Question for the brain trust

[Phil Herring]

These winch covers were new in August of 2013 and have been on the boat one winter.

This looks like chafe to me, but anybody have any thoughts on what might cause it?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

My winch covers have been damaged by the winter cover constantly rubbing on them. If the boat wasn't covered, I imagine that wind could easily be the culprit just by causing the covers to be buffeted. We get fierce winter winds that the boat is exposed to.

 

[steve stark]

Do the circles match the winch handle socket in size? Was a bird perched on top of the cover, or nesting there out of the wind?

Seems like there would need to be a fair amount of weight on the cover, though, for vibration to wear the fabric.

 

[woodster]

from the fist pic on the left it looks like something has been laying on it for a long period of time...the hole in it tells me that it had something resting on it and rubbing it under maybe wind motion

 

[Phil Herring]

Yeah, that's how it looks to me: significant weight on top of the winch, then a vibration or slight sea motion.

 

[Mad Dog]

Yeah, that's how it looks to me: significant weight on top of the winch, then a vibration or slight sea motion.

Might the winter cover not have had adequate support at the winches, and sagged under snow load? Then snow movement during a melt, over the course of the winter, caused the chafing?

 

[tommays]

I four Harken branded covers in forest green starting there fourth season on a sunny mooring and there has been at best mild fading

I "ASSUME" there sunbrella as the color matches stuff we have made and know 100% it is

 

[Phil Herring]

Yes, it's marine-grade Sunbrella, industry standard for this kind of cover. I don't know what Harken uses but I assume the same.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Mine were damaged far worse in just one winter. The cover is very abrasive and when the wind is buffeting the cover, the sunbrella is no match. Better the winch covers than the boat cover.

 

[patrickince]

Was there any chance of bleach or other chemical that took the colour out and broke the material down.

 

[Phil Herring]

I would think that would cause less defined damage, more a splash pattern. But maybe if it was a slight drip?

 

[patrickince]

The rings are the size of a lid that may have been set on the cover whilst using the bottle of chemical.

 

[CalebD]

I like Parick's idea.
Some of the Interlux thinners (202, 216, 333 etc) are made with pretty toxic stuff like lacquer thinner & MEK. Even gasoline is a strong solvent.
The damage looks like a heavy ring shaped object was left on it for a long time but the damage could have been done in 1 afternoon if you can find a thinner that damages Sunbrella like that.
The damage would become apparent days/weeks later if it was chemical degradation of the material.
Were these winch covers returned items?

 

[Winkfish]

To my untrained eye, it doesn't look like normal chaffing to me. It looks to tight to have been general. Is the center of your winch that raised?

 

[FourPoints]

To me that doesn't look like chafing, it looks like compressive force smashing against the top of the winch with the cover on. put a piece of sunbrella over a winch, set a piece of pine 2x2 (like what is often used for supporting the shrink wrap covers) over it and snap it in half with your feet, I bet you'll see similar marks in the sunbrella.

 

[kloudie1]

I am with FourPoints on this one.. something hard and heavy was put on top .. several times. It may have been done inadvertently at the fabricator?

 

[Phil Herring]

They were fine on delivery but it happened while the boat was covered for the winter.

 

[Joe]

Looks like bleach, bottle cap marks.

 

[Ron20324]

Mine are like that, from people getting into the cockpit while placing their bags on top of the winches for support.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

They were fine on delivery but it happened while the boat was covered for the winter.

Mine are damaged exactly like that, but much worse ... it's the sailboat cover. All it takes is for the wind to cause the sailboat cover to slab incessantly on the top of the winch. The sailboat cover is probably a much tougher and more abrasive material. Find out if the color of the winch cover has marked the inside of the sailboat cover. Mine is stained burgundy from the winch covers.