I work and play outdoors but sailing, with the sun coming from all directions, the exposure can be brutal. Add to that the last week has seen regular highs hitting 90 here on the Maine coast. Some of us beat the heat with awnings. Anyone have a sun awning? Are you thinking of getting one made?
LATIFA's awning is a serious affair. Hung high it gives full headroom below. Side panels can be raised mid-day for ultimate ventilation, lowered as the afternoon sun, still hot, goes low.
Protecting brightwork, cooling teak decks, LATIFA spends the year on the water usually in the Caribbean in the winter. The awning is just as useful at our high latitude during the last week of hot humid weather.
Most of the working sailcraft fly awnings as soon as they're moored. Crews and passengers have had their fill of direct sunlight by then. WHEN AND IF's awning (left) can be lowered to the toerails.
The Pinky schooner, PERSEVERENCE is owned by a canvas fabricator. She just built this awning. I shot this at 5:00 pm, rowing by (sweating bullets). She's an experienced canvas designer and has provided good afternoon protection while keeping the forward end raised for good ventilation on the hook or mooring.
Our awning, decades old, saves us on hot days. This was in the Cape Cod Canal a couple seasons ago.
For afternoons we have to improvise by tieing panels, the mizzen staysail - whatever is handy, as the sun goes low. The sailing dinghy, if rigged, does the trick:
We're headed off sailing most of the month of August. It's for sure that we'll be flying our awning, even under sail.
LATIFA's awning is a serious affair. Hung high it gives full headroom below. Side panels can be raised mid-day for ultimate ventilation, lowered as the afternoon sun, still hot, goes low.
Protecting brightwork, cooling teak decks, LATIFA spends the year on the water usually in the Caribbean in the winter. The awning is just as useful at our high latitude during the last week of hot humid weather.
Most of the working sailcraft fly awnings as soon as they're moored. Crews and passengers have had their fill of direct sunlight by then. WHEN AND IF's awning (left) can be lowered to the toerails.
The Pinky schooner, PERSEVERENCE is owned by a canvas fabricator. She just built this awning. I shot this at 5:00 pm, rowing by (sweating bullets). She's an experienced canvas designer and has provided good afternoon protection while keeping the forward end raised for good ventilation on the hook or mooring.
Our awning, decades old, saves us on hot days. This was in the Cape Cod Canal a couple seasons ago.
For afternoons we have to improvise by tieing panels, the mizzen staysail - whatever is handy, as the sun goes low. The sailing dinghy, if rigged, does the trick:
We're headed off sailing most of the month of August. It's for sure that we'll be flying our awning, even under sail.
