Hi Richswing,
You can get polyester rip stop in most colours which will match the colours of your canopy. If you can't get an exact match, there are colours that are semi transparent lite lime green, yellow, light grey etc. It doesn't have to be sticky back sail repair tape.
What you do is buy a roll of Spinnaker tape. It's usually about 7mm wide, transparent and double sided, and you don't know sticky until you've played with this stuff!
Apply a heap of pieces covering the entire patch side by side, not leaving any gaps, then trim the excess off. Leave the backing stuff on until you are ready to stick of course.
Use a mild detergent or alcohol to clean the repair site and remove the backing paper from the patch. Ensure the patch extends 2cm past the damage in all directions ie, a 1cm hole, cover with a 5cm square patch, then stick the patch on and allow it to sit in the sun, then use the back of a spoon or some other smooth hard object to rub the patch in. It should go transparent when the glue bonds in tight with the weave of the fabric.
If it is in a high load point, place a 4cm square patch on the other side of the canopy as well making sure none of the sides match up.
The tape is the bomb and shouldn't lift if done correctly. I think Neil from HTLK in Wembley sells it for about $5.50 a roll. It will last you forever for small repairs. If you want a hand, drop in on me and I can help you and show you how to do it. I also have some tape if you need to borrow some because Neil is going on Holidays soon, so don't delay.
A larger repair should sewn as well as bonded due to glue melting in high temps and the cloth being pulled apart will tear further.
Good winds,
