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I've got a relatively new (maybe 5 years old) eisenglass front enclosure on the bridge of my boat. The sewn seam along the zipper has ripped out, seemingly due to rotten threads. This is a problem I've seen on a lot of other boats too.

I was planning to either take it to a pro to have the whole thing completely re-sewn by machine, or possibly to try to do it myself by hand.

Question is: is there something better to use for thread, besides the standard stuff, which seems to rot out after a just few years?

Also, am I nuts to think i would be able to do a decent job of hand-sewing this?

sean
both questions are yes, i forget the name of the thread they use, i belive uv used it and might chime in with the name, real tough stuff

maybe gore text ?

Sean,

Both Tenara & Goretex threads are the best, but you may have difficulty finding a canvas shop that uses one or the other. You may have to buy & supply the thread.

Hand sewing?? Forget it! That might be OK for a quick stop gap fix for a small spot.

Br,

Patrick

That is just what I needed - thank you !!

I wasn't too enthusiastic about the prospect of hand sewing all those seams anyway...

Based on the website info, I think that they would be recommending the Tenera "M1000HTR 2800 Denier", which has a breaking strength of 15 lbs.

They also sell a 30 lb. break-strength thread, the "4800 Denier." Should I go RFB as usual and get the 30 pound stuff, or will this thicker thread just piss off the guy that I hire to sew it?

Sean,

I'd leave the technical answers to the canvass shop... Find someone who will work with the Tenara, & might even already have it available, & go from there.

Br,

Patrick

I have hand sewn some similar situations with fine mono thread used for fly tying. Sewing shops also sell the same stuff under clear nylon thread at half the price. I think either Singer or Coat's and Clark sell it in a plastc covered hang card sold as sewing machine supply places and even variety stores. I usually double it. The few patches I have done have outlived the rest as the mono never rots. walter

I like the idea of monofilament line, because it cheap and easy to get... but wouldn't the Florida sun eat that up?

I thought about the threaded "spiderwire" type fishing line too, but not sure how rot resistant that stuff is. I know it doesn't rot on my reels, but they also don't get wet as often as they should

Spectra is practically indestructable and comes in white. You can buy it by the yard in a fly fishing shop that installs backing, rather than buy a 100 yd spool. Walter

Sean
The tenara thread is the way to go. The problem that I hear is that canvas guys in the south don't use it because they count on the repair work. My canvas guy up here in NJ only uses it so his customers don't have that problem.