Cloths

[Chertsey]

OK, I haven't got any gunnels yet, but that's kind of in hand (I know what and who and where, just not when I'll have saved enough money up.)

 

But as for cloths - where do people go to get them made?

Are there people to whom you can say 'I'd like a set of cloths for a Large Woolwich motor please' and they will know what I mean? And if so, what sort of a price premium is there for that knowledge? Or can I get a set of drawings/specification of some sort to take to a more generic stitcher of cloth-type things? Or would I have to take measurements myself?

Having talked to lots of people I'm pretty sure I want Regentex, but would anyone like to talk me out of that?

 

First hand experiences particularly welcome. Thanks.

[Chertsey]

There was a long thread about cloths on the hNBOC mailing list 3-4 years ago. If you are a member you should be able to trawl the archive.

Aaaargh! A Yahoo group n'est pas?

 

Thanks for the other tips though.

[koukouvagia]

I can recommend Karl (KC Covers, Coventry) who made the cloths for Owl and Hampton at a very reasonable cost. I've had the set on Owl for about fifteen years and they're still pretty good. I didn't use Regentex, but a sort of rubberized canvas - 'fraid I don't know what it's called.

One tip I found out by accident is that if you want to spruce up a set of these covers, wash them over with bitumen, diluted with white spirit to the consistency of water. They look like new after this treatment.

 

The next job will be to add the lettering to the covers. I first made a set of stencils using a computer font. On Owl I used ordinary paint which was a mistake because it needs re-doing every five years or so, but for Hampton I found a car spray paint that's specially made to stick to rubber. Again, I can't remember what is called.

 

Edited July 7, 2010 by koukouvagia

[twbm]

We got ours from Tarpaulin Supply and Repairs in Brum. We'll be fitting them on Saturday when you visit so you can see what we got for our money. I've been to the workshop - they are a small business in a satisfyingly untidy workshop who can do pretty much anything with tarp, canvas or whatever. If you're having the gunnels done where I think you are, you can also see an example of Petes work on Brighton.

[Derek R.]

Aaaargh! A Yahoo group n'est pas?

 

Thanks for the other tips though.

 

Oh! Ye of little persistence!

 

Filched from aforementioned: -

 

On Tuesday, April 17, 2007, at 12:43PM, "PETER BALDWIN" <delospeter@...>

wrote:

>The material I recommend is called Topgun. It was recommended to me by the

>one-time owners of Battersea and Actis [ sorry, the owners name has slipped

>my mind ]

>

>I chose not to go the Regentex route since I was told that this is not

>manufactured in black the colour I had decided to use.

>

>I started with canvas side cloths but they have rotted after less than three

>years.

>

>In the meantime, I went for Topgun topcloths and they have weathered well. I

>think but am not sure that it is cotton based but otherwise synthetic and

>not too shiny. Slightly slippery to fold but fine to walk on.

>

>The suppliers of the made up sheets are Tarpaulin Supply and Repair at 51

>Tyburn Road B24 8NP - in the shadow of Spaghetti Junct [ I guess a stones

>throw from the Element yard!! ]. I found Steve and Sean most helpful.

>

>I have just paid ?175 each for new side-cloths - almost full length. By the

>way, my top cloths stop short, by design, by about 2 feet from the back end

>so I can look more or less fully clothed up but still get to the hold fairly

>easily. I have a short final top cloth of about 6' to go right to the back

>end in case I really want to look the part.

>

>Hope that helps

[dove]

Just placed an order with Martin and Sam off Kestrel and Vienna, at Braunston. The're just starting up so I thought I'd give them a chance (keep it on the cut and all that).

 

Andrew

[Chertsey]

Just placed an order with Martin and Sam off Kestrel and Vienna, at Braunston. The're just starting up so I thought I'd give them a chance (keep it on the cut and all that).

 

Andrew

I talked to Sam (if that be her name) too so it will be interesting to see whether you are pleased with yours. Do you have a rough delivery date?

 

We got ours from Tarpaulin Supply and Repairs in Brum. We'll be fitting them on Saturday when you visit so you can see what we got for our money. I've been to the workshop - they are a small business in a satisfyingly untidy workshop who can do pretty much anything with tarp, canvas or whatever. If you're having the gunnels done where I think you are, you can also see an example of Petes work on Brighton.

That's one of the reason's I'm coming!

 

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Anyone care to throw in an idea of the cost? I've heard it can vary widely.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Chertsey

[luctor et emergo]

My current plan is to have deckboards, which would suit my operation, and get a simple tarpaulin cover over that for bad weather, rather like Liam's boat. Having said that, I am stil considering the option of a gas cage at the front, following the lines of a front cabin. If I go that route, I may well opt for high, toblerone shape, covers after all.

 

There is a tarpaulin maker near Marlborough (in the Savernake forest, a stones throw from the K&A) which I will contact. A colleage recons that his work is very good.

[Tim Lewis]

For Fulbourne we got cloths made up by a firm called DH Load Controls in Halesowen, but who are now trading under the name of Rhino Cargo Control. This was on the recommendation of Friends of President who had used them for new cloths for Kildare.

 

The cloths are made of a synthetic black fabric - can't remember if it is Regentex or not, but Tim will probably be along soon to remind us.

 

They have performed quite well - certainly better than the cotton canvas cloths we used previously, but recently they have started to become porous in a few places - the rain gets in and you can see pinholes of daylight from inside the boat.

 

There was a long thread about cloths on the hNBOC mailing list 3-4 years ago. If you are a member you should be able to trawl the archive.

 

We have drawings of our cloths, which would presumably fit Chertsey if you want something similar.

 

David

 

We did use Regentex and as Dave has metioned they are looking a bit thin now although I have yet to see them leak - we have however had four years out of them which is probably as long as Canvas stayed waterproof!

 

Spoke to the owners of Renfrew at Braunston who also have Regentex cloths who are experiencing the same.

 

We chose Regentex as we couldn't for the life of us find black canvas on the market and Regentex seemed to be the closest match we sould find, all other synthetic materials we looked at were too shiny in our opinion.

 

We would be interested if anyone does know a supplier of black canvas or a nice looking synthetic alternative for consideration next time we replace them.

 

Tim

[Pluto]

We would be interested if anyone does know a supplier of black canvas or a nice looking synthetic alternative for consideration next time we replace them.

 

Tim

Charlie Atkins told me that in SUC days, canvas was treated with horse grease to colour it and make it waterproof. I never did find out exactly what horse grease was, and whether it was refined from dead horses.

[Tim Lewis]

Charlie Atkins told me that in SUC days, canvas was treated with horse grease to colour it and make it waterproof. I never did find out exactly what horse grease was, and whether it was refined from dead horses.

 

Fulbourne is fitted out as a camping style boat and although we like to do things traditionally the thought of sleeping under horse grease treated cloths on a hot summer night is not something we would look forward too

 

Tim

Edited July 8, 2010 by Tim Lewis

[dove]

I talked to Sam (if that be her name) too so it will be interesting to see whether you are pleased with yours. Do you have a rough delivery date?

 

Anyone care to throw in an idea of the cost? I've heard it can vary widely.

 

 

I just said this side of winter, the cost is to be around £1000 ish for the set. They are doing NB Jubilee first so we'll going for a look when the're fitted.

 

Andrew

Edited July 8, 2010 by dove

[1-Cylinder Wonder]

Charlie Atkins told me that in SUC days, canvas was treated with horse grease to colour it and make it waterproof. I never did find out exactly what horse grease was, and whether it was refined from dead horses.

 

I wonder if the reference to "horse grease" may be referring to Neatsfoot oil. This is commonly used to condition saddlery os would have been a known quantity to boatmen and probably readily available at low cost from the tannery's around the canal. It an be used as a waterproofing.

 

John

[Derek R.]

I thought maybe saddle soap, but Google for Horse Grease brings up Equine grease, or Hoof grease. There is also an ailment called 'Greasy hoof', not that.

There is also Hoof Oil, which I can testify stinks to high heaven.

Neatsfoot oil is good stuff, but being primarily for soaking into stiff and dry leather to make it supple may not be the best.

My last tin was £4.50 for 500ml.

 

None of it is cheap (horses don't do cheap), and one retailer wants £5.53 for 50grams of equine grease - yes FIFTY grams. Another, £20 a litre.

Grangers 'Fabsil' works pretty well on canvas too, though for waterproofing rather than extending its life. Camping shops sell that - a gallon can is most economical, forget the sprays.

 

Derek

 

EDIT: There's Barbour wax too, but you need to warm the material and the tin of wax for best penetration, messy, and at £7 a 200ml tin!

A by-product from a tannery would be what was most likely used. Everything is packaged and price tagged nowadays. - Coal dust + cement = pricey briquettes?

Edited July 9, 2010 by Derek R.

[Pluto]

I was down at Gloucester yesterday, looking at the Canal Transport collection which came from Eanam Wharf, Blackburn. There was one file in the uncatalogued section which had details of boat covers, in amongst which were several samples of canvas. There can't be many such examples surviving, should you want to see exactly what was used originally.

[Graham_Robinson]

But as for cloths - where do people go to get them made?

Are there people to whom you can say 'I'd like a set of cloths for a Large Woolwich motor please' and they will know what I mean?

 

First hand experiences particularly welcome. Thanks.

 

Yes there are people who you could say that to...@ Brinklow Boats contact Rex as I believe Katharine Wain may be making cloths again. Very good quality they were too.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Graham_Robinson

[Christine]

Or perhaps Stockholm Tar - used on horse's hooves as an antiseptic, I think the farrier used to call it 'oss grease.

 

It is the most glorious and very best smell in all the world - I have a bit in a tin in the Odds and Eends draw which I sniff - er - quite often.

 

Used in waterproofing lots of maritime things like wood and canvas I belive.

[TimYoung]

All,

The cloths on Rudd are green Regentex18 and as we camp in the hold we leave them green. Outside, however, we paint them black with Solignum Architectural woodstain, in Ebony. This extends the life of the cloths to approx 10 years. If you don't roll them up, probably longer.

Tim

[Chertsey]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll let you know what happens once I've got the gunnels....

[Derek R.]

Or perhaps Stockholm Tar - used on horse's hooves as an antiseptic, I think the farrier used to call it 'oss grease.

 

Forgotten about that - farm shops selling equine tack will have it - wonderful smell - like stepping on board H.M.S. Victory. Must confess to being a bit of a sniffer too . . .

 

Derek

[Speedwheel]

All,

The cloths on Rudd are green Regentex18 and as we camp in the hold we leave them green. Outside, however, we paint them black with Solignum Architectural woodstain, in Ebony. This extends the life of the cloths to approx 10 years. If you don't roll them up, probably longer.

Tim

 

The cloths on rudd are very nice.