I'm Almost Out of Questions, But Not Quite Yet, So....

[jojo]

How do you sew a reinforcement patch on a boat cover in an area where there are a lot of darts? The area I want to tape the patch to won't lay flat.  Should I have put the reinforcement material on before I darted?
Thanks again, guys, you are lifesavers!

[Mike8560]

That what I would do sew the patch on then do the darts  if your parrtening it easy just mark the spot  if useng a blank. Mark for the dart on the boat then on the table  sew on the material cut the cset lines and sew them.  If the darts is alelready dine it going to be hard

[jojo]

Thanks Mike. Yes the darts are already sewn. Is there any way to cement a patch? It's sunbrella.

[Mike8560]

Wouldn't try glue.  You could try to fit one on The inside
but it would be allot easier to Open up the dart and sew o. Some reinforcement eith it flat then resew the dart. 

[JuneC]

I always make the patch with similar, but not necessarily the same darts.  I like to make them at a slightly different position so they're not overlaying the cover darts.  Sometimes you can get away with fewer than on the cover.  I haven never sewn in the reinforcing patch, then put the darts in both layers.  That gets too bulky for my taste. 

June

[Mike8560]

If I do a reinforment patch I don't use the same like sunbrellaa I figure if it's glint to take so long for an object to rub through I don't want it to take twice as long.
I use a strong rip stop material even though it may shrink
differently  and not worry about it    As a demo to folkw I've taken some herc 80 and poked it with a screwdriver. Trying to make a hole to show them hot tuff it is.

I see where your comming from jojo.  on this flats boat on the bow it has a trolling motor

http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/covers/100_1360.jpg

if I had sewn the cover fo fit with all darts it would have been hard to turn it inside out ant try to see a flat reinforment on. And to sew darts onto it first sonit would Kay inside  would be tuff as well I guesse youncouldncutnit out from thebpatter also  I just sew the patch on whole the canvas is flat. Cut and sew the darts  I havnt had it  creat a problem with a second later of ripstop
On a side note you'd think a vinyl skated fabric would shrink when I for cold. And i've  seen this.
One time when I was making  anvS framed snowmobile covers I was using this type of canvas.
United Corp later swallows by John Boyle now trivantagebcause ( Boyle and astrup merbed )
had this ripstop called coverlight the canvas was install nice and tight one day then that night sitting the fold  December night loosened up and sagged between the aluminum frames 12" apart   I ticghened it the next day only to have it loosen agsinnthst night. So I didn't use it anylonger  

[jojo]

Thank you June, I took your advice and it worked ok (still not pretty on the inside of the cover, but they'll never know).
Mike, I use laminated vinyl for the patches; the prop blade on that trolling motor is very sharp.
Once again, you guys are lifesavers!
Thank you!