Shade ! I need some, what do you use?

[Formosa Scott]

I have used Coolaroo shades in the past, they look good and shade ok but not great. This summer I want max shade with decent looks, post up any pictures or ideas.

Scott

[Formosa Scott]

Here are Shadetree shades, they are well built but pricey and I am not sure I love the look.



Somebody did a good job with this mesh style shade.



Good information here
Boat Sun Awning Design | Follow The Boat

[Formosa Scott]

We used this style the last few years, they are strong, cheap and look good but the shade around the edges is lacking. I may just try adding panels during peak heat to my normal set up.

[GrowleyMonster]

I use a $4 blue plastic tarp forward. Sometimes another one over the fwd part of the boom. Large Bimini made from salvaged pvc pipe and a cheap drop cloth from home depot water and weather proofed with paint found in a dumpster. The tarps need replacing every year but the Bimini is 3 years old now and has survived many storms that demolished fancy blue sunbrella biminis that actually cost money. No it doesn't fold up all pretty and in fact I have never taken it down but it sure is nice and dry and shady underneath it.

[Carlisle Spirit]

I am a big Shadetree fan

Once you get it customized so you can lower it to the lowest level lifeline , yet still have about 6 inches clearance over the boom, it's fabulous

You can walk along the deck, either side , with sunscreened weather protection , at full head height

Wet down the deck occasionally and the draft cools the upper hull , making a 4-5 c difference to the inside temperature, which is important since it's 30C + here every day of the year

Carlisle Spirit

Singapore

[msponer]

We used 90% greenhouse shade fabric, ziptied to PVC poles that we then tie to the split backstays and shrouds at the mast. It doesn't need much structure because wind blows right through it.

I had a ShadeTree on my previous boat. It's great -- easy to setup, we could walk underneath it, and the covered wagon look is fun. But it can be hot, the fabric heats up and radiates heat down. I think porous fabric, that lets wind blow through it, is cooler.

To me, ideal would be a combination of the covered wagon hoops of the ShadeTree structure with two layers of black 90% greenhouse fabric. This is a common shade structure at Burning Man, where it's way hotter.