We offer a choice of two materials. Please see further down this page for notes about fabric breathability.
Lightweight 90% waterproof and breathable. A polyester woven textile fabric burgundy colour, giving excellent strength, good (90%) waterproofing and keeping that all important breathability, particularly appropriate for wooden boats. A 90% waterproof material will generally only let water through where it is in contact with a hard surface; you can still get puddles lying on the fabric demonstrating how waterproof it is! Unlike cotton, a polyester fabric does not soak up damp from the air, something that cotton is very good at doing!
Easy to use and packs up small so convenient to carry around. The prime choice for breathability.
Mediumweight totally (100%) waterproof. A PVC coated polyester grid, grey colour (was red, new photo soon), giving excellent strength and full (100%) waterproofing, although alas therefore no breathability. Thicker than the lightweight; the prime choice for waterproof protection.
Note about breathable and breathability. Strictly speaking this term does not have anything to do with breathing; it is all about allowing water to evaporate through the fabric (permeability). We have not found any fabric or other material that achieves the Holy Grail of 100% waterproof (that is totally impervious to water) which is also breathable. It seems to us that this is a contradiction; you can have one or the other, not both. True, there are fabrics that supposedly achieve this when used as outer clothing (eg Goretex). The catch is that the breathability is forced by the warmth of the body wearing it; rather difficult with a boat cover !
- Our breathable fabrics comply with
- BS5066 (resistance to shower)
- BS3702 (resistance to wetting)
- BS3424 (water vapour permeability)
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