Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover..??

[Jasoniboat]

I have an 18ft Searay runabout. Based on a recommendation from West Marine, I purchased 303's Fabric/vinyl cleaner and Aerospace UV protectant to clean my vinyl engine cover ( see photo # 1799). I followed the instructions closely for both products and finished with the Aerospace Protectant and dried down the engine cover. The products worked well and returned the engine cover vinyl to near-white.

The boat stays in the garage with the Sunbrella cover off of the boat. About two weeks after applying the fabric/vinyl cleaner and following that with the 303 Aerospace protectant, I needed to take the boat in for some repair of exterior fiberglass near the front of the boat. For the trip to the repair facility, I snapped in my Sunbrella cover, which fits into the factory snaps around the boat and also fits snug over the white, vinyl engine cover, which is where a stain was discovered that ran across the stern, where the sunbrella cover comes into contact with the vinyl engine cover. The Sunbrella cover was snapped into place for 1.5 weeks, while the boat exterior fiberglass was being repaired.

I removed the Sunbrella cover 1.5 weeks later, when the repair was complete.

( see photos #1996 ? sunbrella cover, #1995 vinyl engine cover, #1994 ? stain on the vinyl engine cover when Sunbrella was removed.

I took a look at the sunbrella cover and the area of the cover that comes into contact with the vinyl engine cover (which was stained). I see a slight sheen on its underside of the Sunbrella fabric, where it came into contact with the vinyl engine cover.

My thought is that the ?sheen? on the Sunbrella fabric is from a combination of the Sunbrella vinyl cleaner and the Sunbrella UV protectant and that somehow having the Sunbrella cover tightly snapped over the engine cover, plus the sun, may have caused the stain.

Does anyone have any other thoughts ? The vinyl was completely white before I took it in for repair and the boat had not been used since. The Sunbrella cover was never unsnapped and the boat wasn?t used. ???

I am hesitant to use the Aerospace Protectant any more, as it appears it could cause staining if the Sunbrella cover interacts with the protectant.

Also, I had to scrub pretty aggressively to remove the stains. Does anyone know of a product that I can use to restore "sheen" to the vinyl where I had to scrub to remove the stain ? ??

Any feedback

Sincerely,

Jason West

 

[JimS123]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

I know people swear by that 303 stuff, but I think its crap. I'm not surprised by your results. Nothing like the ole tried and true Armorall, and / or any of the 3M or Maguire products. I tried 303 twice and both times ended up scrubbing it off and using something else.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

Those stains are actually mold forming.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

That is not mold.
Never use Armour All on your boat. It will make everything slippery.
That stain as you call it is from the Sunbrella fabric.(The dye) You can do one of two things. Leave it exposed to the sun or get yourself some McGuire's Leather and Vinyl cleaner and either way it will come right off. I use there cleaner and leather protectant. (McGuire's) It's much cheaper then 303 for vinyl and does just as good a job.

 

[lakegeorge]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

I have an 18ft Searay runabout. Based on a recommendation from West Marine, I purchased 303's Fabric/vinyl cleaner and Aerospace UV protectant to clean my vinyl engine cover ( see photo # 1799). I followed the instructions closely for both products and finished with the Aerospace Protectant and dried down the engine cover. The products worked well and returned the engine cover vinyl to near-white.

The boat stays in the garage with the Sunbrella cover off of the boat. About two weeks after applying the fabric/vinyl cleaner and following that with the 303 Aerospace protectant, I needed to take the boat in for some repair of exterior fiberglass near the front of the boat. For the trip to the repair facility, I snapped in my Sunbrella cover, which fits into the factory snaps around the boat and also fits snug over the white, vinyl engine cover, which is where a stain was discovered that ran across the stern, where the sunbrella cover comes into contact with the vinyl engine cover. The Sunbrella cover was snapped into place for 1.5 weeks, while the boat exterior fiberglass was being repaired.

I removed the Sunbrella cover 1.5 weeks later, when the repair was complete.

( see photos #1996 ? sunbrella cover, #1995 vinyl engine cover, #1994 ? stain on the vinyl engine cover when Sunbrella was removed.

I took a look at the sunbrella cover and the area of the cover that comes into contact with the vinyl engine cover (which was stained). I see a slight sheen on its underside of the Sunbrella fabric, where it came into contact with the vinyl engine cover.

My thought is that the ?sheen? on the Sunbrella fabric is from a combination of the Sunbrella vinyl cleaner and the Sunbrella UV protectant and that somehow having the Sunbrella cover tightly snapped over the engine cover, plus the sun, may have caused the stain.

Does anyone have any other thoughts ? The vinyl was completely white before I took it in for repair and the boat had not been used since. The Sunbrella cover was never unsnapped and the boat wasn?t used. ???

I am hesitant to use the Aerospace Protectant any more, as it appears it could cause staining if the Sunbrella cover interacts with the protectant.

Also, I had to scrub pretty aggressively to remove the stains. Does anyone know of a product that I can use to restore "sheen" to the vinyl where I had to scrub to remove the stain ? ??

Any feedback

Sincerely,

Jason West

It is probably from the cover, or mold. If you leave the boat in the sun, uncovered, for a day it should help it to go away.

I have used 303 protectant for about 20 years and I don't believe there is a better product out there for vinyl protection. I will only use Armor all on my tires. Everyone has an opinion, but I'll bet more people use 303 than any other product out there on vinyl.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

Armour All is crap! I wouldn't be surprised if that stuff made your vinyl actually crack/split sooner. Has no place on a boat or car.

 

[captain zac]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

What needs to be done is

have a piece of vinyl put on the back side of the cover where the cover touches the vinyl
this should have been done when the cover was made
that is mold starting where the cover was touching the vinyl and got wet
with no air movement between the two surfaces and being left in the hot sun mold will grow

Harry

 

[Jasoniboat]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

It is probably from the cover, or mold. If you leave the boat in the sun, uncovered, for a day it should help it to go away.

I have used 303 protectant for about 20 years and I don't believe there is a better product out there for vinyl protection. I will only use Armor all on my tires. Everyone has an opinion, but I'll bet more people use 303 than any other product out there on vinyl.

Thanks, everyone for the feedback. I don't think it is mold, as the boat is always garaged and during the time the sunbrella cover was on 1.5 weeks, it was hot and dry. I still think there was some interaction with the 303 UV protectant, due to the 3 inch "sheen" on the sunbrella fabric, which corresponds to the same location as the stain on the vinyl, where the UV protectant was originally applied.

I was able to get 95% of the stain out... however, now I may need something to "brighten" up the area where I was scrubbing to get the stain off...

Does anyone know of a product that restores the shine/protectant to marine vinyl ??

 

[Malibu Rudder]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

I had the same problem with a black cover. I am still trying to figure out the mystery. I finally purchased a new cover and have not had the problems this year. The interesting thing is I did not have the problems with the original new cover the first year either. I only use 303 and am beginning to wonder if it did cause the problem. I love the stuff but am really concerned this may be the culprit. I thought it was the moisture causing the orange/yellow staining or the cover dye reacting to the sun onto the seats. My cover was black and when I purchased new I chose a light color. There are two other boats at my marina that have clack covers and are on their second year. They are having the same problems this year. Sun is the only thing that removes/lightens this stain. Do not use any other products on your vinyl except those the boat company recommends. You do not want to strip the seats. I saw a bottle of Simple Green in one of your photos and I would not use that product. Your seats are porous and Simple Green is not safe for porous material. If it did not rain and cause moisture to be trapped in between your seat and cover then I am starting to believe it may be the 303 reaction. ??? Still a mystery I wish I could resolve. Would a black cover stain a seat the color we are all fighting?? Mold sounds like common sense until you hear OP say no moisture. The boat owners at my marina who do not care for their boats do not have these issues.......makes me lean toward the protectant reacting. ??? Still a mystery.

 

[salty87]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

don't need rain for condensation to accumulate. air heated during the day has moisture suspended, once the air cools the moisture settles on surfaces. even in TX with highs of 105 during the day and a drought i have condensation on my grill and boat covers most mornings. a spacer to keep the cover from contacting the engine cover should solve the problem.

depending on how hard you scrubbed the engine cover you may see some premature aging/drying. the outter layer of vinyl protects plasticizers and uv inhibitors. 303 that area often.

repeating what's been said a few times...time in the sun is one of the best ways to remove a stain.

PS if you can find out the manufacturer of your vinyl they probably have care instructions on their website.

 

[Malibu Rudder]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

Salty87, do you have any suggestions for spacers? I have used the pool noodles to keep the cover off the seats but problems occur under where they sit as well. Is there something on the market made for this? The seats change shape temporarily when I try anything other than the cover. I am not trying to hijack the thread rather I believe many people can benefit from these questions. I have battled the same thing as Jason for four years now. It is under control at this point because I have a brand new cover but I truly believe I am going to fall victim to it again by next year.

 

[jbach]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

it's mold. and it's going to be difficult to get out. it is most likely in the cushion as well, leaching up through the vinyl

sunbrella is never dyed at any point of it's production, therefore will not leave stains or dye your vinyl, end of story.

try a mixture of 100:1 water/bleach soaked on a white hand towel. leave in on a spot for 20-30 minutes. see what happens.

and.... 303 is the best stuff available. i've used them ALL

 

[jbach]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

i've heard of folks having success taking the vinyl off and sprayed the foam and underside of the vinyl with bleach/water or even lysol to kill the spores. i've also heard of taking hypodermic needles and injecting the same solution under the vinyl to kill it.

i'm not sure of the correct procedure for vinyl but whenever i reupholster a cushion, it gets plastic in between the vinyl and cushion. it keeps the water out of the foam and makes it much easier to slip the vinyl over it and place it perfectly. good luck to all

 

[lkbum]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

Before using bleach to kill mold, you may want to google the subject. You will be surprised. On subject, I had a similar interaction with an acrylic cover (similar to sunbrella) and the top of my seats. To avoid future problems, I placed a couple of those cheap orange life vests between the cover and the seat top. This allowed air to circulate and kept the cover off the seat top. Worked really well and added a vent path into the cover which in turn kept the mildew down in the boat while covered.

 

[BRICH1260]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

A few days in the sun will take care of alot of it.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

it's mold. and it's going to be difficult to get out. it is most likely in the cushion as well, leaching up through the vinyl

sunbrella is never dyed at any point of it's production, therefore will not leave stains or dye your vinyl, end of story.

try a mixture of 100:1 water/bleach soaked on a white hand towel. leave in on a spot for 20-30 minutes. see what happens.

and.... 303 is the best stuff available. i've used them ALL

Due to the nature of Sunbrella fiber, it will not accept dyes. Sunbrella is not dyed in the conventional sense that most of us think of dyeing. Highly UV-resistant pigments are mixed in before it even becomes a fiber. Fiber is then cut, baled, blended, spun into yarn and woven into fabric.

This solution-dyed process is what makes Sunbrella fade resistant and bleach cleanable.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

Thanks, everyone for the feedback. I don't think it is mold, as the boat is always garaged and during the time the sunbrella cover was on 1.5 weeks, it was hot and dry. I still think there was some interaction with the 303 UV protectant, due to the 3 inch "sheen" on the sunbrella fabric, which corresponds to the same location as the stain on the vinyl, where the UV protectant was originally applied.

I was able to get 95% of the stain out... however, now I may need something to "brighten" up the area where I was scrubbing to get the stain off...

Does anyone know of a product that restores the shine/protectant to marine vinyl ??

I mentioned it before. Meguries vinyl and leather product. One for cleaning and one for protection

 

[JimS123]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

Armour All is crap! I wouldn't be surprised if that stuff made your vinyl actually crack/split sooner. Has no place on a boat or car.

Boy its funny how products can get such varied opinions. Must be differences in the environmental conditions around the country.

My boat is 29 years old and my towcar is 33 years old. Both have had a steady diet of Armorall since they were brand new. The upholstery in both still look showroom new. I tried it on the tires and found the appearance to be OK, but stopped because of the mess it made on my concrete driveway.

Two trials of 303 and i threw the bottle away. Sticky and blotchy appearance.

Now, having said all that, 2 years ago I did switch to Maguires. As someone else said, its the best around. I didn't switch because of problems with the Armorall, I just got a job at 3M and got the stuff for free.....LOL.

 

[Jasoniboat]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

don't need rain for condensation to accumulate. air heated during the day has moisture suspended, once the air cools the moisture settles on surfaces. even in TX with highs of 105 during the day and a drought i have condensation on my grill and boat covers most mornings. a spacer to keep the cover from contacting the engine cover should solve the problem.

depending on how hard you scrubbed the engine cover you may see some premature aging/drying. the outter layer of vinyl protects plasticizers and uv inhibitors. 303 that area often.

repeating what's been said a few times...time in the sun is one of the best ways to remove a stain.

PS if you can find out the manufacturer of your vinyl they probably have care instructions on their website.

THANKS FOR THE INFO..... Well, I am open to it being mold... but i am also suspicious of the 303 protectant now.... The main reason I am suspicious, is that there is a 2 inch wide sheen on the underside of the Sunbrella, where it makes contact with the vinyl engine cover. The stain on the engine cover vinyl and the sheen on the Sunbrella mirror each other....

GoldEagle, the makers of 303 sent me an email that they would be calling me about the issue and I will report back what I hear.

Now, I have the stain 95% out. Hopefully the sun will do the rest.

 

[airshot]

Re: Can you guys help me solve this problem/mystery with my vinyl and sunbrella cover

There is a lot of fancy products out on the market but one that has stood out for years that only the older "car" guys will be familiar with is D&L hand cleaner. It comes in can or tube and is a white cream cleaner material that contains lanoline. It is an excellent cleaner/degreaser and the lanoline protects the vinyl. Show guys use it on their vinyl roofs on their older show cars. I have been using it for about 45 years now and never had an issue or problem with it.