Question for the brain trust

[rgranger]

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

This is where I was going. It looks like chemical damage to me. Is it possible that something got set on top of the sunbrella.. even for just a moment ... and that something had some caustic chemicals on them? Maybe when you were building your cover you set a pvc pipe on the cover for a moment and the tip had some pvc cement on it? The circular pattern seems too well defined to be from a flapping tarp.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Well, if it is the boat cover, it should be easy to determine. It all depends on how the cover is draped on the boat. My cover only affects the primary winches on the coaming where the boat cover comes in contact during a wind storm. I've tried to tighten the cover to prevent the chafe, but to no avail. I've seen the chafing action from the inside on multiple occasions while visiting the boat and making inspections during the winter.

Actually, the wind explains why there are multiple wearing circles (there is actually a tear at one of the circles). Wind on the boat cover puts a lot pressure and rubs very hard on the winch, gusts cause the cover to lift and shift the winch cover, then the pressure is repeated. It happens all winter long during multiple wind storms.

Nobody is pouring bleach or chemicals on their winch cover while the boat is covered for the winter. That just doesn't make sense!

 

[Gunni]

Sunbrella has poor abrasion resistance. That is why our canvas guys stitch leather or plastic wear patches on areas of abrasion. I have seen shrink-wrap damage a bimini cover in one winter.

 

[jimmcgee]

Yup it's the winter cover. I get exactly the same thing.