There was a discussion about what fabric to use for a helm seat cover other than Sunbrella.
Sunbrella - is excellent, but you need to spray it with 303 waterproofing annually to keep it rain-resistant. You can use bleach and water to remove mildew, but then you must spray with 303 again. In my 24 years of owning a boat, I have used many waterproofing sprays, and 303 is my top pick. We have this as a cover for our wheel when we store for hurricane season in the tropics. We also have this for our grill cover, and it is great.
StamoidâI used Stamoid for our cockpit table storage cover. This fabric does not require waterproofing, is easy to sew, and has lasted fine since 2008. I chose white, and it does look a bit dirty, but honestly, I donât try to keep it looking pristine as it is a storage cover while we are away. The Nordhaven yachts use this, and that is who recommended it to me.
Shelter Rite - If you need chafe material, this stuff is Amazing!!! We have used it since 2008, and I would use nothing else, not even our new 550.
Sailrite provides great customer service in helping you select fabrics for your projects. However, they are moving away from some fabric lines, like Sunbrella, in favor of other lines, which is a bit annoying. Sailrite has grown so much in the last 25 years.
Gortex thread - is a must for any outside project or similar product. Always ask what thread a fabricator is using. Our current monohull is in Rio Dulce, Guatemala, and Goretex thread is not always used. Our last bimini, done in 2007 in Delatville VA, was retired last year, and the thread was perfect. It was the Sunbrella that needed to be replaced after all those years in the tropics. It owed us nothing!
RIRI Zippers - Has anyone seen these? Sailrite used to carry them, and we used them on our old bimini and never had to replace them. I am very unimpressed with YKK; they are not very robust anymore.