# Shade Tree Awnings, a poor review



## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I just purchased a set of Shade Tree Awnings and I have to say, I'm disappointed in them. We are circumnavigators, not weekend sailors, so we have elevated requirements that the Shade Trees just don't support. 

First of all, they're big, heavy & complex. Next, they come nowhere close to our 10 min up, 10 min down requirement. I can't tell you how many times we've had to get up in the middle of the night to take down the (old) awnings in a surprise squall. The Shade Tree is so big & complex, they take at least 20 minutes to get them down & stowed on a nice day. ...Not looking forward to dousing the new awnings.

The material & workmanship is good, but the design doesn't cut it. Long story short, they're not ment for long-distance cruisers.


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## Valiente (Jun 16, 2006)

So what would you use instead, if I may ask? Something custom-built?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Custom*

Yep, I'm afraid custom is the best solution I have seen. Imagine you and your wife, up at 2:30 am in a squall that is blowing so hard that the rain is stinging & ask yourself how large & complex of an awning you are willing to deal with.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

I have heard that Sunbrella has come out with a new "mesh" type fabric that is very light and lets air through. It is very compact and folds up. We are going to have one made to shadow the boat from the sun (already have bimini-dodger).

If your's is a full covering, I cannot imagine how tough it is to get up and down plus the amount of space it would take up. THese supposedly fold up very small. 

Just a thought...

- CD


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

We had a simple but effective awning that we used in the Med for years. It was rectangular in shape, was supported in the middle by the boom, and clipped outboard to the upper lifelines via heavy bungy line. It stretched from the mast all the way aft to the backstay, with a zipper to get around the topping lift. It didn't have any frame to support it, just the boom. So it had to be doused in a building breeze or squall, but it was so simple to set-up and strike that either could be done quickly.

We now have an "insert" awning that zips to our dodger and spans the area between the dodger and bimini. It spreads over the top of the bimini and has "wings" that extend down almost to the toe-rail to provide shade from late afternoon sun. Or the wings can be rolled up for better viewing and air circulation. This arangement is fairly taught and can withstand a pretty good blow. But it doesn't shade the boat forward of the companionway -- one of the advantages of the simpler awning described above.


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## Boasun (Feb 10, 2007)

On that ShadeTree Awning you may want to add earrings (grommets) to the edge of it every couple of feet and lash it down so it will stay in any squalls.
On the larger vessels where we put up an awning this is what we have to do in order to ensure that it will stay put in any weather while in port.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Boasun,

That's essentially what I did with the sun awning I made for our aft deck. The main support is the mizzen boom with a telescopic cross spar and collapsable pvc rigid pipe, sewn into a perimeter hem. Four double braid tie-downs are secured to the hem with brass grommets and each tiedown's length adjusted by a SS cam block.

It held down without incident through a 40 knot gale one night this past summer and only takes 10 minutes to erect.


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## Freesail99 (Feb 13, 2006)

Do I see a BBQ on the stern rail ? CD will be so proud.


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

That's our ONLY exterior grill Freesail - and it's kept under cover (g).


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

I think this is on-topic and not a highjack: Has anyoneused that new fabric by Sunbrella... it is a mesh/netting like a screen. I thought it would be great to cover the boat, especially sinc it folds up so small. THat is always our problem down south is the heat on the cabin top which really makes the V uncomfortable. Thoughts?

- CD


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## TrueBlue (Oct 11, 2004)

Solar screen fabrics have been used in architectural applications such as sunspaces and greenhouses for decades CD. It's produced by lots of fabric mills and has also been very popular for use over the exterior glazed openings of southern latitude boats as well.

We decided upon Sunbrella's colorfast, tight woven fabric for our sun awning specifically to keep rain off us as well as sun. That property of course, is absent with an open mesh material.


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## JohnRPollard (Mar 26, 2007)

CruisingDad,

My sister uses that material on their boat for "side-curtains" on their bimini. they are great for taking the edge off the late-afternoon sun, and they still let the air breath a bit while allowing a good view too. I would recommend that material for this application.

However, I don't think I'd make an overhead awning out of it. For that purpose, I'd go with a standard sunbrella awning fabric, avoiding a dark color. I think the screen/mesh material works best with low-angle sun, maybe not so well with direct overhead sunlight. If I was going to go to the trouble of setting up an awing, I'd want it to provide REAL shade, not merely partially filtered sunlight.


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## tigerregis (Nov 24, 2006)

Two of my dockmates have sidecurtains made of that mesh and swear by it. The latest user told me his internal temp dropped by 10 degrees.


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## Cruisingdad (Jul 21, 2006)

The only issues I see with Sunbrella is the weight and size of an awning that would our boat. Though it would not span the whole 40', it would cover a lot of it. I also was optimistic that the screen/mesh would allow the heat trapped underneath to get out. 

Might be an interesting experiment?


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*pvc INSERTS for Awning*

I bought an awning on Ebay for my Hunter 260. It is suspended from the main halyard and fully wraps the mast going about 4 feet toward bow. There are pockets for 1" PVC on the ends and in the middle where the halyard attach point occurs. Looks like the bow end and middle take 4 foot 6 inch PVC pipes but the rear pocket (stern end) goes thru from one side to the other. Question is??? Should I put an 8 foot pipe thru that or just put two of the 4 footers. Not sure what the brand is and have not seen one on the internet yet today. I have seen in the past.

Can someone help or send a picture?
Thanks,
hogan


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## Slooptattoo (Aug 4, 2007)

I have had and still use Shade Tree awnings for my 45' Coronado. I have found them to be easy to set up and take down with two people. They are designed to "dump" any winds over 30-35 knots and we've found that to be the case. Any squalls that have come up while at anchor I've had only minor, easily repaired damage to the straps around the mast or backstay. If we have forecasted bad weather, gale force or greater, we take them down. I don't remove the wands, but move them forward and gather the awning in a bunch and take it below to remove the wands out of the weather. I have used Shade Tree for liveaboard and extensive cruising, throughout the east coast, Bahamas and the Carribean. It may be just a matter of personal opinion or preference, but I find the awnings to be superior to any I have had occasion to use or see set up. The mesh fabric mentioned earlier in this thread, I have used and found to be great for larger hatch or window covers, but found them to be heavy. They are virtually indestructable but are mostly used on motor yachts, the don't allow much wind passage but do work very well, they tend to act more as a sail at anchor, but allow visability through them. Hope you do find what works for you. This is just IMHO but I do feel Shade Tree is a good product and I would buy them again.


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## Giulietta (Nov 14, 2006)

Jysus...tents on boats...what next......BBQ's????

You guys ever sail?


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## Bejasus (May 23, 2009)

we have had our Shade Tree for around 6 years now, and we are still very happy with it. It is a light grey version and is very effective at heat reflection, dropping the salon temperature around 20 degrees in +100 degree heat. Only recently I broke one of the 'tent' style poles and will order a replacement. It has withstood squalls of +40 knots and the only issue has been the stitching on the pole pockets, probably to do with UV degradation as much as anything else.
This was after 5 years of summer long use. We restitched them and they are just fine.

George


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## remetau (Jan 27, 2009)

We have also had our Shade Tree awning for about 5 years and are very happy with it. Once you get the straps set to where they should be put up time and take down time is about 10 minutes or less with two people.

We replaced our straps with some extra seatbelt material we had sitting around.
We also had to make some repairs, but this is due to us using the the shade at a dock and takes more side winds than is normal.

We are happy with the product and would most likely but it again if needed.


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