boatingchicago Archives | Chicago Marine Canvas

July 11, 2023November 22, 2023

Sea Ray 420 Sundancer

The Sea Ray 420 Sundancer at Prairie Harbor Yacht Club in Wisconsin has undergone a stunning transformation with the help of Chicago Marine Canvas. This popular boat model now features several upgrades, including the use of Captain Navy Sunbrella fabric, polycarbonate windows, Strata Glass, and top-of-the-line hardware like Lenzip zippers and Solar Fix PTFE thread. In addition, the Sea Ray is also crafted with flip-up center and side windows, taking comfort and convenience to new heights.

Captain Navy

One of the most striking aspects of the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer is the incorporation of Captain Navy Sunbrella fabric. Sunbrella fabric is well-known for its exceptional durability and ability to withstand the harsh marine environment. It offers reliable protection against UV rays, mold, and mildew, ensuring that the boat’s upholstery stays in pristine condition for years to come. The deep, rich navy color of the fabric adds a touch of elegance and sophistication to the boat’s overall aesthetic.

Clear Views Ahead

Enhancing both safety and visibility, the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer features polycarbonate windows in the front. Polycarbonate is a highly robust and impact-resistant material that provides excellent clarity and durability. These forward-facing windows offer passengers an unobstructed view of the surrounding environment, allowing them to enjoy the beauty of the sea.

Complementing the polycarbonate windows, the Sun Ray incorporates Strata Glass windows at the back. Strata Glass is a marine-grade vinyl material renowned for its exceptional clarity, scratch resistance, and long-lasting performance. These windows not only provide an undisturbed view of the water but also create a comfortable and protected environment within the bridge area. Passengers can relax and enjoy the scenery without worrying about the elements.

Flip-Up Windows

Adding to the convenience and versatility of the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer, the boat features flip-up center and side windows. These windows can be easily flipped open or closed to control airflow and optimize ventilation within the cabin. This feature allows passengers to enjoy fresh air and natural light when desired while also providing protection and comfort during adverse weather conditions.

High Quality Hardware

When it comes to the hardware and stitching, the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer sets a high standard with its use of Lenzip zippers and Solar Fix PTFE thread. Lenzip zippers are known for their reliability and durability, offering a limited lifetime guarantee. These zippers ensure smooth operation and secure closure of the boat’s canvas components. Paired with Solar Fix PTFE thread, which is renowned for its strength, UV resistance, and ability to withstand environmental damage, the Sea Ray 420 Sundancer’s canvas components are built to withstand the test of time.

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.

February 24, 2016June 9, 2022

Cockpit Covers

Cockpit covers are one of the most common types of boat covers used in the marine industry. These types of covers can be used on all types of powerboats and have different variations available.

Most extend from the top of the windshield toward the aft of the boat. Another option is to extend the cover over the windshield protecting the windshield and the dashboard area from constant direct sunlight. Have you ever seen a dashboard that faded out, an over the windshield cockpit cover would have helped postponed this fading.

Cockpit Cover in Sunbrella Charcoal Grey

Frequently the boat covers are connected with button snaps but there are also other variations of fasteners that can be used. Twist the Dot and Lift the Dot fasteners can be beneficial in specific situations where there is extreme tension on the canvas.

Multiple types of fabric can be used for the cover. Sunbrella is a popular option and has over 70 fabric options in marine grade canvas available. A complete list of available can be found here – Sunbrella Samples . WeatherMax has super high strength and durability combine with long-term color retention and is cost-effective fabric available for marine covers and tops. Both fabrics have outstanding durability, high water repellent and excellent breathability.

Cockpit Cover with "Mesh" CAD rendering — Cockpit Cover with “Mesh” CAD rendering

We measure all of our cockpit covers via 3D and build out the design in CAD software. This provides for a great fitting cover that will be enjoyed for years to come. Some of the pictures show the rendered design in a “Mesh” along with the finish product. Please contact us with any of your cockpit cover needs.

Baliner Cockpit Cover in Sunbrella Marine Blue Tweed