Are You Considering Buying a New Boat Cover?
Posted on: 26 March 2020
Are you happy with the cover on your boat? When your boat is first built then it undoubtedly looks smartly turned out, but over time there will inevitably be wear and tear, particularly with items such as the canvas cover. Boat canvas covers can easily pick up stains and start to appear tatty. If you think your boat would benefit from a new cover, then make sure that you can answer these three questions before you think about buying a new boat canvas cover.
Are you bothered by birds?
Do you think that a dark-coloured cover would be better at hiding stains and imperfections so that your boat cover looks better for longer? In most cases, you would be right, but there is an important exception to this rule. One of the biggest problems which boat owners have to face regarding the appearance of their boat is caused by sea birds. Boat canvas covers can often become heavily marked by bird droppings, and these droppings are light in colour, so they will always look worse on a dark-coloured cover than on a light-coloured one. If your boat will be spending a lot of time in a marina where there are a lot of birds, then opting for a light-coloured cover is the right option; otherwise, choosing a dark-coloured cover is a better choice.
Do you suffer from glare?
At sea, owners rely on boat canvas covers for protection from the glare of the sun. A dark-coloured canvas cover will always block more of the dangerous UV rays than a lighter-coloured cover. Reducing the amount of UV rays which your skin is exposed to will prevent your skin from burning and lower the risk of developing skin cancer and similar conditions. A lighter-coloured cover will allow through more of the solar energy, so if you choose a light-coloured cover, you will have to take additional measures to protect your skin.
Does it get too hot?
Taking your boat out on the sea on a hot day can be a good way to get some fresh air, but it is still possible for it to get too hot under canvas boat covers. The darker the colour of the cover, the hotter it can feel underneath it, especially if there is limited headspace for the air to circulate below the cover. If you use a lighter-coloured cover, then you should be able to remain cooler for longer, even in hot conditions.
Choosing the right colour boat cover is always a compromise, but understanding the conditions in which your boat will operate allows you to choose the most suitable cover for your conditions.
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