RE: Torn windows

[tlhdoc]

 cb
I am guessing that your PU is no longer under warranty, so if you are good at sewing I say do it yourself. []  If you find it too hard you can then have a pro do it, but I bet you can do it yourself.

[Garrett]

 cb
I have fixed a couple of my windows.  I used a waterbed/swiming pool repair kit to patch the vinyl window and then sewed it back to the zipper.  The problem I am now having is I used cotten thread and the new thread is breaking.  Does anybody know what kind of thread to use for this.  Other than that it worked just fine.

[mike4947]

 cb
Windows are the worst. A household machine won t cut it. The vinyl grabs ahold of the needle and won t let go. It s because the unlike the cloth the needle actually has to penitrate the vinyl and it holds on to the needle.
 IMHO we take the canvas off and let a boat cover place do the sewing for us. Look under " boat, cover" , or " cover, boat"  in the Yellow pages.  We ve found most repairs are under $20 if it s just sewing and well worth the money. Those people know what they re doing. We ve even explained about canvas getting " tight"  and they ve opened up seams and gave us a little " breathing room"  on several ocassions.
 
 As for the thread, it is cotton that s used, just a different grade. Big fabric stores, if you ask, can get you what you need. Just explain what it s going to be used for.
 They use cotton because; unlike synthetics; it swells and seals off the holes in the seam.

[madrone]

cb
I have fixed a couple of my windows.  I used a waterbed/swiming pool repair kit to patch the vinyl window and then sewed it back to the zipper.  The problem I am now having is I used cotten thread and the new thread is breaking.  Does anybody know what kind of thread to use for this.  Other than that it worked just fine.

When we had to mend canvas sails when I was a kid, we used a wicked sharp needle and heavy duty cotton thread which we pulled through a block of beeswax.  Waxing the thread kept it from fraying or rotting and the wicked sharp needle got through all of the layers of canvas.