1. Are TOP GUN, TOPYSSEY and ODYSSEY III waterproof?
2. Do TOP GUN, TOPYSSEY and ODYSSEY III breathe?
3. How long will these fabrics last?
4. How often should you clean a boat cover or an awning?
5. How do you clean these products?
6. Can TOP GUN, TOP NOTCH, TOPYSSEY and ODYSSEY III be used for travel covers?
7. Can you use AQUA-TITE on all boat covers and awning fabrics?
8. Why is TOP NOTCH solution dyed polyester marine and awning fabric superior to solution-dyed acrylic fabrics?
1. TOP GUN, TOPYSSEY and ODYSSEY III are among the most highly water repellent marine fabrics on the market today. To be truly waterproof, a fabric must be completely non-porous like a vinyl and therefore have zero breathability. All three offer superior water repellency to most any other woven marine or awning fabrics.
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2. Yes. Breathability and water repellency are converse features. The more breathable a fabric is, the less water repellent it is and vice versa. For marine and awning purposes, we have chosen greater water repellency and limited breathability to give greater protection against the elements of weather.
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3. There are many factors that contribute to the life of a fabric (amount of sun exposure, average temperatures, care and cleaning, etc.) As a general rule, TOP NOTCH should last 5 to 10 years,TOP GUN should last 5 to 10 years, TOPYSSEY should last 4 to 6 years, and ODYSSEY III should last 3 to 5 years.
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4. Again, it depends on what the fabric is exposed to. Remember that the presence of soil is necessary for mildew to form and spread. As a general rule outdoor fabrics should be cleaned once to twice a year. After repeated washings, it may be necessary to apply more water repellency. AQUA-TITE water repellent is the recommended product to use.
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5. For general soiling and/or mild mildew mix 2 ounces of non-detergent soap and 4 ounces of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water. Pre-soaking in a barrel of this same mix will greatly help. For more stubborn stains, a mild detergent may be needed. However, the use of detergent may require that a water repellent be applied after the fabric is thoroughly rinsed and dried. AQUA-TITE water repellent is the recommended product to use.
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6. Absolutely. This use is very common for all of these products. TOP GUN, TOP NOTCH, TOPYSSEY and ODYSSEY III are very strong, tear resistant, and dimensionally stable. They are designed to be able to go down the road at highway speeds and perform flawlessly.
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7. AQUA-TITE is very effective on all woven outdoor fabrics that have been weathered and need additional water repellency protection. It is effective on cottons, acrylics, polyesters, nylons, and polyester/cotton blends.
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8. Like solution-dyed acrylic fabrics, TOP NOTCH is also a solution-dyed fabric. This makes TOP NOTCH extremely colorfast and UV resistant like solution-dyed acrylics. TOP NOTCH is finished with a fluorocarbon treatment that gives it the same luxurious appearance, breathability, and water, soil and oil resistance that is found in solution-dyed acrylics. Where TOP NOTCH excels is in the strength, dimensional stability, and abrasion resistance inherent in polyester fabrics. For the first time, you can have all the best characteristics of solution-dyed acrylics and polyesters in one fabric!
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