Custom Sky Bridge Shade Sails

Shade on a sky bridge is a trade. Block the sun and you usually block the view, the breeze, or both. This build does not.

What Was Built

Three triangular mesh shades, affixed to the hardtop through five stainless steel eyes and supported by seven 2-inch stainless steel poles. The mesh throws shade across the bridge while keeping the sightlines and the airflow the owner bought the boat for.

Why The Rigging Matters

The shades run on pulleys and cam cleats. That means they come down and go back up quickly, by hand, with no tools and without needing a second person on the other end.

It sounds like a small detail. It is the whole thing. A shade system gets struck for weather and struck for running, and any system that takes twenty minutes and two people ends up living in a locker. Easy strike is what keeps a shade in service.

Mesh Versus Solid Shade

Open-weave mesh cuts direct solar gain on the surfaces underneath, so the deck, the cushions and the helm electronics all run cooler. What it does not do is wall the space in. You keep the view out and the air moving.

A solid coated fabric blocks more heat and sheds rain, which is the right answer when the goal is weather protection instead of sun management. Which one belongs on your boat depends on whether you are fighting sun or fighting water.

The Materials

  • Serge Ferrari Mesh — All three shade panels. Open weave that cuts heat and glare while keeping visibility.
  • Seven 2″ Stainless Steel Poles — Structure.
  • Five Stainless Steel Eyes — Hardtop attachment.
  • Pulleys & Cam Cleats — Hoist and tension, sized so one person can strike the whole system by hand.

The Team

Canvas Designers Inc., Riviera Beach, Florida.