Eizenglas encloser shrunken...???!!

[jfrprops]

Ok gang,

So the Eizenglas encloser panels on my recently purchased Fairchild Scout 30 have shrunken from age and some years of non use....BUT ...they are in great shape considering....and I hate to just trash them and go for new.

Clearly these things shrink in the canvas strips that backup the edges and have the fasteners.

The fasteners are in some cases almost a full inch from matching up.

Does anyone have experience with trying to stretch these things or is that impossible?
John in Va.

[RRGadow]

I would call a canvas "expert" and get their opinion...It may get easier to "adjust" when its warmer. Where a photo of that Scout of yours?

[JimF]

https://www.google.com/search?client=sa ... 8&oe=UTF-8

I don't know anything about these but it looks like what you need. Love the Scout!

[jfrprops]

Ryan, Google "Fairchild Scout 30"

Jim, thanks..that is a neat product for sure....but the problem I have it not with the zipper panels but with the snap on type that have the female part with the spring and the male part mounted to the boat .....and the fabric edges of the eizenglas panels have shrunk such that each connector is now an inch or so too short to match up....common problem, experienced before on other boats....tempted to make up a sort of jig with pins to insert into the connectors and then a screw type mechanism to tension the whole apart somehow....and maybe a hair dryer to apply a needed bit of heat?

re doing the position of the pins would work but leave a lot of holes to fill in the cockpit roof edges.....that being said, if I have totally new panels made up by the canvas guy....he will almost certainly want to replace and realign the old pins ...so I may end up with the same holes to patch.....?????? just looking for advice from those with same problem.

thanks,

John in Va.

[boat_art]

John....that looks like a great boat....what year is it?

[joanroy]

John, I think the jig idea could help. If it shrunk it should swell, ya know, like a wood boat. I'd heat it with a hand steamer instead of a hair dryer in a warm building. It's worth a shot. Good Luck!

[jfrprops]

boat-art......1980.....

joanroy.....yeah...the STEAMER idea is a good one....I may take a measurement of how much stretch I need for one of the panels and do a trial run on that......guess I could easily make up a template or storyboard sort of deal with nails at the present pin locations and try to stretch the stuff here in the shop to fit those locations?

more ideas?

John in Va.

[jamesm2733]

John

Very classy boat.

Have your canvas guy add length to the snap portion of your canvas. Zip in the canvas, mark where you will need the snaps to be installed. Google canvas snap installer tool if you want to install your own snaps, or return to the canvas shop and they should do it for you.

Jim

[jfrprops]

Jim, thanks for the reply

Re setting new fasteners in the canvas is a good concept...but all of those tools and etc that come up through a Google search seem to be for the snap on type or the type that twist 180 degrees to hold the female part on......I have the older style...the quarter size female on the canvas (with the internal spring deal to snap over the pin with the ring shank end) and the straight pin on the boat.

If I could find a tool to add new female half to the canvas and eizenglas just placing it in the right position and leaving the old ones that don't reach.....well that would be really the way to go.
OR, MORE TO THE POINT.....I guess I could just get the press tool for the modern snaps and install them BETWEEN the old style ones and abandon the old fasteners on the canvas and grind off the ones on the boat and replace at appropriate spots with the new still male single mounting screw type. Would be sort of messy leaving the old in the canvas...but ???

Any ideas on that ?

John in Va

[jamesm2733]

How about cutting above the snap line from the eizenglass and adding material in between. You will want to check with your canvas person.

[jfrprops]

lots of good replys......many thanks.....

"Canvas Guy": well my former one has moved from his waterfront location ......

The curtains I have are quite old, the eizenglas portion being in the best condition and the canvas strips water stained and ratty looking...but still this is a total enclosure and expensive...and you hate to just ditch the other.....

I appreciate all suggestion.....keep em coming.....

John in Va.

[RRGadow]

I know what your boat looks like....I did a lot of work on one down in Wilmington, NC. Just wanted to see yours Did you get rid of your other cruiser?

[jfrprops]

Many thanks for all the advice....upon a second attempt to fit this shrunken and aged stuff...I have determined it best to ditch it and have new made.

thanks,

John in Va.

[offshorespars]

I have a 1978 30' Sportsman with Eizenglass side panels. I have had the same problem if I winter store the boat with the panels off. In the spring they are not close to snapping in place. When I launch I snap whatever I can and leave the rest loose. On a warm, sunny day they will all snap back in place albeit with some effort. After that initial stretching they are no problem for the rest of the season.

[jfrprops]

yes offshorespars, that is usually the case...but these had been off for many years and were too far off to mess with.....I ditched them.

thanks,

John in Va.