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Hello Glenn,

Basically you have three choices for covering the cushions: 1. Standard cotton canvas; 2. Vinyl coated polyester canvas; and 3. Acrylic canvas. All of these will give you a comfortable cushion to sit and sleep on in hot weather, but they each have advantages and disadvantages.

First, standard cotton canvas is inexpensive when compared against the two synthetic choices. That's its chief advantage, but it is also breathable and easy to work with. The chief disadvantage is mildew. There are spray on treatments that will retard mildew growth, but if you expect the area to be frequently wet with bathing suits, SCUBA gear, etc., and it sounds like that's what you expect, then cotton canvas is probably not the best solution.

Next, is vinyl coated polyester canvas. This product comes in several trade names, with Aqualon and Odyssey being the most popular. It is a synthetic canvas coated with vinyl resin on the top and a water-resistant finish on the bottom. It's a good product and easy to work with and cheaper than the acrylic canvas that I will discuss below. The chief advantage is that it is virtually waterproof and mildew resistant. Also, because it is vinyl the color doesn't fade in sunlight. The chief disadvantage is it doesn't breathe and on hot nights it will still be uncomfortable to sleep on. But for areas that are frequently wet, this is a great choice and much better than naugahyde.

Last, the acrylic marine canvas is your best choice. There are several brands, the most popular being Sunbrella, but Outdura is also exceptional and less expensive. Advantages for marine use include UV resistance, water repellent, fade resistant, long-life and tear resistance. But most importantly, it breathes. The only disadvantage is cost, of the three choices, acrylic marine canvas is the most expensive. It does come in both 60' and 40' sizes so you can minimize wastage.

So to answer you question, I would go with acrylic marine canvas options. It will give you a nice seating surface and a breathable sleeping surface. Sunbrella comes in lots of different colors and patterns, Outdura has all the basic colors, but either one is a great choice for your application.

Hope this helps. Good luck,

Captain Mike Clayton