SAILRITE® MARINE BOAT TOP & CANVAS:
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
A lot changes in several decades of working in an industry. I still remember when I was very young and my father would take me to marine training conferences to learn about new materials and techniques for sewing on boats. On one particular outing, I remember a seminar on Solution-Dyed Acrylic Fabrics and how look and feel alone could lead a buyer astray. The speaker’s point was that it is the base fiber that is important, in this relatively new era of solution-dyed acrylic synthetic fabrics. These synthetic marvels could easily be “copied” in looks and even feel from other less desirable fibers, including cotton, polyester and various blends. So how have things changed today?
That seminar was hosted by Sunbrella®. At the time they were the exclusive U.S.-based manufacturer of boat canvas made from solution-dyed acrylic fabrics. The parent company, Glen Raven®, has done an excellent job since then of marketing and creating a super brand for the trade name Sunbrella. It is well known throughout the boating world, and now even in the furniture design and covering arena. But where did this all start, and what has been happening over the past few decades? The fact is that the solution-dyed acrylic fabrics story started in Europe in the mid-nineteen hundreds. Sunbrella was not the first mill to make this type of fabric. Today you will find several other quality and older manufacturers of 100% Solution-Dyed Acrylic Fabrics who have entered the U.S. market. Sattler® out of Austria (circa 1875) is one of particular interest. Why? Sattler made the bold decision to buy a mill in North Carolina and commit to weaving fabric in the United States. They did this in 2010 at a time when other mills were looking to Asia for cost reductions.
WHAT IS SOLUTION-DYED ACRYLIC FABRIC?
Solution-dyed acrylic fabric is made from yarn that is colored before the yarn is ever created. It is a liquid acrylic solution that is combined with colors which is extruded and then transformed into fiber. So, the first obvious benefit is that the coloration runs through the fibers. Think granite versus a laminate tabletop. Granite is stone all the way through. Laminate fails when the top layer is worn away. Granite is more expensive but it lasts a long, long time. But more importantly, this fiber does not stretch or shrink much and it also holds up to the sun and elements better than just about anything else made into fabric. And don’t forget that it can also be cleaned with diluted bleach. So, in general, it is a very desirable fabric made from a very useful fiber. It is easy to see how it became the premium and widely used material for boaters around the world.
All the mills making 100% solution-dyed acrylic fabric get the base fiber from just a couple of suppliers. The differences boil down to weaving and coating processes. OK, color and weight can vary a bit as well. And some makers create derivatives with PVC or urethane coatings to make special “waterproof” versions. Sattler and Sunbrella each produce top-tier quality fabrics out of solution-dyed acrylic yarns.
WHERE DOES SAILRITE FIT?
Hopefully, you already know the name Sailrite. Sailrite is a fabric and sewing supply store that builds markets through training and teaching resources. Sailrite also has a full assortment of branded tools and sewing machines for canvasworkers. This third-generation family business started in 1969 and the founder, Jim Grant, is known to have said that the DIY (do-it-yourself) marine sewing marketplace would not have grown and prospered without the advent of solution-dyed acrylic marine fabric. The reason simply is that eliminating the concern for shrinkage and stretch is what makes patterning predictable. So, for decades Sailrite has been touting the value of the brand Sunbrella. And now Sailrite has added Sattler fabrics. The brand is not as well known yet, but it is a fantastic value.
TWO GREAT BRANDS TO CHOOSE FROM
Between Sattler and Sunbrella there are now more options than ever. With Sattler, Sailrite offers Sattler Marine Grade, Yachtmaster, Valora, Trio and Awning/Shade. These are all marine or “outdoor” cover-type fabrics. And then there is Outdura, which is a Sattler brand for their performance upholstery fabric.
SATTLER OFFERINGS:
SATTLER MARINE GRADE
This is the recommended marine cover fabric. It differs from Sunbrella Marine Grade in that it is slightly less prone to stretch (our experience), has less allowance for flaws (company statements of fact) and has some color differences, though the popular ones all match. We have built a chart to compare colors easily. And it also shows available associated binding. Eric Grant, Sailrite videographer, in his use of Sattler Marine Grade says, “It is indistinguishable from using Sunbrella. The hand is great and it lies perfectly flat on the cutting table. But best of all is the price, which makes Sailrite DIY projects even more attractive!”
YACHTMASTER
This is one of the derivatives mentioned earlier. It is an acrylic-coated (one side) version of the Sattler Marine Grade Fabric. The extra coating makes the fabric waterproof and also more abrasion resistant. It is interesting to note that Sattler sells more Yachtmaster in Europe than the uncoated fabric. The reason is that there is more rain in Europe. Sailrite is banking on Yachmaster becoming a staple product in the United States as well.
VALORA
Valora is a very interesting offering. It is a 100% solution-dyed acrylic fabric but with a special weave and IPC coating to make it waterproof and also lighter. It has a very smooth feel with great strength. It would be a great selection for any cover or removable top that needs to fold compactly for storage. It will fold down to roughly 10% less size than a compatibly built cover from a standard marine grade fabric.
TRIO
Three layers of technology make this fabric soft, waterproof, breathable and extremely durable. But it has more stretch than other marine grade fabrics. Sailrite recommends it for covers where it is imperative to not only protect the object from the elements but also to protect the object from an abrasive cover fabric. Cover brightwork, outdoor furniture, fine paint and other marine finishes with this supple premium fabric.
AWNING/SHADE FABRIC
This is a broad category. It includes traditional stripes, 47" Elements and other specialty fabrics with Clear Brilliant Acrylic (CBA) yarns.
The stripes speak for themselves and the 47" Elements are solids that match the 60" Sattler Marine Grade line. In fact, they can be used as marine canvas if a narrow width is more efficient. The CBA products, called Lumera, are really interesting. The addition of these yarns results in a smoother and denser surface which improves the self-cleaning effect. And the colors shine more intensely. There is an additional “3D” version that uses more of the CBA yarns (66% vs. 33%) to achieve a special lighting effect due to the brilliant sheen. A final benefit to the smooth and dense yarn construction is enhanced water resistance (35% and 25% better, respectively, over standard awning fabric constructions using the Water Column test).
OUTDURA PERFORMANCE UPHOLSTERY FABRIC
This is Sailrite’s most deeply stocked brand of solution-dyed acrylic upholstery fabric. We still call this “performance” fabric in that it is designed to outperform other fabrics made from other fiber types. To make it soft, the fabric is not as heavy as the marine grade and it does not have the same waterproofing treatment, which otherwise adds some stiffness. But it excels when it comes to bright colors, patterns, textures, fade resistance and cleanability. And it has great abrasion resistance! But apart from price and patterns, it is very hard to tell from Sunbrella upholstery fabrics.
SUNBRELLA MARINE GRADE
The current industry standard for boat cover cloth is Sunbrella. It offers the name recognition that is well-known in the United States. Sailrite offers a full complement of trim and thread color matches for this fabric. It is a premium-priced product with a long history in the U.S. marketplace.
SUNBRELLA UPHOLSTERY FABRIC
Sunbrella offers a huge selection of performance upholstery fabrics. They often place these fabrics in collections that are rotated every three years. Like Outdura, the Sunbrella Upholstery Fabric comes in bright colors and many patterns and textures. Customers pick more by these attributes than they do by brand name for upholstery fabric.
There you have it, Sailrite now carries more options for you to consider. We always do our best to keep you abreast of market changes and our opinions. Personally, I am excited about Yachtmaster and all of the new options that Sattler brings as a U.S. manufacturer with a very long history of producing quality fabric.
Take a look at the chart below comparing the two brands on fabric quality, fiber content, certifications and other important factors.
Matt Grant is an owner and vice president of Sailrite Enterprises Inc. He holds two patents on sewing machines and is a Master Sailmaker. Matt is a graduate of Indiana University with a degree in marketing. He is an avid boater, both sail and power. Matt has sewn boat canvas for over 30 years.