Mouse Fur Pros and Cons, Temporarily?

[Canibul]

For what it's worth, Gary's Upholstery never bothered to answer my two questions, which were "what's delivery on 30 yards and who do you normally use to ship International?"
No reply. Guess 30 yards is small potatoes.

Anyhow, if anyone else is looking at this stuff I found much better prices, much better response and service at Hulliner and Headliner 72"

[Ex-Calif]

This is exactly the kind of stuff I need. My boat has a "spongy" vinyl cabin roof and sides. It is a combination of this stuff on "cardboard" panels screwed in and directly bonded to the hull.

It is not torn or ripped but it is 30+ years old and very dirty - uncleanable.

Please update with your delivery & install experience. What color are you going with?

I'd need to get this stuff to Asia in the next 3-4 weeks.

[Canibul]

I'd be surprised if you couldn't find something like this in Singapore. Do a local internet search for hull liner.

I'm having issues with shipping already. I guess 30 yards is too bulky for UPS. I've asked the shipper to check with DHL International and also to see if cutting it into two 15 yard bundles would do it.

Another problem is the adhesive. I can't get the preferred 3M air shipped, so am looking for local alternatives that are already on the island. This whole thing may have to come sea freight.

Our boat didn't have this already, except on the interior plywood bulkheads. The inside hull and overhead was foam rubber covered by vinyl. On overhead areas it was attached to thin plywood and screwed to the ceiling. We're changing all that for our tropical lifestyle. We're painting the overhead and high moisture areas, and using this mouse fur for the rest. I measured all the pieces, gave them labels, and then laid it all out on Google Sketchup.

[rognvald]

Canibul,
3M Adhesive Remover is excellent for removing glue in conjunction with a scraper knife. After removal, you can sand with 80 grit and remount the covering of your choice with 3M spray adhesive. I have used these products for 25 plus years with good results. "Mouse Fur" had a much different name in Chicago during the 60's when it was used on dashes and rear shelfs in automobiles and was the favorite of "Greasers"(the black leather jacket crowd). It was called "P-ssy Fur." I'm surprised they still use it today. It complimented blue subdued lights under the dash that cast an alluring spell on hapless, yet willing females at the local drive-in theater. Why not try a vinyl covering or a higher grade of indoor/outdoor carpeting which is easier to maintain and does not catch dirt? Thanks for the memories! Good luck and good sailing.

[Canibul]

We're unable to get the 3M stuff sent via usual way, i.e. no aerosols. So I'm looking for local alternative.

We're going with this stuff because it's a cheap and easy way to cover the bare fiberglass interior until we decide what we really want to do with it. We don't want to delay getting out until it's all 'perfect' and yet we don't like scuffing bare skin on raw fiberglass weave and we for sure don't like looking at it. I see this as a way to cover it cosmetically without having to remove all the old glue. Quick.

Vinyl....nope. anything we put up has to breathe. The thinner the carpet, the better.

[rognvald]

Canibul,
When we did our last boat, we used a marine mastic that we applied with a brush. It worked great and was tenacious. Check out: 3M Fastbond 10 Neutral Contact Adhesive--$29.28 through JMS Online. Good luck and good sealing!

[colemj]

The Nautilex stuff is in no way similar to 1960's automobile dashboard and shelf covering. Heck, it is made from a fiber that wasn't even invented in the 1960's. It actually doesn't look bad or too cheap, and is WAY above vinyl or indoor/outdoor carpeting for walls.

Mark

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by colemj

The Nautilex stuff is in no way similar to 1960's automobile dashboard and shelf covering. Heck, it is made from a fiber that wasn't even invented in the 1960's. It actually doesn't look bad or too cheap, and is WAY above vinyl or indoor/outdoor carpeting for walls.

Mark

Geez Mark,
You didn't have to ruin my day. I was just remembering the scene at the Harlem-Irving Drive-In when Godzilla emerged from the sea and my high school girlfriend said she wanted to go steady and wear my letter sweater . . . the blue lights glowing faintly on the floor, the P_ssy fur moving imperceptibly in the light Summer breeze and a sudden impulse to ,somehow, despite the ensuing terror of a prehistoric bully attacking the terrified residents of Japan-- a matter more important, at hand, with the blue lights dimming, the volume turned down low and the windows rolling up tightly in the front seat of my 62 Chevy. Good luck, good sailing and may your memories of your youth be as rich as mine . . .

[colemj]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Geez Mark,
You didn't have to ruin my day. I was just remembering the scene at the Harlem-Irving Drive-In when Godzilla emerged from the sea and my high school girlfriend said she wanted to go steady and wear my letter sweater . . . the blue lights glowing faintly on the floor, the P_ssy fur moving imperceptibly in the light Summer breeze and a sudden impulse to ,somehow, despite the ensuing terror of a prehistoric bully attacking the terrified residents of Japan-- a matter more important, at hand, with the blue lights dimming, the volume turned down low and the windows rolling up tightly in the front seat of my 62 Chevy. Good luck, good sailing and may your memories of your youth be as rich as mine . . .

Oh, I remember her too…

Mark

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Geez Mark,
You didn't have to ruin my day. I was just remembering the scene at the Harlem-Irving Drive-In when Godzilla emerged from the sea and my high school girlfriend said she wanted to go steady and wear my letter sweater . . . the blue lights glowing faintly on the floor, the P_ssy fur moving imperceptibly in the light Summer breeze and a sudden impulse to ,somehow, despite the ensuing terror of a prehistoric bully attacking the terrified residents of Japan-- a matter more important, at hand, with the blue lights dimming, the volume turned down low and the windows rolling up tightly in the front seat of my 62 Chevy. Good luck, good sailing and may your memories of your youth be as rich as mine . . .

Sorry to further burst you bubble - the material you are describing "waving in the breeze" is actually bringing back the memory of Cheech Marin's Impala in "Up in Smoke" - LOL

As for the drive in the guys in HS ribbed me when I bought a 327 Chevelle "wagon" (Mom's car) instead of the two door! That is until my girl and I hit the drive in, backed in dropped the tailgate (for a while) and got in the bed!

On topic - I sat in my car for a while yesterday looking at the grey headliner thinking, "Can I live with this on the boat?"

I am pretty sure I can. Especially if I can find a sand or white color.

The shipping is disappointing. I will try to source in Singapore but as I have said many times. Almost everything is here but it is a bit of a treasure hunt to find it.

I have been looking for 1/2 round bulb seal for about 3 weeks. I have found several suitable for making aluminum doors but not the cross section I need.

<sigh>

[JibGirl]

We're in the process of doing this on our 30 foot S2 and came to the mouse fur conclusion for similar reasons - hardy, economical, not the worst looking thing in the world and application seems more manageable than, say, vinyl.

My shipping experience won't help, since we're stateside, but we/I have taken on the removal of the old glue.

Dang. The previous gluer(s? pretty sure there are multiple layers here) was an enthusiastic slapper on of some kind of brownish glue - by the sheer volume of it I'd guess a brush on contact adhesive.

It is coming off fairly easily (although I do need around three applications on the bumpier glassed sections, although of smaller and smaller areas) AND without headache / contact high with Citristrip.

I recommend it. Although the next boat will, for sure, NOT require any work on the interior. Man...

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by JibGirl

We're in the process of doing this on our 30 foot S2 and came to the mouse fur conclusion for similar reasons - hardy, economical, not the worst looking thing in the world and application seems more manageable than, say, vinyl.

My shipping experience won't help, since we're stateside, but we/I have taken on the removal of the old glue.

.

Just curious as to why the mouse fur is more manageable to install?

I found one supplier of auto upholstery here in Singapore. Going there later this week to see what options I have...

Many times here to get what you want they order, add shipping and mark up and order it from the US. It can make it easier but the mark ups are steep. I'll know Thursday...

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Just curious as to why the mouse fur is more manageable to install?

I found one supplier of auto upholstery here in Singapore. Going there later this week to see what options I have...

Many times here to get what you want they order, add shipping and mark up and order it from the US. It can make it easier but the mark ups are steep. I'll know Thursday...

The stuff is easy to install because it's not woven to a mat or any kind of backing. It's polypro punched back through itself. That means it's not rigid in the horizontal plane like firm, normal carpet. And this means you can stretch it and fit it over bumps, around compound curves, etc. easily. It conforms to irregular shapes well.

[JibGirl]

Yup - that's my understanding - it's got a lot of give.

Installation is a couple of weekends away for us yet, but I'm hoping it goes fairly well.

I've seen some vinyl installation photos, and man... Easy to make that look terrible. It's very unforgiving.

[Canibul]

I'm having to sea freight my roll of it down here. Going to be another week and a half. sixty pounds of mouse fur. And I bet what I took off the boat that it's replacing was more like 200 lbs of plywood and vinyl. Another nice reason to try this stuff. It's light.