SFR Strangest Thing

DFG · Apr 2, 2022

I did my annual springtime maintenance on my raft this morning. I pulled the frame out, cleaned and treated the raft with protectant, reassembled it... When I put the cover back on it didn't fit right. How the hell does that happen? Either the raft got bigger (I did top off the air in the pontoons and floor) or the cover shrunk. I tried to imagine what it might be, but got nothing.

Northern · Apr 2, 2022

I just chalk stuff like that up to a glitch in the matrix

RCF · Apr 2, 2022

Put in the sun and see if it stretches/relaxes some?

albula · Apr 2, 2022

I have a belt that suffered the same fate recently.

MT406 · Apr 3, 2022

What material is the cover made out of ?

Triggw · Apr 3, 2022

DFG said:
...I did top off the air in the pontoons and floor...

^^^

east coast · Apr 3, 2022

albula said:
I have a belt that suffered the same fate recently.

Thank God I'm not the only one. I thought it was just me!!!!

DFG · Apr 4, 2022

MT406 said:
What material is the cover made out of ?

Some type of coated canvas, I think.

Tom Butler · Apr 4, 2022

DFG said:
Some type of coated canvas, I think.

I have issues with the soft top on my MG and with the cabin enclosure on my sons Thunderjet. Besides getting them nice and warm in the sun as @RCF mentioned I have used products like this in the past to reduce it and prolong the life of the fabric. I'm sure there are more boat applicable products, but this is what I had.
https://mossmotors.com/mg-midget-au...ge-tools/blue-fabric-top-reviver-by-renovo-1l
https://mossmotors.com/vinyl-canvas...-and-protectant-by-raggtopp?336=2974&aid=7539

RCF · Apr 4, 2022

Tom Butler said:
I have issues with the soft top on my MG and with the cabin enclosure on my sons Thunderjet. Besides getting them nice and warm in the sun as @RCF mentioned I have used products like this in the past to reduce it and prolong the life of the fabric. I'm sure there are more boat applicable products, but this is what I had.
https://mossmotors.com/mg-midget-au...ge-tools/blue-fabric-top-reviver-by-renovo-1l
https://mossmotors.com/vinyl-canvas...-and-protectant-by-raggtopp?336=2974&aid=7539

As Tom indicated applying products helps. I would also suggest removing some air from your pontoons so that the cover attaches. Then allow the sun and heat to relax the fabric. As it relaxes put in some air SLOWLY, bit by bit, to help stretch it out over the period of several hours; or so. Obviously do not over inflate nor go too fast.

I did this on some of my convertible tops on sport cars in the past. Could not close the top, but as the sun and warmth hit it, the top slowly moved to where I could close it just under the weight of the top itself...

Good luck and be patient...

DFG · Apr 4, 2022

I can't believe that cover changed size in the hour that it sat on the ground (versus the last year on the raft). Topping off the 'toons shouldn't have changed anything, since they were already inflated, but just a bit soft. (If I had hair left on my head I'd probably be pulling it out!)

It might just be that it wasn't pulled down enough at the bow, which stresses other parts.

When the rain stops I will take it off, look everything over again and reinstall it. (Hey - it works for computers! Maybe rafts work in the same way.) Thanks for the comments though.