or even a complete enclosure made from fabric such as Sunbrella, with windows of clear plastic. Unfortunately, these must be replaced periodically because of age, no matter how well we care for them. The windows yellow or become cloudy, the fabric tears or begins to leak, threads rot, and zippers break. But there are ways to delay the process.It helps to use good material and a good craftsman when you get your cover. Cheapness quickly shows with this type of gear. And new boats often come with inexpensive material. Check before you buy. While we can’t recommend any one material over another because we haven’t tried them all, we’ve had good results so far with our latest enclosure using our old stainless frame, Stamoid fabric, Crystal Clear windows, Tenara thread, and RIRI zippers. It was done by Beaver Brand Canvass in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., (954) 763-7423.Abrasion is a major killer of clear plastic, as is sunlight.

Many boaters will keep their windows rolled up or covered to avoid yellowing, but this often contributes to abrasion. Never roll up a window unless it’s clean and salt-free, and keep in mind that some clear window material such as Strataglass cannot be rolled. Often thoroughly hosing down with clean fresh water will suffice, but this will usually not remove a heavy coating of salt. Sometimes dock water itself contains impurities such as minerals, which can, with enough use, impair the windows. ) ) can help. We use Plexus spray as a cleaner and protectant after a thorough washing.), to keep the window material from “burning” on the hot tubes of the frame, although most canvas makers stitch fabric strips on windows where they come in contact with the tubing to prevent this problem.Polyester thread will often rot before the material it binds together. A good shop will cover seams and zippers with flaps as much as is practical. Try to keep these in place. Sometimes wind or other activity will move them.

Newer threads, such as Tenara (Gore-Tex) and Profilen, have lifetime warranties but are more difficult to sew than traditional polyester. Our Tenara stitching is showing little wear after nearly four years of service. Washing the threads if they become fouled with decay-producing materials, such as bird droppings, also helps. Avoid letting products containing chlorine come in contact with thread.Zippers are particularly prone to failure, especially inexpensive ones. Aluminum has often been used for slides, and salt water corrodes this alloy quickly. UV radiation destroys plastic zippers exposed to sunlight so, again, make sure your canvas maker has covered them with a flap, and keep that flap in place. Our RIRI zippers seem to be holding up well. They are reported to be eight to 10 times more UV-resistant than others.No zipper will withstand abuse for long. It’s easy to become impatient and pull too hard when you need to close up quickly. This can break teeth and pull out threads holding the zipper to the surrounding material.

Always be gentle with zippers and try to use them as little as possible. Also, there are products, such as Star brite Snap and Zipper Lubricant, that can be used for lubrication and protection. Clawfoot Tub Step StoolRegular lubrication will help immensely.Schnoodle Puppies For Sale In WashingtonSnaps are also a weak point. Houses For Sale On Kawana IslandPulling them up by the fabric frequently tears it, but there are specially made tools for working snaps, and you should have one on board. They’re in most chandleries. When you try to resnap a section, it’s not uncommon to find that the snap won’t fit back over its counterpart. Temperature changes can cause fabric to shrink, destroying — at least temporarily — a good fit.

If you have a problem and can wait, warmer weather or sunshine will help. Also, use the snap tool to pull the snap, rather than the cloth.Most tops also have webbing or tubes for tensioning the structure. It’s important that these be tight enough so the frame doesn’t wobble and the fabric doesn’t flap, both of which can cause unnecessary abrasion.Finally, always take down this gear if the weather is going to be too much for it. This is a difficult shot to call, and the old saying “better safe than sorry” isn’t always appropriate, because taking the material down often scratches it or stresses threads or crinkles the plastic, creating future leaks. However, many a Bimini/dodger/windshield has been quickly destroyed by high winds. If you have an enclosure and elect to not take it down, we’ve found that it helps to at least close it up tightly so the wind can’t get inside and blow it out. or send it to Soundings Editorial, 10 Bokum Road, Essex, CT 06426This story originally appeared in the January 2009 issue.

Posted by Darrell Nicholson at 12:53PM - Look at any boat more than five years old, and chances are, the clear dodger windows aren�t so clear anymore. By comparison, the windows on one of our test boats remained crystal clear for 15 years. Is clear vinyl really that vulnerable, or are boat owners doing something wrong to shorten its life? The answer to both questions is, "Yes." One of the best known manufacturers of clear plastic windows for dodgers and cockpit enclosures is Fort Lauderdale-based Strataglass. The company has perfected a highly scratch-resistant coating for clear plastic, originally intended for the automotive industry. It has since become the product of choice for high-end yachts. I can�t think of any boat product that is as insistent as Strataglass that customers use specific name-brand products for cleaning and protecting their popular clear-plastic windows. To do otherwise risks voiding the company warranty. Normally, this approach rubs me the wrong way.

Insisting that we buy Brand X cleaner to clean Brand Y product limits competition and can add hidden costs for the consumer. But I�m willing to cut a bit of slack to Strataglass. The company has managed�against all odds�to keep its high-volume textile operation here in the United States while many sailmakers and other marine textile plants have fled offshore in search of cheaper labor. In addition, the Strataglass-endorsed cleaners and protectants, made by Imar, have done well in our previous tests of clear plastic cleaners and protectants, and the prices aren�t significantly more than competing brands. But as usual, we remain skeptical�and curious. What about homemade cleaners, like our anti-mildew concoction that is 35 times cheaper than what you buy at West Marine? With the hopes of finding a cheaper way to protect our $150-plus Strataglass dodger windows, we are testing other cleaning products and protectants on the company�s two types of clear plastic. Is Strataglass� insistence that we stick with Imar well-founded?

Or is it a mixture of paranoia and propaganda? Based on our initial testing, it appears that the company�s concerns about using the wrong cleaner or polish are well-founded. We were surprised to find that some everyday products�including sunscreen, bug spray, canvas treatments, and mildew cleaners�can do irreparable harm to Strataglass. Strataglass user�s maintenance guide states the following: �We recommend using only Imar Products, Imar Strataglass Protective Polish, Imar Strataglass Protective Cleaner, and mild soap (preferably Imar Yacht Soap Concentrate) on Strataglass. We no longer recommend the use of any other products, regardless of the manufacturer�s claims. Use of harsh cleaners like Simple Green and/or pine will dull the curtains quickly. Using any other product(s) void the factory warranty.� It goes on to warn against RAINEX, Pledge, or Plexus and says that scratch removers and other products made for �regular, un-coated vinyl will damage Strataglass.�

It�s the Imar way . . . or the highway. While we consistently advise readers to adhere to manufacturers� recommendations, we have made a few observations regarding Strataglass of our own: There are many common boating chemicals that can ruin vinyl windows and are rough on other plastics: � Sunscreen: Sunscreen handprints on vinyl are difficult or impossible to buff out. Sometimes, the handprints occur when a guest helps roll up the windows, and you may not see them until the next morning, when dew �develops� them, inside the vinyl. Keep a washcloth handy for wiping hands, or better, wash hands before touching the clear vinyl. � Insect repellent: DEET will melt vinyl. Even a fine spray will haze many plastics. We recommend politely asking guests to use insect sprays well outside of the cockpit area, away from all windows, and to wipe or wash their hands thoroughly when finished. Consider banning aerosol bug repellents from your boat. � Vinegar: If rinsing your vinyl windows with fresh water and polishing them with a spray polish does not remove all of their spots, the spots are very likely calcium deposits.

Use a 10-percent solution of vinegar and water to clean them, rinse thoroughly after use, and apply a protectant. � Canvas water repellents: As we reported in the December 2013 issue, some canvas waterproofing treatments are quite tough on vinyl and can ruin it within minutes. If you treat your canvas, be certain to apply a fresh protectant coat to the windows before you begin, cover the windows, and then wipe the vinyl with a cleaner/protectant after you are finished. � Silicones and solvents: All manufacturers advise against using products on vinyl that contain silicones, petroleum solvents, or alcohols. Small amounts of certain alcohols are permitted in some cleaners but not the use of alcohol-based glass cleaners. Covering clear-vinyl windows offers fool-proof protection from harmful UV and dirt. The downside�other than cost and the added time before and after sailing�is the risk of abrasive wear between the cover (typically Sunbrella) and the window. We�ve heard of folks using textured Phifertex covers and finding that their windows have a fine checkerboard pattern within six months.

We�ve also heard reports of damage in windy harbors from the covers constant flapping; in the wind, the best solution seems to be consistent cleaning and use of protectants. Some folks use Sunbrella with an integral lining, but dirt can imbed in the lining, resulting in worse abrasion than plain fabric. Wear is very often related to the size of the dirt particles, and lined Sunbrella can hold larger particles than unlined Sunbrella. For the best of both worlds, we suspended awning covers over the dodger windows. There�s no chance of abrasion even if the window is salt- and dirt-encrusted; UV and bird bombs are blocked; and they can even provide expanded shade and reduce the need to close the windows for a passing shower at anchor. Use only soft polishing cloths to clean clear vinyl. Clean cotton jersey (T-shirts or polishing cloths) are safe, but paper towels may leave scratches (grit left over from the paper-making process is much harder than vinyl). Microfiber cloth is a favorite as well, but it must be kept very clean as it quickly attracts dirt.

Rinse the windows with water before polishing, and change to a fresh cloth every 5 to 20 square feet, depending on how clean the window was at the start. Turn the cloth frequently. Only roll up vinyl windows when they�and your hands�are clean. Salt spray is abrasive and can cause minor scratching. It�s better to squint through salt-encrusted vinyl until a freshwater rinse is practical than to have your view blocked by scratches for years to come. A handy fresh water squirt bottle can help rinse at sea. Alternatively, remove the window panels. If you�re rolling up the windows for storage, roll them with soft, clean fabric to keep the vinyl from touching itself and potentially abrading the surface. If you plan to roll up your windows regularly, you�ll likely be happier with a thinner vinyl material (30 mil vs. 40 mil) or more flexible products (O�Sea and Regalite, vs. the stiffer Strataglass) since less force is required and less scratching results. While many folks put their boats away for the season as soon as they need socks, some sail into the fall or even year-around;

the further north, the greater the urge to stretch the season. As temperatures plummet, we become more and more accustomed to the chill, and by January, some think 32 degrees is quite comfortable for a day on the water, if dressed for it. However, vinyl does not acclimate, and depending on the gauge�thicker is stiffer and more vulnerable�rolling or flexing old vinyl windows at temperatures below 60 degrees is just asking for trouble. The more worn and hazed the windows become, the greater the urge to clear the view by rolling them out of the way, and suddenly the window has a crack running halfway across. A good rule of thumb is to wait to roll windows until hats and gloves are forgotten (over 60 degrees). If there is dew or frost on the windows, wait for the sun to remove it. Our early testing suggests the actual vinyl-restoration process might compromise the material�s protective coatings and lead to premature weathering, even if applied to just a few scratched areas. We�ve added some �restored� windows to our long-term test racks, but it is clearly better to keep windows scratch-free and UV protected than to restore damaged vinyl.