New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Breathable Dinghy cover
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Breathable Dinghy cover
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123>
Author
  Share Topic Share Topic  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
Paramedic View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more


Joined: 27 Jan 06
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Paramedic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Breathable Dinghy cover
    Posted: 30 Oct 12 at 7:20am
Theres a couple of boats at my club with weathermax covers that are now around three years old. Granted, they do not look new but neither are they massively discoloured or leaking.
 
With top covers i think the thing that kills them is trailing, in the dinghy park they're fine as long as they are put on correctly and cant flap.
Back to Top
sargesail View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 14 Jan 06
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1459 		Post Options Post Options   Quote sargesail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 11:15pm
I'd get on the 300 yahoo group and ask the question then.  I had a boat that had that issue, but it was from a batch, limited 10 or so boats that had a problem.  The gel coat issue is not wide spread...and is most common in the boat when someone leaves the sail in through the winter, trapping water.  The point about fit is more valid than ever for the 300.  You need to be sure they can make one that fits: there have been some very bad ones over the years.  Let me know how you get on: my RS one has been very good but is beginning to show its age.
Back to Top
dkr1 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 15 Jun 10
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 23 		Post Options Post Options   Quote dkr1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 10:32pm
Many thanks - useful feedback.  The feeling I'm getting from the thread is that people hold R&S covers in high regard. 

It would be for an RS300 that are known to have a known problem with the gel bubbling under standard PVC covers.  Has anyone seen problems like this with Hydralite covers?
Back to Top
sargesail View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 14 Jan 06
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1459 		Post Options Post Options   Quote sargesail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 10:19pm
I'd say the 2K fleet is a good place to get a view - the LPE products have always been so poor that there has been a large sample on which to try different non-SMOD suppliers.  R&S seems to have become the fleet standard.
Back to Top
Rockhopper View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 16 Nov 07
Location: Eastry
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 642 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rockhopper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 8:31pm
+1 from me too for a R & S cover first i have had one  on the 2k very impressed with thickness and quailty from them
Retired now after 35 seasons in a row and time for a rest.
2004 national champ Laser5000
2007,2010,National Champ Rs Vareo
Back to Top
Mark Jardine View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar

Joined: 12 Mar 04
Location: Milford-on-Sea, United King
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1028 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Mark Jardine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 8:06pm
Originally posted by Pastyman

For what it's worth I have had both a cover from R&S and another from a major sailmaker in Weathermax
I will not be replacing the Weathermax with another the R&S cover is still going strong (on the boat I sold 18 months ago) whilst mine is in need of replacing Wink


+1 from me for the Rain & Sun covers (and not because they're an advertiser Embarrassed!)
Back to Top
Pastyman View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: 06 Dec 07
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 30 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Pastyman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 7:49pm
For what it's worth I have had both a cover from R&S and another from a major sailmaker in Weathermax
I will not be replacing the Weathermax with another the R&S cover is still going strong (on the boat I sold 18 months ago) whilst mine is in need of replacing Wink
Back to Top
Roger View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 23 Mar 04
Location: Somerset
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 524 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 7:17pm
My comments are as ever from my personal experience, and this of course will differ from others, they do of course not contain direct one to one comparisons in identical situations so should be take with caution.
 
The one real strength of weathermax is that it does not shrink or grow, I understand the threads will stretch but do recover to original length, this is not true of acrylics or polycotton.
The other interesting fact is that while weathermax is available in 2 weights, 8oz and 6.5oz, it doesn't appear that any of the "major" dinghy cover manufacturers specify which weight is used (anybody know?), it would be easy there fore to suggest they use the lighter/cheaper fabric, but I really dont know, just as I don't know which weight the weathermax cover I've had is.
 
I guess one of the difficulties with this is having to wait several years to see how a cover really bears up to the rigours of the British weather, while I would expect the material manufacturers to do this I doubt the cover makers have the time and money, and will need to trust the data they are given. I still think looking around the boat park is a good way to see whats standing up well to all thats been thrown at it.
 
 
Back to Top
fudheid View Drop Down
Far too distracted from work
Far too distracted from work
Avatar

Joined: 21 Apr 11
Location: 51.53 N 01.28 E
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 241 		Post Options Post Options   Quote fudheid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 5:49pm
Interesting Roger - the tech specs give weathermax better abrasion over standard acrylic (acrylic is pretty rubbish in this department), we haven't had it long enough to get that sort of feedback. 
Potentially for dinghy covers it is maybe to similar to acrylic - and should be left to sailcovers and sprayhoods and the like.
Top gun should not be anymore than weathermax or polycotton from my experience (and what we charge).
Also if the cover cloth has a PU coating tis will hinder the breathability of the fabric, in which to answer the original question the best breathable cover cloth is polycotton (taking Roger's comments re weathermax).
We use polycotton on everything from dinghy covers upto large yacht winter covers. Bear in mind that salt/dirt/u.v all help to degrade the cloth quite quickly and this can be negated by cleaning and reproofing. Fabsil has u.v. inhibitors in which will help the cover and stitching to last.
Most threads used will last around 4 - 5 years before the u.v rots it. Like most things marine annual upkeep will keep your stuff working longer......
if you want to see the charts showing the differences between this lot this site has alot on it all (nothing to do with me but good charts for cross referencing)
Cheers you

only me from over the sea......
Back to Top
Roger View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 23 Mar 04
Location: Somerset
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 524 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Oct 12 at 5:28pm
At the risk of being a little controversial I doubt I would ever choose a weathermax cover again, I did get one with a boat I bought, and would say life expectancy is little more than 2 years.
Abrasion resistance seems poor compared with acrylic cloths, have a look at a sample and make your own judgement, I would however say its a great material for undercovers, folds up small yet heavy enough to provide some real protection compared to the thin nylon undercovers supplied by some.
 
Hydralite appears to be unique to R & S, I have no affiliation, but does seem to wear better than weathermax, although I have no data on relative waterproof or breathable properties.
 
While weathermax seems to have become the material of choice for the large sailmakers over the last few years I feel the best course of action is often to take a walk round the dinghy park and look at various covers a year or two into their normal life, you should have an idea of which boats stay out 12 months of the year, see how they are surviving. Also take a look at the fit, if the fit is poor then the material is unimportant.
 
As stated above "Top Gun" is probably the best material available, but not many use it as standard, probably due to the cost.
At the end of the day too many people choose covers on cost alone, boats worth thousands of pounds suffer a cheap cover to save a few quid, and suffer as a result.
 
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <123>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.665y
Copyright ©2001-2010 Web Wiz
Change your personal settings, or read our privacy policy