Best boat cover material for me?

[gtochris]

Our local established canvas shop offers two materials that she recommends for me.
-Sunbrella (we all know)
-Aqualon (spelled something like that)

Both are about the same price, the Aqualon is more water proof where as I know the sunbrella breaks down if you don't continuously treat it.

I'm looking to have a 1 piece cover made for the cockpit and bow rather 2 pieces that always leak. I still have the original sunbrella bow & Cockpit cover that are akin to a screen door at this time and have been using a mooring cover by Taylor for the last year that has completely fallen apart and I'm disappointed I'm not getting any response from Taylor on the warranty- Although it has been very water proof as it's made out of some type of nylon.

We try to keep the boat as dry as possible, I have no carpet in it. Any suggestions on what route to go?

 

[Chris1956]

Sunbrella is a lot tougher than you stated. It lasts a decade w/o any treatment.....

 

[JASinIL2006]

My Sunbrella mooring cover needs to be treated with waterproofing every 3-4 years or so, and my boat doesn't even spend all its time outside. I can't imagine it going 10 years without any treatment.

 

[gtochris]

Thoughts of mine are- I was all set to stick with Sunbrella as it's the standard of the industry it seems however with the extreme amounts of rain we have had this year, I'm not sure how waterproof it would still be. Plenty of boats I see with fairly new canvas- the covers look like wet rags and don't bead water where as the other material strength I'm told is to avoid water coming in.

 

[TyeeMan]

If I were you I'd have your boat cover lady contact Marlen Textiles and look at Top Gun or Top Notch fabric the stuff is phenomenal!! I've had two covers made from Top Gun Fabric and the latest is the Top Notch fabric. All 3 covers were on 3 separate boats. All 3 covers were snap on travel covers that I could easily pull at 70 mph into the wind.

https://www.marlentextiles.com/top-gun-colors.html

The fabric is breathable, water proof, extremely little to no stretch, fade resistant.

 

[bruceb58]

I made the Sunbrella cover on my boat in 2004. As of now, it's just starting to need to be replaced. The stitching is actually what is failing. My new cover I will make will use a Teflon type thread.

BTW, TopGun is not as breathable as Sunbrella which is why I would not use it.

 

[gtochris]

I made the Sunbrella cover on my boat in 2004. As of now, it's just starting to need to be replaced. The stitching is actually what is failing. My new cover I will make will use a Teflon type thread.

BTW, TopGun is not as breathable as Sunbrella which is why I would not use it.

14 years is pretty good!
My OEM 1999 covers are still functional, I had some of the stitching fixed/ replaced but overall they are still covers.

I think you all have convinced me to go Sunbrella again.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Also, just because water doesn’t bead, doesn’t mean the Sunbrella isn’t repelling water.