Powerboat Enclosures Archives | Page 2 of 5 | Chicago Marine Canvas

January 2, 2018December 4, 2023

Regal Cockpit Cover

It’s important to keep your boat covered all year round when it isn’t in use, to protect your interior upholstery, flooring, and your electronics. This customer called us up needing a new cockpit cover for their Regal to match their bimini top.

We aren’t your typical boat shop, here at Chicago Marine Canvas all of our covers, biminis, enclosures, upholstery work, and flooring is custom made to fit your boat perfectly. That means for all of our jobs we have to have access to your boat. We start off each project by going out to your boat and using one of our many labor-saving, cost effective tools, our 3D measuring device. Nothing can slow us down with this tool! We can quickly take measurements of your boat rain or shine! After we gather the measurements for your new cover, we head back to the shop so we can start our design process! All of our work is done on the computer using CAD (Computer-Aided-Design) software. We can easily see the end product using this tool, making sure all of your design needs are met for you and your boat. Once we finalize the design, we send the pattern for your new cover over to our plotter. Our plotter is another one of our labor-saving, cost-effective tools we use here at Chicago Marine Canvas. It quickly draws out each piece perfectly that our seamstress needs to draw out. Then all of the pieces get cut out and our seamstress can start to sew it all together.

On this Regal, we used Sunbrella fabric in navy for its new cockpit cover. We love using Sunbrella fabric for cockpit covers! It is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty! To sew this all up we used Sunstop polyester thread in black. Then we bound the new cover in 1 inch Sunbrella binding in navy to ensure that all the ends are securely covered so this cover will last and won’t fray! We also added a Boat Vent II to the center of this cover to help prevent pooling, create airflow, and reduce mildew. This cover was attached to the boat with DOT snap fasteners so it wont blow away!!! We also did custom boot flaps with velcro around each pole for the framing to ensure a perfect fit and to prevent water from getting in at those areas!

If you are looking for a custom cover with a perfect fit, give us a ring this winter so we can help keep your boat dry all year round! Our shop is open all year, which can help you be prepared when it’s time for your boat to get in the water at the beginning of the season!

December 7, 2017December 4, 2023

Dodger Window Replacement

One of the services we offer here at Chicago Marine Canvas is window replacements. If your windows have yellowed, fogged up, cracked, shrunk, or expanded over time, replacing the glass can fix those issues. This sale boat owner contacted us about foggy, yellowed windows that he needed replaced. One of the first things we do before doing a window replacement is assess the quality level of the canvas. “How many years does it have left? What is your budget?” We have different qualities of glass that we recommend for different quality of canvas. This dodger was in great shape, so we recommended that the customer use a high quality glass that will last as long as their dodger.

For window replacements we usually take the window panel, or dodger in this case, back to the shop and carefully cut out the glass. Then we go back to the boat and snap it back on the boat. After it’s all snapped on, without the old windows, we use one of our labor-saving, cost-effective tools, our 3D measuring device and take measurements of your windows. Once we gather all of our needed measurements, we take off the dodger, and head back to the shop with it. Then our designer gets to work and designs the new windows using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software, so we can make sure everything looks right. Then we send the designs of the new windows over to our plotter. Our plotter is another one of our labor-saving, cost-effective tools we use here at Chicago Marine Canvas. It quickly draws out whatever we design on the computer perfectly, saving us time and you money at the end of the day! After that, our seamstress cuts out the new windows and gets to work!

For these windows we use Strataglass. Strataglass is one of our favorite products when it comes to glass for canvas that is brand new, or in great shape, like this dodger was. It’s the only glass on the market that offers a 2 year warranty! With proper care these windows will outlast its warranty, just make sure that you rinse them with water after you go out on the water, or after your boat has been on the dock to help extend the life of your new windows. Be sure to remove any sunscreen, harmful liquids, or sprays that may accidentally get on the surface.

If your dodger, or enclosure is in need of a window replacement give us a call today! Chicago Marine Canvas is open all year long, ensuring our customers that their boat will be ready to go once the next season begins!

November 14, 2017December 4, 2023

Sundancer 270

This Sundancer 270 was in need of a new cockpit cover. They contacted us because we specialize in custom covers!

We start off each new job by talking with you about what you need when it comes to your new cover. Then we head out to your boat and start our design process. All of our covers are custom, so that your new canvas fits like a glove, especially hand crafted for you! Once we travel out on your boat, we use our 3D measuring device to take precise measurements quickly and efficiently. Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we use a lot of labor-saving, cost-effective tools. After we gather all of our measurements we head back to the shop and let our designer get to work.

Sundancer 270 Cockpit Cover By Chicago Marine Canvas

We design all of our covers on the computer using CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software. This way we can create a 3D version of your cover, making sure everything looks perfect before we sew it up! After we finish up all the design work, we head over to our plotter and have everything drawn out. Our plotter is another one of our cost-effective, labor-saving tools. It speeds up our patterning process which saves us time and you money in the long run. After everything is all drawn out, our seamstress cuts everything out and then sews everything together.

This cover was fabricated using Sunbrella fabric in Teal Tweed.We love using Sunbrella fabric! It is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty! We backed the front of the cover wit a fabric called Evolution, that way if there was any rubbing from the windshield, it wouldn’t rip through this families new cover. We used Sunstop T135 in black thread to sew this up, along with black binding around all the edges. Then we also created boots for each of the poles for the framing around the boat. We did custom cuffs, and flaps around each pole to ensure its security and waterproofness. To ensure no mold or mildew, along with proper airflow when the cover is up, we installed a Boat Vent II in the back of the boat. It helps prop the boat cover up which helps prevent pooling so that water rolls off of your cover instead of sitting on it when it gets wet. We secured this cover to the boat using DOT snap fasteners in black.

November 8, 2017December 4, 2023

Sabre Hardtop Aft Enclosure

The owner of a 42′ Sabre Hardtop Express contacted us about needing their aft enclosure replaced. Their makrolon windows had been slightly discolored but more importantly, their canvas had lost its durability and waterproofness.

When we do a job, we first head out to the location of the boat to take custom measurements using our 3d measuring device. This device is cost-effective and labor-saving. We can measure a boat quickly even if there are high Chicago winds. After we gather all of our measurements and think about all of your design needs, we head back to our shop to start designing your new cover. This is yet another thing that sets us apart from your typical canvas shop. We do all of our design work using CAD (computer aided design) software on the computer. This way we can see exactly what the cover will look like before its on your boat, making sure we get all the details right the first time around!

For this aft enclosure, we used Sunbrella fabric in toast. Sunbrella fabric has a 10 year warranty. For the glass we used Makrolon. Makrolon is a semi-rigid polycarbonate. Makrolon makes your new cover look modern and slick, with no sagging windows due to temperature changes throughout the year. To sew everything together we used GORE tenara
thread in clear. GORE tenara thread has a lifetime guarantee, meaning it will outlast your canvas! If you get your new cover sewn up with GORE tenara thread, you can say good bye to repairs and hello to high-quality craftsmanship! For attaching the panels together we used Lenzip zippers in beige. Lenzip zippers have a life-time guarantee!

This cover has all hidden kedar track that was sewn to the top of the panels, which attached to the hard top creating a water tight seal from panel to hardtop. All of the snaps are hidden as well, and are on a separate flap on the bottom inside of each panel.

November 1, 2017December 4, 2023

Donzi 3250 LXC Cockpit Cover

This Donzi 3250 LXC was in need of a new cockpit cover so they gave us a call! We start out all of our jobs by first going out to your boat take measurements so we can begin our process. Here at our shop we use a lot of labor-saving, cost-effective tools. When we go out to take measurements we use our 3d measuring device to digitally map out your boat. Since all boats are slightly different because of framing and other attachments, this makes it quick, and easy for us to gather our measurements as well as map out the small differences that makes your boat slightly unique then another one.

After we gather all of our measurements from your boat, we head back to the shop to start our design process. When we get to this point we upload our measurements we just gathered into our CAD software program and start making the perfect custom cover for you! After our designer finishes your custom cover, we send it over to our plotter which draws it out for our seamstress, saving us time and you money! Then we cut out your new cover and our seamstress starts sewing it up.
For this cockpit cover we used Sunbrella fabric in black. Sunbrella is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty. We used GORE Tenara thread in black to sew this cover up. GORE Tenara has a lifetime guarantee, which means that this thread will outlast your canvas! No more sun-eaten threads on your new cover, which means no more restitching or repairs!!! Then we used a Boat Vent II to help hold the cover up to prevent pooling, as well as bring some air flow into the boat when the cover is up, to prevent mold and mildew if the interior ever gets wet!

October 12, 2017December 4, 2023

Rinker Fiesta Vee 270

To protect the interior of your boat, it is important to have a waterproof cover. Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we do custom covers for every boat, because every boat is different and we want your cover to fit tight so there is no room for water leaks when a rain storm comes. This is a Rinker Fiesta Vee 270 and we fabricated a custom cover for it this summer.

We start off our process by going out on site to the boat to take measurements. Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we have a lot of cost-effective, labor-saving tools that help cut your covers cost down while making sure it is the perfect fit! For measuring we use a portable 3d measuring device. After we gather all the measurements needed we head back to the shop to start the design process. For this cover our designer made sure to make cut outs for all the framing on this boat, leaving it up to our seamstress to make individual boots for each pole, along with velcro straps to assure the cover isn’t going anywhere in these Chicago winds. After we do all of our design work we head over to our plotter which draws out all of the pieces of your cover we just finished up. This is another one of our labor-saving tools. Our plotter can quickly draw out all of our patterned pieces for your new cover, instead of us having to do it all by hand! After everything is drawn out, we hand it all over to our seamstress so she can begin her process. She starts off by cutting everything out and then looking at the pattern to figure out the best way to sew everything together. After that, she organizes all the pieces and gets to work.

For this cover we used Sunbrella fabric in the color doubonette tweed. We love using Sunbrella fabric! It is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty! To sew everything together we used GORE tenara thread in black. GORE tenara is another favorite product of ours. It is UV, salt water, chemical and extreme weather resistant! It has a lifetime guarantee, which means, all of your seams will outlast your canvas! We also installed a Boat Vent II in the middle of this cover so that all water that hits it, runs off!

We used DOT snaps in burgundy to blend into this cover, as well as stay puts all along the back.

October 10, 2017December 4, 2023

Mediterranean Mainship

This 1989 open Mediterranean Mainship was in need of some protection from the rain, so we created it a cockpit cover using some of our favorite products.

We start out all of our projects by going on site to the boat. We bring out our special 3d device to take measurements. Our 3d measuring device is cost-effective and labor-saving. It saves us time taking measurements which in the end saves you money on your new cover! After we gather our measurements we need we head back to the shop. We upload all of our measurements we gathered and start working on the design process. We do all of our design work on the computer, creating a 3d design so we can see what the end product will look like. This way we can make sure to make any adjustments, or special needs that your cover may need on there instead of making multiple trips out to your boat. In this case we knew where all the poles for the framing of this boat were located, so during the design process we made sure to include them. After we finish the design process, we bring the design to our plotter, which is also a labor-saving, cost-effective tool we use here at Chicago Marine Canvas. It helps us save time by drawing out the patterned pieces of your new cover quickly, instead of us having to do it by hand. Then we hand everything over to our seamstress, who cuts out all the pieces and starts sewing them together.

For this Mediterranean Mainship we used Sunbrella canvas in black along with black Sunbrella binding. Sunbrella canvas is one of our favorite products to use to create a new boat canvas for our clientele. It is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty. To sew everything together we used GORE tenara thread which is UV, chemical, saltwater and extreme weather resistant. It has a lifetime guarantee and is great for outdoor applications. This thread will outlast your canvas. Our designer made sure to include all the locations of where the framing poles were, so we could make boots that wrapped around each pole, helping prevent water leakage from getting to the interior of this boat. We created custom boots and flaps using Sunbrella and velcro so that the cover would be nice and secure onto the boat. We attached the cover using DOT snaps in black, attaching from the top of the windshield to the back of the boat. We also used Boat Vent II to help with water runoff as well as ventilation in the boat. while your cover is up.

October 9, 2017December 4, 2023

Carver Flybridge

This summer at Chicago Yacht Works we designed a new flybridge enclosure for this 2000 Carver 530 Voyager Pilothouse. We love working with Chicago Yacht Works because we can work on the boats all year

Since all boats are sightly different, we do only custom enclosures. Everyone has different framing, and other minor add ons. No boat is the same to us! The first step of our process is heading out to the boat with our 3d measuring device. It is cost-effective and labor-saving because it saves us time taking measurements and saves you money in the end. After we take measurements we head back to the shop to start doing design work on the computer. Our designer makes sure to meet all of your boats needs. Then we head the design over to the plotting machine which is another cost-effective, labor-saving device. The plotter draws out all the pieces of your new enclosure instead of us having to draw it out by hand. Then we hand everything over to our seamstress who cuts everything out, and then sews it all together.

For this cover we used linen tweed sunbrella fabric, GORE tenara thread in clear. Sunbrella is a fade resistant canvas we use on most of our covers, and it comes with a 10 year warranty. GORE tenara thread has a lifetime warranty.

The forward windows of this enclosure we used makrolon, which is a semi-rigid polycarbonate. It’s great of how clean it makes your new cover look. There is no sagging with makrolon, and no stretching and shrinking of glass, which is a issue here in Chicago due to the extreme hot summers and the extreme cold winters. For the Aft panels we used strataglass. Strataglass is the only vinyl on the market that comes with a two year warranty after install.

We used Lenzip zippers on this enclosure which also has a lifetime guarantee. We even used their waterproof zipper for the roll up on the port and star side of the enclosure to ensure air flow while the enclosure is up!

September 22, 2017December 4, 2023

Sea Ray Full Enclosure

Sea Ray 460 Full Enclosure

This winter we did a full enclosure for this Sea Ray 460 at Chicago Yacht Works.

We love doing jobs like this during the winter because we can really take our time to make sure that everything is perfect for when the boat hits the water in the summer!

When we do custom enclosures we always save you some time and money by using our 3d measuring device to take measurements of your boat. Then we custom design your new cover to tailor to your boats specifications. Here at Chicago Marine Canvas we want your new cover to fit like a glove! We also want to help you keep your boat dry along with it looking nice and modern!

For this Sea Ray we used Sunbrella fabric in marine blue along with GORE tenara thread in black. For all of our enclosure we suggest that you use GORE tenara thread because it has a lifetime guarantee. That means that your thread will outlast your canvas. This also means that your seams won’t need repairs the whole time you have this canvas. GORE tenara won’t get eaten by the sun or other elements, which is why we encourage our customers allow us to fabricate their new cover with this high quality thread! Say good-bye to repairs and hello to high quality!

For the forward windows of this Sea Ray we used makrolon which is a semi-rigid polycarbonate. This material is great because it looks as if the windows are extensions of the actual boat windshield. Since it is a semi-rigid material there is no window stretching or contracting due to temperature changes in between seasons.

For the aft windows we used strataglass. As of September 1,strataglass is the only vinyl on the market that has a two year warranty. For all these panels to stay together we used Lenzip zippers in black which have a lifetime guarantee.

September 19, 2017December 4, 2023

Seafox 256 Cockpit Cover

We fabricated a custom cockpit cover for this Seafox 256 fishing boat.

For all of our work we create, we have to go out on site to take custom measurements. We do this with our 3d measuring device, which is quick and efficient. It saves us time and you money on your new custom cover. Then we head back to the shop and we start designing your cover on the computer. We make sure that we have covered all of your concerns and needs due to every boat being different. After we finish up the designing process we have our plotter draw out all the pieces of fabric, then we hand everything over to our seamstress and the cover is assembled.

Since the Seafox 256 is more of a fishing boat, we made a cockpit cover that attached onto the top of the windshield with DOT fasteners and then extended over and down the back of the captains chair. Now all of this Seafox’s upholstery is protected from rain and other elements all season long while on the water.

This cockpit cover is fabricated out of Sunbrella fabric in cadet grey with GORE tenara thread in grey. GORE tenara thread has a lifetime guarantee which means it won’t get eaten by the sun. Sunbrella fabric is fade resistant and has a 10 year warranty.

Since this cover sits against the captains chair we added a soft fabric called evolution which is easy to clean. It adds protection to the boat cover so it wont rub up against the seat causing any wear and tear to this boast upholstery work. Evolution is also mold and mildew resistant and dries quickly if ever wet!

We used grey DOT snaps to secure this cover onto this boat. No wind will be ripping off this cover this summer!