As you may have already clearly understood, your boat will be exposed to many harmful environmental conditions on a regular basis. Of course while you are out in the water your boat will be exposed to many things. But it is important to note that your boat will also need to endure quite a lot when it is not in use as well. For this reason you would need to invest in a suitable boat cover to protect you boat from the following and taking into account the harm such aspects can bring, it would be advisable to invest in a suitable protective covering to protect your prized possession.
If you look at the various options of marine canvas material available in the market, you will find the terms waterproof and water resistant being used. These actually refer to very different properties. Those that are waterproof are capable of repelling water. To impart this property, they are often made of vinyl, have a vinyl coating or have a layer of lamination. Water resistant fabrics have a treatment to prevent water from leaking through but this treatment tends to wear away with time. According to this waterproof fabrics might seem good but it is important to remember that they are not breathable. Therefore they should be used in properly ventilated boasts to prevent moisture build up under the surface.
Other interesting properties you should look for in a boat canvas is UV resistance and chafe resistance. UV resistance is actually a high priority quality you should look for because your boat will most often be exposed to the sun. Some of the most popular fabric options for this include Sunbrella Marine Grade fabrics. Good chafe resistance will help provide additional reinforcement in areas that need it the most. The use of Shelter-Rite Vinyl patches in such areas is highly recommended.
Since you will be spending a considerable amount for such a protective product, you would also want to look at what other properties are provided by the canvas. The durability of the structure over time is one such property. Polyester materials are quite strong at the start compared to acrylic forms but it often lasts for about 5 years. Acrylic is known to provide longer protection due to the stable structure.
Jerome Julian is writing about Birdsall Marine Design, the marine products and Marine Canvas supplier, based on his working experience with a boating products supplier MarineProducts.net in West Palm Beach.