Selecting the Right Boat Cover Material for Your Needs
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boat cover is only as good as the material it’s made of. Depending upon the weather conditions in your locale, the right boat cover material can make the difference between a cover that protects your boat for years and one that quickly deteriorates. In choosing a material, the wise boater will consider not only year-round weather conditions, but also the role a cover is to play. A boat stored in a protected area, and seldom if ever trailered, will not require the same protective cover needed by a boat stored in weather conditions or trailered.
Boats stored in the sun will need a boat cover material with good UV protection, while boats stored in humid areas will need a cover made from a fabric that breathes and is resistant to mildew. And for boats that sit under snow or are exposed to heavy rainfall, primary considerations will be the material’s strength, weight, and resistance to penetrating water.
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Boat Cover Materials on the Market
Poly/Cotton Boat Covers
Poly/cotton blend canvas is typically the least expensive
boat cover material. It will suffice if you store your boat in a covered facility away from adverse weather conditions. It provides good breathability, and most of these boat covers are treated to inhibit mold and protect against UV damage. Even with these added protections, Poly/Cotton covers, like Double Duck, are more susceptible to UV damage, rot or mildew than the fully synthetic Polyester based covers.
Polyester Boat Covers
The family of polyesters offers the most popular candidates for boat cover material. If you choose polyester or a polyester blend, make sure you choose the one most suited for your weather conditions – especially if you store your boat outdoors.
- Polyester Boat Covers - One hundred percent polyester improved the durability of covers immensely over older natural fiber covers. Polyester boat covers won’t stretch or shrink and they provide good water resistance with a moderate level of breathability. Polyester boat covers, like Performance Polyguard and Sharkskin Supreme are strong, durable, and fairly resistant to UV and rain.
- Acrylic-Coated Polyester Boat Covers - Polyester fabric coated with an acrylic to increase the UV resistance and water repellency of the boat cover. Acrylic coated polyester is the most popular material for semi-custom covers due to the combination of high general durability and modest price. Acrylic coated polyester boat covers include Sharkskin Plus, Odyssey III, and Hot Shot.
- PVC-backed Polyester - Polyester with an impermeable, waterproof PVC backing. This boat cover fabric trades breathability for fully waterproof characteristics.
- Urethane-coated Polyester - Taylor Made’s Ultima Fabric is a urethane coated polyester and is reserved for their custom boat cover line. It provides superior UV protection which can extend the life of the cover and the level of protection it provides in hot and sunny climates
No material will meet every need in all weather conditions or in all scenarios of care and use. If in doubt, talk to your local boating brethren and you’ll quickly get a sense of the favorite materials in your locale. As in navigation, local knowledge can play a worthwhile part in choosing an appropriate cover for your boat.
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