Sail boat covers

[lfaust]

I own a Lido 14 and have decided to keep it dry docked at the yacht club. I would like to get a cover which will extend to the boat's water line, w/ mast and boom up and in place. I want a cover which will protect from sun damage, that breathes, that is waterproof and is durable. Can anyone give me any pointers about how to choose (polyester vs. lucite; dark vs. light color) etc.? Also, could you recommend where to purchase?
Thanks,
lfaust

[Letrappes]

Look up the Sailors Tailor. I've bought covers for my Flying Scot from them and they do good work. According to their website they have a couple types for you. Somewhere in there is a document telling you how to choose the right material for your needs.

[TejasSailer]

This chart from sailrite.com might help.

http://www.sailrite.com/PDF/Outdoor%...on%20Chart.pdf

As for color, some folks claim that dark fabrics are more mildew resistance than lighter colored fabrics. I think it might be that mildew is less visible on darker fabrics.

[TejasSailer]

I just recalled that the December 2011 issue of Practical Sailor had a five-page article -- Functional Fabrics: Sunbrella and WeatherMax face off in a long-term test. Both are recommended. The sewability of Sunbrella was rated higher that that of WeatherMax.

Briefly, Practical Sailor reviewed three marine fabrics:

Sunbrella (6001): $18.25 per yard / 10 year warranty; sew ability: excellent
Sunbrella Plus (8401): $23.40 per yard / 10 year warranty; sew ability: good
WeatherMax 80: $14.50 per yard / 5 year warranty; sew ability: fair

Half-dozen unnamed canvas shop “pros” were asked why Sunbrella was favored and reportedly “Handle-ability is a big consideration, and many find Sunbrella more user friendly. The material’s texture is sewing-machine friendly, and with an industrial walking foot or a conventional-feed machine, there’s no seam puckering or slippage.”

Tests included breaking strength, ability to shed water, pressure permeability, flogging and chafe testing.

Mechanical properties slightly favored WeatherMax.