Commercial Sewing offers various fabric materials and coatings designed to protect a variety of outdoor marine and power sport equipment. The development team is consistently working with suppliers to innovate the line of Outer Armor covers, enclosures, and accessories to stand up against the harshest outdoor elements. The primary fabric used in the manufacturing of outdoor power sports and marine equipment covers is solution-dyed polyester as it has many benefits over other types of fabrics. We ensure the fabrics we use are properly treated for water repellency, ultraviolet exposure, mold and stain resistance, and are constructed to have an excellent tear and abrasion resistance.
Our standard fabric used in many cover applications is a 7-ounce fabric constructed from 600 Denier Filament Woven Solution Dyed Polyester with an EPA regulated water-repellent treatment specially formulated with a “Gel Coat Friendly” urethane coating. The fabric is durable yet lightweight with incredible abrasion resistance that eliminates the need for reinforcements. Given the high tear and tensile strength in both warp and fill directions, it has high dimensional stability and rebound memory. These characteristics make this fabric ideal for contouring to the shapes of boats and power sport vehicles without stretching.
“Solution-Dyed” means the color is introduced at the filament extrusion process resulting in long-lasting UV stability and color fade resistance.
This fabric innovation was a well-needed solution to solve color fastness while keeping out moisture and preventing mold in outdoor cover applications. One of our partners, Glen Raven, is a leading provider of outdoor fabrics in the United States today. Together, we developed this optimal outdoor fabric cover solution called SurLast®, which has been in use since 1985. SurLast® is available in 7-ounce, 8-ounce, and 10-ounce constructions to meet all outdoor marine and power sport applications.
The added benefits of the Balance Weave versus the Standard solution-dyed polyester are a tighter 8-ounce weave which adds strength and enhances the surface water repellency for improved performance and longevity. The majority of outdoor canvas products for marine and power sports use this fabric for covers that can withstand long-term outdoor storage and trailering. The enhanced benefits are the following:
The Series 70 fabric was developed out of the need for a stronger and longer-lasting solution for bimini tops. The Series 70 fabric has all the same benefits as the Balance Weave, however, it is a heavier 10-ounce product that is designed for longer outdoor exposure, active use on bimini tops, and is ideal for repetitive installation of cockpit and bow covers. It is also recommended to customers looking for covers in lighter colors, such as shades of gray.
Sunbrella®, manufactured by Glen Raven, Inc., is an acrylic-based fabric with many of the same benefits as the polyester fabric products with a few minor differences. Sunbrella® is well-known for applications in marine canvas, outdoor shades and upholsteries. The marine-grade outdoor canvas from Sunbrella® used in our products is a 10-ounce fabric that allows moisture, within the cockpit of a boat, to escape over time. The fabric, known for its ease of cleaning and resistance to fading, is treated with water repellency and is mold and UV resistant.
Our shipping covers were specifically designed at the request of our customers to transport and store the finished product while also being able to show the boat periodically. Our transportation covers are installed within 10 minutes by two people and are an improved alternative to other transportation materials that require heat shrinking and longer installation times.
The transport material is made from a non-abrasive polyethylene coated needle felt that is constructed with welded seams for complete waterproofing. It comes in a variety of weights from 5-ounce to 8-ounce pending the products being transported and longevity required. It is very versatile for long-haul highway transportation and can be given to the consumer as a temporary winter storage cover.
