5
Cosmetic Care & Maintenance
CANVAS
Boat canvas is in most cases subjected to more severe
punishment than practically any other type of material.
Moisture, dirt and chemicals from industrial fallout, heat,
ultraviolet rays and salt water are all factors which accel-
erate the deterioration of your boat canvas.
These elements can cause serious damage if left un-
checked.
The boat top and other canvas supplied on your Regal
boat are manufactured from top quality materials to pro-
vide you with years of trouble free service. The following
information on the care, cleaning and proper storage of
the fabrics and fasteners that make up your marine can-
vas is being provided to help you maintain the appear-
ance and ease of operation.
Sunbrella is used on most Regal tops, aft curtains, camper
enclosures, bow tonneaus and cockpit covers. Sunbrella
is a woven fabric made from 100% solution dyed acrylic
fiber. It is color fast and will withstand long term expo-
sure to the sun (ultraviolet rays) without excessive fad-
ing.
Even though it is treated with water repellency some
“misting” through the fabric is typical. A vinyl protec-
tive layer you may find has been added to the underside
of bimini tops to prevent misting. With new canvas, the
greatest potential for leakage is through the sewn seams.
Because Sunbrella and the long term thread used is syn-
thetic, the holes created by sewing will not swell up and
seal when exposed to water as cotton does. Usually the
movement of the fabric in use will move the fibers enough
to seal the holes. You may apply Apseal or Uniseal to the
seams to speed up this process.
When the canvas is new, the fit will normally be tight. It
is designed this way because Sunbrella stretches as it ages.
The initial tight fit allows for a suitable fit for the life of
the canvas. The Sunbrella fit will vary slightly in the heat,
cold, and rain.
SUNBRELLA CANVAS CLEANING
Sunbrella should be cleaned regularly before substances
such as dirt, roof particles, etc., are allowed to accumulate
on and become embedded in the fabric. The fabric can be
cleaned without being removed from the boat. Simply
brush off any loose dirt, hose down, and clean with a mild
solution of natural soap in lukewarm water. Rinse thor-
oughly to remove soap. DO NOT USE DETERGENTS!
Allow to air dry.
For heavily soiled fabric, remove the top from the frame.
Soak the fabric in a solution that has been mixed to the
following proportions: 1/2 cup of Clorox bleach and 1/4
cup of Ivory or Lux soap (liquid or soap) per each gallon
of lukewarm water. Allow the fabric to soak until the bleach
has killed the mildew and the stains can be brushed out
with a common kitchen scrub brush. Rinse the fabric thor-
oughly in cold water to remove all the soap. This may re-
quire several rinsings. Incomplete rinsing can cause dete-
rioration of sewing threads and prohibit the fabric from
being properly retreated. Allow the fabric to dry completely.
DO NOT STEAM PRESS OR DRY IN AN ELEC-
TRIC OR GAS DRYER! Excessive heat can damage
and shrink the fabric since it is heat sensitive.
This method of cleaning may remove part of the water
and stain repellents that was applied to the fabric during
its manufacture. It is recommended to retreat with such
water repellency products as Apseal and Uniseal. We do
not recommend any wax based treatments such as
Thompson’s Water Seal or any of the silicone products
such as SC-15 or Aqua-Tite. Wax based products prevent
the fabric from breathing, and encourage mildew growth
while the silicone products interact with the original fluo-
rocarbon finish and seem to cause a rapid loss of water
repellency. Scotchguard has not been found to be very
effective for restoring water repellents to Sunbrella. It
seems to work well in the short run, but doesn’t maintain
it’s performance very long.
CLEAR VINYL, ZIPPER & SNAP CARE
Never store canvas wet or in an unventilated, moist area.
Always roll the canvas instead of folding. This is of par-
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