As I mentioned in an earlier post I found a good source for Sunbrella.

I'm getting ready to build a cover for my dodger and bimini and ordered
enough Sunbrella Pac. Blue for them and some sail covers.

However while I was waiting for the material to arrive, I was poking around
in my storage and found about 5 yards of Herculite/Aquuatex II, left over
from some Navy contract jobs I did before I retired. (of course it is navy
gray).

This is more than enough for making the dodger and bimini, but I'm wondering
what the down side would be to make them out of this synthetic (non
breathing) material.. I've worked with it myself, in a past life in a navy
canvas shop, so I know how it sews. However navy awning and covers don't
stay up all the time and get replace ever couple years when they start
getting dirty.

I'm thinking that I might have problems with sweating or condensation on the
underside, here in the PAC. NW.

Comments, opinions and experiences??

Steve
s/v Good Inentions

I was poking around
in my storage and found about 5 yards of Herculite/Aquuatex II, left over
from some Navy contract jobs

Steve, I remember this stuff from my navy days. If you are enclosing your
bimini area with side windows, prepare for a hot and humid environment.
Secondly, I seem to recall that its uv resistance was not near that of
sunbrella, of which I use exclusivley
for all my canvas product. Your Herculite could be used to reinforce the edges
for grommets and snap type hardware. or use it for lee cloths. Which ever you
chose may I recommend using Gortex Tenara thread for your project. the stuff is
gaurenteed to outlast the canvas for uv exposure. Its more expensive but worth
the time spent on resewing rotted seams.
just some thots
robert

I was poking around
in my storage and found about 5 yards of Herculite/Aquuatex II, left over
from some Navy contract jobs

Steve, I remember this stuff from my navy days. If you are enclosing your
bimini area with side windows, prepare for a hot and humid environment.
Secondly, I seem to recall that its uv resistance was not near that of
sunbrella, of which I use exclusivley
for all my canvas product. Your Herculite could be used to reinforce the edges
for grommets and snap type hardware. or use it for lee cloths. Which ever you
chose may I recommend using Gortex Tenara thread for your project. the stuff is
gaurenteed to outlast the canvas for uv exposure. Its more expensive but worth
the time spent on resewing rotted seams.
just some thots
robert