Sun Covers for Boat Hatches and Windows -

Sun covers are key to keeping the sun out of your boat. Whether you’re storing it for the summer or living on board, the “glass” in your hatches and windows magnifies every bit of sun and heat coming into your boat. Blocking it makes a significant difference for both the heat inside the boat AND the UV damage to wood and rugs, upholstery, cushions, and any other fabric.

Sun Covers Go On the Outside

For the best protection against both heat and UV, the sun covers need to go on the outside of the windows. This way, they’ll block the UV and heat from ever getting into the boat. Inside coverings will block UV from wood and fabric, but do little for keeping the inside cool. Further, any reflective covers (such as Reflectix, below) on the inside can cause damage to the hatches and windows as they’ll get even hotter than they would without.

Outland Hatch Covers

Outland Hatch Covers are the gold standard of hatch and window coverings. While they’re primarily made for hatches, the company is happy to make them for any window. Why do I love them so much?

No need to remove to open the hatch

Custom made just for your hatches

White PVC totally blocks sun

Can be left in place with winds up to 50 knots (and, tbh, they were fine in some higher gusts)

Still looked great after 10 years being out in the sun in the Florida Keys and Bahamas (far longer than other option)

Super-easy to install (and remove if needed)

Remain in place even when hatches are open

A little extra protection against anything that might drop on hatches (see a friend’s story here)

Depending on what color your boat is, the white color could be a plus or a minus.

See my article about our Outland Hatch Covers or the company’s website.

Reflectix

Reflectix is bubble wrap with foil on both the front and back. While you can tape it on the outside of hatches and windows, it’s most often used under fabric or mesh window covers and is extremely effective. The pros and cons:

If the fabric/mesh coverings have to be removed to open, the Reflectix will be removed too.

Inexpensive

Lasts about a year

Easy to install

If taped to the outside of the hatch/window, tape will be tough to get off after baking in the sun

You can buy Reflectix at larger Home Depot and Lowe’s – smaller ones, such as the one in Marathon, FL usually don’t have it. Hardware stores generally don’t have it. I’ve always ended up buying it on Amazon. It comes in rolls, either 24” or 48” wide and is extremely easy to cut to size with scissors.

Read my article showing how we used it under our Phifertex Plus window coverings.

Sunbrella and Phifertex/Phifertex Plus

Fabric window covers do a lot for keeping sun out but just aren’t a match for the worst days of summer. Adding Reflectix under them makes an extra 10⁰ F. difference inside the boat.

Sunbrella is a “canvas” fabric; there are many other similar brands and generics although only a few last as well as Sunbrella. Phifertex and Phifertex Plus are a woven mesh that you can see through; you can also get “greenhouse shade cloth” that is less expensive but it also tends not to last as long.

In general, fabric window coverings:

Can be expensive to have professionally made; not too tough to DIY but materials are still not inexpensive

Fabric will generally last 5 to 7 years although stitching may have to be replaced sooner

Sunbrella and similar “canvas” fabrics tend to shrink over time. Never remove them when wet!

Sunbrella and other “canvas” fabrics are available in a wide variety of colors and patterns

Initial installation usually involves installing snaps into the windows or hatch frames

Almost always have to be removed to open windows or hatches

Phifertex and Phifertex Plus both allow you to see out the window if you don’t use Reflectix with it; while this helps with heat inside the boat, it is probably insufficient for the hottest days of summer

If you want to make your own fabric coverings, Sailrite has all the supplies you need as well as instructional videos. To have them made for you, contact a local canvasmaker.

Solar Film

If none of the above work for a particular hatch/window, especially if it’s small, solar film can also work. I don’t recommend it for large windows as it only blocks about 80% of the heat from the sun, which is far less than Outland Hatch Covers or Reflectix. But for some small places that would be almost impossible to use other coverings on (such as the 6” x 6” panes on the butterfly hatch of our Tayana 37), it’s a lot better than nothing.

Solar film is inexpensive and not too hard to install, especially if just doing small pieces. It’s a cling film that you apply with soapy water. Having done several pieces of it, I’ll say that the instructions made it sound like a bigger job than it was.

Solar film is available in many hardwares and almost all home improvement stores. There are lots of choices on Amazon if you need a size that you can’t find locally.

Hope these tips will help you stay tolerably cool this summer!

[Photo Credit: Sailrite]

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