How to Repair a Torn Boat Cover

A boat tied up to a dock
What You'll Need
Canvas with tear
Patch Piece of canvas
Canvas adhesive or fabric adhesive
Scissors
Sail maker's needle
Sail maker's polyester thread or sewing machine
Measuring tape
What You'll Need
Canvas with tear
Patch Piece of canvas
Canvas adhesive or fabric adhesive
Scissors
Sail maker's needle
Sail maker's polyester thread or sewing machine
Measuring tape

Repairing a torn boat cover is a simple job. The boat cover can be repaired by using a small sail repair tape. However, the repairs done using the sail repair tapes won’t hold for a long time. This is because of climate change and heat. Over time, the adhesive present in the sail tape will be damaged and then finally the repairs will be useless. With that in mind, reinforcing the boat cover using a needle and thread or sewing machine is the best method because it is an easy, less expensive, and longer lasting solution.

After gathering your supplies, follow these step by step directions to repair your torn boat cover.

Step 1 - Measure the Torn Area

The first step is to find the length of the patch or torn area using a ruler or a measuring tape. Use this to calculate the size of the canvas required to cover the torn area. Add an extra four inches around the tear size in your measurements.

Step 2 - Cut the Patch Piece

woman cutting fabric

Using scissors, cut the patch piece with the extra four inches around. For example, if the torn area is two inches long and three inches wide, then the patch piece needs to be six inches long and seven inches wide. Two patch pieces are needed to cover both the sides of the boat cover and both should be of the same length and breadth.

Step 3 - Work on the Patch

Apply the canvas adhesive to the patch pieces and place them on either side of the tear. With the patches in place, weight them down. A book, wooden block, or other heavy item is ideal for this. Allow the adhesive to dry completely under the weight. This works as a strong reinforcement for the stitching. Even if the stitches loosen out, the adhesive will help keep the patch cover attached.

Step 4 - Stitch the Patch Canvas

Reinforce the glued patch with stitching all the way around. Be sure to add extra stitching at the beginning and end so it doesn’t unravel. Then inspect the entire patch to make sure there are no gaps. If there are gaps at the edges, glue it down and add stitching.

Although repairing a torn boat cover isn’t difficult, make sure that you follow each step carefully so your repair will last under the demanding stress the boat cover endures.