sailboat covers for sailboats

Tip: You can provide a brief description of your form. Also, you may want to let your customers know what happens after they submit the form. For example, upon form submission, they would be added to your contact list.

FX Sail Covers are manufactured by Harken Canvas. Built using Sunbrella/ Outdura woven acrylic fabric.

Pre-patterned Mainsail Covers

Get an instant online quote

Leaves warehouse: 30 business days

• Copyright 1998-2024 SB Owners, LLC. All rights reserved.

• Policies | Contact Us

Inside SailGP, Part 1: What It Takes To Cover Racing Action From Sea and Sky

Lean, mean remote production relies on riedel comms and video technology.

By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director Thursday, June 27, 2024 - 11:16 am Print This Story | Subscribe

Story Highlights

SVG Audio Editor Dan Daley contributed to this article.

When it comes to the broadcast compound at a SailGP race, the most noticeable thing is that there isn’t one. The vast majority of the production crew is located at Timeline Television in London.

“It’s a completely remote production,” says Jeffrey Strössner, programming director, SailGP, Riedel .

But the lack of an onsite crew doesn’t mean the production and SailGP technical efforts are not impressive. In New York this past weekend, for example, the SailGP tech area, which is similar to a garage area for NASCAR or a paddock for F1, was located at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, NJ. All 10 race teams had large tents for their yachts and teams as they got ready to race. There was also a small cabin where the audio and video signals coming in wirelessly from the yachts, helicopters, and chase boats were monitored.

SailGP’s Warren Jones: “The technology we use to make SailGP happen and to get it across to viewers is all part of the same package.”

SailGP CTO Warren Jones says that, in the organization’s first year, 2019, he thought that REMI would be the future of broadcasting. That made SailGP one of the first organizations to fully embrace remote production.

“I wanted us to do it from the start rather than later,” he explains. “We did it because the technology was there; we did it because we think the cost is beneficial for us; and we did it for sustainability, as we’re not flying people around the world.”

Riedel technology plays a big part in nearly all aspects of SailGP operations. The event layer provides the critical communications enabling the sailors to communicate with each other as well as with team members on shore, race officials, and even people in the London broadcast center. Modified waterproof Bolero S beltpack systems originally designed for the NFL are worn by the race-team members, and a Bolero antenna is mounted on the back of the hull of each yacht.

“The beltpacks,” says Strössner, “are waterproof, slimmed down, and simplified to what the crew really needs: a power switch, volume buttons, and a waterproof, military-grade connector, which can also do charging at the same time.”

Transmitting all the audio, video, and telemetry feeds is done via the Riedel Mast Head Unit (MHU) custom antenna atop the F50 wing. A waterproof media case on each yacht houses the electronics that feed the audio and video signals to the antenna.

The Riedel gear that handles everything from image and audio capture to transmission from the SailGP racing yachts

Among other Riedel tech, Artist frames and SmartPanels are ubiquitous in the “paddock” area and in the race village, used by team coaches and skippers to talk tactics and strategy. The Riedel MediorNet Micron high-density signal interface are also deployed for overall signal distribution.

“We are literally taking these [comms and camera] signals, transmitting them to shore, and then handing it over to the fiber lines to go back to London, where the final product is produced,” Strössner explains. Riedel’s staff of 14 deployed for the race, he adds, set up and commission the gear onsite before handing the operation over to London.

The Bolero Run, Air Pro, and Max headsets are robust enough to handle the rough rides of the race and the occasional collisions. A coarse windscreen fitted over the mic element allows them to be squeezed like a sponge when they get waterlogged. The Riedel kit also includes a refresher for the cameras: a water hose connected to a small bladder and pump washed away salt as it accumulates on the lens during races (a feature also controlled from London).

Riedel’s Jeffrey Strössner with one of the Riedel PTZ cameras placed on the SailGP racing yachts

For the broadcast production, two cameras, built by Riedel and developed with a technology partner, are mounted on each racing yacht: a PTZ camera and a fixed wide-angle camera, remotely controlled by the SailGP production team at the Timeline facility in London. The PTZ camera can be remotely cleaned during the race to rinse off salt water or debris. In addition, the race is captured by cameras on three chase boats and two helicopters.

“All told there are 25 camera signals,” says Strössner. “We also have a reporter with a handheld RF camera who conducts interviews on the boats after the race. We also have two handheld cameras in the event village roaming around, and a camera that is like a camera on pit lane in F1 shows the coaches and race management situated in the RaceHQ alongside the racecourse.”

The production process is seamless with the UK operation. Commentators and talent interview skippers mid-race in real time from 3,400 miles away with minimal latency. The yachts’ six-man crews are connected wirelessly to team coaches at monitors in the race village (last weekend, the village was on Governors Island in New York harbor). A more traditional MESH network is used for telemetry.

The operation’s event side and broadcast side blend into each other during the race: the same headsets used for team communications are used for the interviews or even for talking to commentators located in London.

“When they do the interview,” notes Strössner, “they use the cameras on the boat and zoom in on the guy at the steering wheel. He uses the same comms headset used to communicate with the team, which is great because that means the microphone is already in the correct location.”

Each SailGP race team on shore can monitor the video feeds and also cut highlighs via Riedel Simplylive.

Because transmitting yacht telemetry data and other parameters is crucial, both an LTE transmission path and a Riedel MESH network are used to ensure that all the data arrives as quickly as possible.

“We’re shifting through the data and processing it for the team in London that produces the graphical overlay,” says Strössner. “[The data goes] directly to the helicopters, so they know where to go without any delay.”

Each race team comprises not just the crew on the yachts but the coaches on shore, who monitor telemetry data and camera signals and communicate with the team on the boat. Technology has allowed coaching to move well beyond being on the water with a handheld radio.

All incoming and outgoing audio and video signals are monitored from a small cabin at the race location.

“There’s a big push towards sustainability and cost with a young series like this,” says Strössner. “The intention was to remove as many on-the-water assets as possible. The first goal was to remove a coach from the [chase] boat. There was a lot of pushback in the beginning because [the coaches] felt like they needed to feel the breeze and just needed to be out there. We put them in front of our Simplylive replay system, which lets them see many more angles. They get to see all the cameras from the boats and the helicopter, and they get to see a data feed. They get a better perspective, and that improves the coaching and the race.

“Simplylive,” he continues, “allows the teams to quickly build highlight clips during the race that are then uploaded into the cloud for each team. Those timely clips are important for each team to use during their race debriefs, which usually happen within an hour of the end of the race.”

Says Jones, “SailGP is an exciting sport, and the technology we use to make it happen and to get it across to viewers is part of the same package — right there at the cutting edge.”

Latest Headlines

• Latest News

Free Newsletters

Related News

Password must contain the following:.

A lowercase letter

A capital (uppercase) letter

Minimum 8 characters

Need Help? | 954-575-8444  | Chat Now

• Shipping & Returns
• Product Support

• Account Details

Select your Region

Oceansouth products and prices may vary by region. In order to see the right products available to you, please select your location.

Yacht Hatch Covers

Showing all 4 results

• Price: low to high
• Price: high to low

Custom Yacht Flush Hatch Covers for Lewmar

Custom Low-Medium Profile Hatch Covers for Lewmar

Custom High Profile Hatch Covers for Lewmar

Universal Yacht Hatch Covers

• Aluminum Bimini Tops
• Stainless Steel Bimini Tops
• Sailboat Bimini Tops
• Bimini Top Extensions
• Components & Replacements
• Fishing Arches / Radar Arches
• Bimini Components and Replacements
• Seat Covers
• Polyester Bench Cushions
• PVC Bench Cushions
• Cooler Cushions
• Deck Pillows
• Outboard Motor Covers
• Outboard Motor Carry Bag
• Propeller Bags/Covers
• Find a Boat Cover
• Inflatable Boat Style
• Rib Boat Style
• Covers for SEA-DOO
• Covers for KAWASAKI
• Covers for YAMAHA
• Fishing Fillet & Bait Tables
• Rod Holders
• Sea Anchors
• T-Top & Boat Top Extensions
• T-Top Enclosures
• T-Top Console Covers
• T-Top Components and Fabrics
• One Design Sailboat Covers
• Steering Wheel Covers
• Cockpit Table Covers
• Hatch Covers
• Winch Covers
• Sailboat Awnings
• Kayak Paddles
• Small 1/3" Thickness
• Small 2/3" Thickness
• Rock Guards
• Boarding Aluminum Ladders
• Boarding Stainless Ladders
• Ø 1″ – Stainless Steel
• Ø 3/4″ – Stainless Steel
• Ø 7/8″ – Stainless Steel

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Betting Sites
• Online Casinos
• Wine Offers

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission.   Why trust us?

9 best shade sails that will outshine any garden brolly

These overhead canopies will keep your corner of paradise cool, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Get our weekly Home and Garden email for tips, advice and interior inspiration

Get our weekly home and garden email for tips, and interior inspiration.

A thoughtfully positioned shade sail can be the epicentre of your outdoor space – guaranteed to impress guests if you’re planning on taking your hosting al fresco skills to the next level this summer (and beyond), they’re practical, but they can look great too.

A garden parasol may spring to mind when we think how we can shade our gadens, but the shade sail is not to be overlooked. These canopies offer a plenthora of perks, in particular, that it doesn’t require a brolly pole, which can be a nuisance when they get in the way of your conversation.

Another upside is just how much shade they create across your garden or patio space. This will opem up even more space for kids to muck about, and for you and your guests to sit back and relax in the knowledge there’s some level of protection from the sun, whether that’s in a hammock , hanging egg chair or sat at your bistro set with a glass of something cool.

Typically rectangle, triangle or square in shape, most shade sails are made from a tough polyethylene fabric, which gives you excellent UV protection, and offer water-resistance and weatherproof qualities, too. Breathability is also a factor – you want to feel sheltered from the sun but also comfortable underneath.

Just like garden brollies, these canopies come in a whole range of sizes, styles and budgets, so we’ve rounded up the 10 best shade sails to suit your outdoor space – and wallet.

Best places to buy plants for your home and garden in 2024

Dig Club delivers instant flower beds to your door – and we’re obsessed

Best garden furniture shops 2024: Online stores that deliver to your door, from M&S to Ikea

Best outdoor rugs to jazz up your patio, tried and tested

9 best patio heaters to bring a toasty glow to any garden or outdoor space

How we tested the best sail shades

We tried a range of shade sails in different shapes and sizes on our patio space, looking for durability, quality of finish, weather resistance, ease of use and, importantly, whether the sail gave us adequate cover from the sun. We weighed up affordability with great design, looking for the best value and quality combined.

The best shade sails for 2024 are:

• Best shade sail overall – Kookaburra 3m triangle shade sail: £16.23, Amazon.co.uk
• Best budget shade sail – VonHaus botanical print 2x3m shade sail: £12.99, Vonhaus.com
• Best lightweight shade sail – Pacific Lifestyle 4m 90 degree triangle shade: £129.99, Jbfurniture.co.uk
• Best shade sail for larger spaces – Swift sun shade sail 4m x 6m, rectangle: £64.99, Amazon.co.uk

Kookaburra 3m triangle shade sail

• Best : Shade sail overall
• Colours : Blue, grey, green, ivory, lime green, mocha brown, mushroom, white, sand, orange, yellow
• High UV protection
• Good choice of colours available
• Must be tied to an existing structure

One of Amazon’s bestsellers, with a wealth of positive reviews to prove it, this triangular sail is made from a high-density woven polyester and boasts an impressive 96.5 per cent UV protection with a UPF of 34.

With a tighter weave than some, this canopy is ideal for our unpredictable British weather, giving us shelter from the odd downpour but without the fear of overheating when the sun finally decides to shine.

This shade sail features tough webbing loops with a 1.5m rope supplied for each corner, and it proves a toughie in windy weather, too. It’s available in a range of muted tones, as well as some playful brights, from classic ivory (pictured) to a summer-ready yellow.

Pacific Lifestyle 4m 90 degree triangle shade

• Best : Lightweight shade sail
• Colours : Off white, sand
• Open structure fabric
• Mould resistant
• Strong D rings

Spanning a whopping 4m, this is a shade sail that means business. Despite its impressive size, it proves surprisingly lightweight in the fabric, and yet reliably sturdy when it comes to metal fastenings – here you’ll find hefty chains where most other shade sails feature less hardwearing polyester ropes.

The canopy is made from a highly durable HDPE – or high-density polyethylene, in layman’s terms – with an open structure that makes it both water and wind permeable. It also promises to be mould resistant and we’re told we can leave it outside from March to September.

Probably most importantly, this canopy lays claim to 90 to 95 per cent protection against harmful rays.

Cox & Cox tasselled canopy

• Best : Most attractive shade sail
• Size : 3m x 2m
• Colours : White / black
• Classic design
• Water repellent
• UV protection level unspecified

If you like the idea of a functional shade sail in the garden but you’re worried about a huge lime-green triangle upsetting your aesthetic, you might prefer this pretty number from Cox & Cox.

The soft-white canopy is made from 100 per cent polyester and features contrasting black tassels in cotton. Adding a touch of whimsy to your patio space, pergola or lawn, it makes an attractive addition, with the tassels gently swaying in the breeze.

On the practical side, this shade sail doesn’t boast any particular level of UV protection, but when relaxing underneath it, you can certainly feel relief from the sun. It’s also reliably water repellent and will forgive the odd spring or summer shower, though it’s advised you bring it inside during the winter months.

Fatboy Miasun biarritz beach tent

• Best : Versatile shade sail
• Size : 330cm x 190cm (140cm pole height)
• Colours : Taupe / blue
• Nautical design
• Folds up into a handy pouch
• Freestanding
• Made from cotton, not polyester

Everybody loves a nautical stripe, and while this is technically sold as a beach tent, it also makes for a nifty shade sail in the back garden. What we love about this product is that it’s both lightweight and compact – and therefore totally versatile and ready to go up in a jiffy.

The canopy comes with a pair of foldable aluminium poles, much like those you find in camping tents, and while the poles are slim, they prove sturdy and windproof. The striped canopy itself is made from a densely woven cotton, which goes a long way in protecting us from damaging sunlight.

With its poles and its pegs, this freestanding shade sail is great for the middle of the lawn, as it doesn’t have to rely on existing structures to tie onto.

Clara Shade Sails rectangle blue sun shade sail

• Best : Shade sail for a colour pop
• Size : 2m x 3m; 3m x 4m; 3m x 5m
• Colours : Blue
• Excellent UV protection
• Top-quality craftsmanship

You’d expect a quality product from a company whose raison d’être is shade sails, and Clara’s gorgeous blue canopy doesn’t disappoint.

Available in triangular, square or rectangle configurations, this canopy proves pleasingly lightweight and is therefore a doddle to hang up.

Despite its lightness, it is surprisingly strong: think stainless steel D rings sewn into each corner with 2m lengths of tough nylon ropes. Blocking up to 98 per cent of harmful UV rays, and with water-resistant properties, this is a practical sail that also offers a vibrant colour pop.

Swift sun shade sail 4m x 6m, rectangle

• Best : Shade sail for larger spaces
• Size : 4m x 6m
• Colours : Cream
• Blocks most UV rays
• Just the one colour available

Reaching an impressive 6m across, this shade sail is a great choice for those with an expansive property – and an enviably spacious patio, or even outdoor pool. With a product this size, you want to ensure it’s properly supported with sturdy fittings that won’t let it sag in the middle – and the Swift sail does just that.

Crafted from a high-density polyethylene fabric, the sail boasts a textural, knitted make-up, which allows both air and light to pass through it, leading to a more comfortable experience underneath. The Swift sail blocks up to 98 per cent of UV rays and boasts strong stainless steel D rings, durable ropes and, reassuringly, is also finished with a double layer of reinforced edges.

Dakota Fields minquadale 4m x 5m rectangular shade sail

• Best : Heavy-duty shade sail
• Size : 4m x 5m
• Colours : Yellow, grey, cream
• Extra large
• Includes installation hardware
• You’ll need to get your tool kit out

This is one heavy-duty shade sail that promises to last for many summers to come. It’s significantly more expensive than most in this round-up, but it’s worth bearing in mind that the sail comes complete with everything you’d need to hang it up, including strong tension straps, ring eyelet screws and dowels.

In a choice of cream, grey or yellow (think more mustard than canary), the minquadale sail is made from 100 per cent high-density polyethylene and is both air and water permeable, meaning the canopy is comfortably cool and breathable, if not entirely water-proof.

Henrietta Concha shade sail in coconut fibres

• Best : Planet-friendly shade sail
• Size : 13 sizes from 2m x 3m to 4m x 6m
• Colours : Natural
• Natural materials
• Sustainable
• Casts beautiful shadows
• You’ll need to budget to include high delivery cost
• Expensive – from £150 to £600

If you’re after a sustainable alternative to man-made shade sails, then this one, crafted from coconut coir, ticks all the right boxes. The all-natural product features a gridded design, which awards the sail a bit of structure, whilst providing adequate support, with no sagging in the centre. Hardy and tolerant to rain, the coconut fibres will double in weight when wet but they dry in a jiffy – ideal for our unpredictable weather.

Thanks to its looser weave than most polyethylene products, the substantial sail gently filters and protects us from the sunlight, casts beautiful shadows, and brings a laid-back bohemian vibe to our patio space.

The canopy comes in a huge range of sizes (from £150 for the smallest to £600 for the largest) and is tied using its integrated coir rope loops, which are reinforced with metal for larger sails.

Atkin & Thyme Rodin 3.5m sail shade

• Best : Freestanding shade sail
• Size : 3.5m (260cm pole height)
• Colours : Grey, beige
• Standalone design
• Sturdy poles
• Easily assembled

This substantial shade sail is a standalone affair, thanks to its hefty powder-coated steel frame. It’s ideal if you’re after a more long-term set-up on your decking, and it really comes into its own at a garden party with its heavy-duty water repellent polyester fabric. That said, if you don’t want it covering your patio space for the entirety of the summer, it proves relatively quick and easy to take down and put up again. The sail boasts a PU coating for extra protection and comes with awning tensioners as well as fixing loops to ensure it’s nice and taut and angled in exactly the right position to give you shelter. While this one’s not cheap, its quality is palpable.

Shade sail FAQs

How do shade sails work.

Unlike parasol shades, which are held in place by one solitary pole, shade sails are stretched by their corners from a number of anchor points (often reinforced with double stitching and have either metal D rings or integrated webbing loops for a secure fit), which are mounted to your outdoor space. A good example of these fixing points could include anything from outbuildings and garden fences to walls and even just the side of your house. This then creates tension which holds them in place.

If you’re lucky enough to have mature trees in your garden, look for a shade sail with a good length of rope ties – some reach 2.5m, which is more than enough to tie around an old tree trunk. If you’re looking to hang your shade sail from the back of your property, always fix it with hooks strong enough to withstand heavy winds. And whether you’re tying your sail to existing structures, or it comes complete with sturdy poles, make sure you angle it at around 30 degrees for drainage.

Can you leave shade sails up in winter?

As most shade sails are designed with variable weather conditions in mind, many of them will be water resistant and weatherproof to some degree. In the inevitably that it does start to rain in the winter (or summer), you will want to keep your shade at a slight angle to prevent any rain from puddling in the canopy.

Also worth noting is that the shade should really be taken down during snowfall as heavy snow can also cause some damage to the shade and anchor points. As for higher winds in winter, materials are often quite porous so that when the wind does get especially whippy, even stronger gusts can travel through without causing too much pull.

The verdict: Shade sails

We were impressed with Kookaburra’s 3m triangle shade sail for its top quality, its ease of use, and its vast range of colours. Its shaping makes it look like a boat sail, which lends a cool, nautical look to our patio space, all the while protecting us from harmful rays.

Prepare your garden for entertaining alfresco with the best gas barbecues and outdoor patio heaters

Voucher Codes

Butterfly Trailing/Mooring Cover

Butterfly Trailing Cover

Butterfly Carry All Bag