MONTAUK Weather Canvas

[ktval]

Hi all. I was out fishing today and saw a MONTAUK boat with canvas that [wrapped] around the bow of the boat from the top of the rails to under the rub rail. It had a clear zip-in window in the front so you could get to the cleat and anchor. [Tell me] about this set up.

Where could I get one?

[The one seen] looked to be made of [Glen Ravin Mills SUNBRELLA]. Thanks.

[jimh]

For many years (until c.1997) the only supplier of canvas to Boston Whaler for sale as OEM accessories was by the Wm. J. Mills & Co., of Greenport, New York, on Long Island. On that basis, the Boston Whaler MONTAUK 17 boat you saw probably was set up with Mills weather canvas, including a FORWARD SHELTER. Mills uses the Sunbrella fabric, which I believe is still the Gold-standard for boat canvas. You can still purchase weather canvas for classic Boston Whaler boats from Wm. J. Mills & Co. You can find them on-line at

http://millscanvas.com/whaler-canvas/

To get more background on the Wm. J. Mills & Co. history of making weather canvas for Boston Whaler boats, you may enjoy listening to an interview I recorded with Jamie Mills, a fifth-generation canvas artisan for the company. To hear the recording visit

http://continuouswave.com/whaler/radio/

and follow the links there to the Mills interview. Listen to all three parts; it is a very good interview and has a lot of great anecdotes about the old days of Boston Whaler and Dick Fisher.

The rigging of a FORWARD SHELTER on classic Boston Whaler open-cockpit boats was rather common. You can see examples in these images:


A Boston Whaler OUTRAGE 18 rigged with Wm. J. Mills & Co. weather canvas, including Forward Shelter, Flying Top, Windshield, Side Curtains, underway in some cooler weather on Lake Huron's North Channel. Photo credit: Jim Hebert.


A Boston Whaler OUTRAGE V-20 rigged with Wm. J. Mills & Co. weather canvas, including Forward Shelter, Flying Top, Windshield, Side Curtains, and Drop Curtain. This color is called PACIFIC BLUE and is the original, probably most used (and perhaps most traditional) color. Photo credit: David Hart.

[ktval]

Thank you for the reply.

[A forward shelter] was not what I saw.

I saw a piece of canvas that rapped around the front rails and the extended down in front of the rails to just below the rub rail. It also had a small clear zipper-op clear window that allowed access to the front cleat.

[Dutchman]

What you saw appears custom made. Check with your local canvas supplier and tell them what you want with your boat there.

[jimh]

I do not believe that Wm. J. Mills & Co. makes the weather canvas you describe.

What do you think would be the utility of such canvas?

Why would you want to have canvas like that?