Choosing the right cover for your boat means taking many factors into consideration, with climate and weather as your primary concerns. Exposure to sunlight, water, snow, ice, salt, dirt and mildew can result in expensive maintenance and repairs if you choose a fabric for your boat cover that does not suit your environment. Here at Savvy Boater we sell Carver and Westland boat covers - two industry-leading brands that offer a wide variety of boat cover fabrics and colors with options to accommodate every weather system.

Carver Industries

Carver Industries, based in South Carolina, has been in the boat cover business for over 30 years and offers four different fabric choices to fit your budget and environmental needs. Carver has the widest selection of fabric types and colors in traditional covers, pontoon covers, specialty covers, and personal watercraft covers.

Best All-Round Boat Cover Fabric - Sunbrella
Sunbrella is Carver’s top-of-the-line fabric and is considered the leader in performance boat cover fabrics due to its breathability, water repellency, UV resistance and durability, making it an ideal option for hot, cold, humid and wet climates alike. Sunbrella fabric is 100% solution dyed marine acrylic. It comes with a 10-year warranty and has such excellent sun blockage the American Cancer Society endorses it. So, while it is a more expensive choice than some of the other boat cover fabrics Carver offers, you can feel comfortable knowing that your boat will be well protected for many years when you choose Sunbrella.

Best Boat Cover Fabric for Hot, Sunny Climates - Sun-Dura
Sun-Dura is the 2nd high performance boat cover fabric that Carver offers. What sets Sun-Dura apart from the rest is that it is made from 100% solution dyed polyester which means that the colors are a part of the fiber itself, not just applied to the surface. That makes this fabric an ideal choice in hot, sunny climates, while still offering mildew resistance in more humid climates. Sun-Dura is a more economical option than Sunbrella and comes with a 7-year warranty.

Best Boat Cover Fabric for Tear Resistance - Performance Poly-Guard
Performance Poly-Guard is Carver’s strongest marine grade fabric, made of 8 oz polyester, but is lighter on the wallet than their Sun-Dura fabric. This boat cover fabric ranks high for breathability, water repellence and mildew resistance but really earns its stripes because of its tear strength, making it the best fabric for trailering your boat. Carver boat covers made with Performance Poly-Guard come with a 5-year warranty.

Best Boat Cover Fabric for Breathability - Double Duck
Double Duck is an 11 oz, tight weave cotton poly blend fabric and is the most economical fabric choice that Carver offers. This fabric has a UV and mildew resistant finish on it and this, combined with its high breathability rating, makes it ideal for use in tropical and humid environments. Carver boat covers made with their Double Duck fabric come equipped with a 3-year warranty.

Westland

Based in Tennessee, Westland has been in the boat cover business for over 40 years. One of the oldest boat cover manufacturers in the United States, Westland makes covers to accommodate almost any boat from inflatable dinghies, to pontoon boats, to cruisers. Vessels from over 150 manufacturers can be fitted for Westland's Custom boat covers. Buyers choose from four fabric types and 26 colors. Westland provides Custom and Semi-Custom boat covers, “proudly handsewn” with Sharkskin and Sunbrella marine fabrics.

Best Boat Cover Fabric for Durability - Sharkskin Supreme
Sharkskin Supreme is a 7.5 oz, 100% solution dyed polyester fabric that is durable with long-lasting color. It is breathable, water repellent and mildew resistant and comes with a 7-year warranty. UV inhibitors in the fabric prevent degradation, cracking and peeling allowing for all season protection in any marine environment.

Best Boat Cover Fabric for Every Day Use - Sharkskin Plus
Sharkskin Plus, a 6.5 oz woven acrylic-coated polyester fabric, is lightweight and durable, breathable and mildew resistant. The reduced weight of this fabric makes it easy to handle and ideal for consistent daily use while still providing outstanding protection for your boat. Westland boat covers made with Sharkskin Plus fabric come with a 5-year warranty.

To make the best decision when choosing the fabric for your boat cover, be sure to take into consideration your lifestyle and your boat make & model, in addition to the climate you live in. Buying a new boat cover is an expensive endeavor and not something that you want to have to repeat every couple of years. Taking the time to weigh all your options when it comes to selecting the fabric for your boat cover will ensure that you successfully purchase the right cover that perfectly suits your needs, while providing the very best protection for your investment, for many years to come.

Still have questions on choosing the right boat cover? Visit our boat covers buyer guide for more information.