Received New Canvas from TJ

buggyjdav

I have a 2004 342, needed canvas as mine was falling apart after 12 years. Have to give a rave review on buying canvas from TJ (boattech01). I ordered just a few weeks ago, received it today. Have not put it on yet but it looks great. I have the aft curtain with the snaps now, I received the one with the bunji's from TJ. I messaged TJ to see if that is going to be an issue, he replied immediately and we spoke by phone. I can use the bunji's by installing the receiver buttons below the snaps or he said he would order a new aft curtain piece with the snaps whichever I prefer (non returnable item no less). I am going to try to use the one with the bunji's (any opinions appreciated)

When you need canvas TJ is a fantastic guy to do business with.

Michael T

The bungi loops are far superior to snaps. Your canvas will be easier to install and last longer. You can make snaps to cover the snap on receivers installed on your boat that will look oem. If you really wanted to make them disappear give them a couple of coats of white spray paint first then snap them on. I have done this on friends' boats and it looks fine.

Liberty44140

X2 on both comments. I got a few new pieces from TJ last week and they fit the boat and they went with my old pieces quite well. His service and response was great. Michael is correct that the bungees are FAR superior to snaps. I had snaps on my 310 FV and now have bungees on the 342 and both the wife and I love them. The people around us on the dock who have a Larson and Crown Line commented this weekend on how Convenient the bungees are to their snaps. So... Go bungee if you can.

dhlOASIS

Some of our canvas has shrunk and we found these snap extenders online. What we would rather have is an extender with bungees on the end to allow some flexibility in the fit. Has anyone seen anything like it online?  Thank you. 

Michael T

The snap extenders do work, a friend had to use them on his canvas when it shrunk. Where I find the bungee great is that it allows for the natural expansion and contraction cycles of canvas that happen many times a day and take a LOT of stress off the seams, particularly where they are sewn into the clear windows.

summerx

I had the bungees on my last boat, and MISS THEM TERRIBLY on this one....I have considered seeing about switching this canvas to a bungee system.

MarkB

Bungees are definitely the way to go. So simple to use, and is the best as the canvas stretches and shrinks, keeps the tension on just right!

frodo13056

The actual name for the bungee / shock cord style fasteners are  StayPut fasteners and you can google them to find out where to buy them. I bought a bunch of spare bungees for my boat just to have them in case some broke off of E-Bay. ANother company called SailRite sells them as well. Only negative is that the shock cords do tend to stretch a bit over the years (I'm on my ninth season with my 08 320) but you can easily take the fasteners off and cut excess cord and re-attach them. I have had to shorten several of mine in the last few seasons. Another trick is to twist the shock cord once or twice to get a much better fit if they are a bit too long. Other than that, I really like them since they are a breeze to fasten down in a hurry.

dhlOASIS

@frodo13056 this is exactly what I am looking for. Thank you.  We have all snaps so I am trying to figure out if/ how this will work for us. I found this link on Amazon. Is this what you have and did you have the bungee system originally or snaps?  Thanks so much. http://www.amazon.com/Stayput-Bungee-Fasteners-Surface-Attachment/dp/B00ERFZ37E

frodo13056

@dhlOASIS - that's what I have. I'm pretty sure that Rinker started using these as a standard attachment for the rear and side canvas in 2008 - so my boat came from the factory with the StayPut fasteners. I think that the snap canvas may need to be modified to use the StayPut fasteners in place of the snaps - you need the canvas to be shorter than where the posts go. Might be best to buy a set and see how you can fit them up. Ideally, it would be nice to use the existing holes where the snaps are to mount the posts. 

dhlOASIS

@frodo13056. Great advice. Thank you. 

Hedge

Hi buggyjdav ...I also just got canvas from tj for our 2006 342 and very pleased with his service. But have you installed it yet? I tried last week and could not get the cord piece to slide into the track in the arch  and that was the short one on the backside which should be the easiest of the two. I am going to try again on a hot day when the track is warmer and also spray it with furniture polish and with extra pulling power hopefully that will work.  So I am just wondering if you experienced this?

buggyjdav

Hedge I have the canvas on the boat. I didn't have an issue getting it into the track, my issue was it pulling out of the track in one place.

buggyjdav

Those of you that have the bunjis, are they supposed to line up with the flat vertical portions of the aft fender holders? Mine do not line up, they would need to be installed on the curved portion of the fender holders. 

buggyjdav

Wanted to post an update. The canvas with the bunjis are apparently made for the 342 that doesn't have the fender holders aft. The bunjis don't line up and wouldn't look correct nor fit well as there is not enough canvas to tuck into the fender holder curves. I am waiting on a replacement aft camper curtain from TJ. Make sure you specify snaps or bunjis when buying a new aft camper curtain.