SureShade creates a whole new [shady] living space with aftermarket install on 51 Ocean Alexander

SureShade’s aftermarket installations can literally change how you use and enjoy your boat. Just ask Robert, one of our latest shady customers.

Robert, a Rhode Island boater (soon to be Florida boater), was able to update his 51 Ocean Alexander with a SureShade ATF automated retractable sunshade system that created “a whole new living space” that maximized how he could relax or entertain on board his boat.

Robert’s Shady Story

Robert’s 2000 51 Ocean Alexander, Freebird, will soon become his liveaboard home as he plans to travel from Rhode Island to Florida and become a full-time liveaboard.

As a liveaboard you definitely want to maximize your livable space, making all areas of your boat as comfortable as possible. When your cockpit is too sunny and the heat is uncomfortable that becomes a problem – particularly when you are heading south to the Sunshine State.

SureShade was able to help Robert address a super-sunny cockpit that often forced guests to choose cabin space over outdoor cockpit space.

We really do enjoy our SureShade. We wanted it because we are going to be moving aboard our Ocean Alexander and traveling to Florida.  

The best thing we like about our SureShade is that it makes another living area for our boat. When the cockpit was open to the sun very few guests used it and everyone ended up inside in our salon. Now we have a comfortable place to entertain under the shade in our cockpit. 

It’s like a whole new room on our boat.

 

With any upgrade to your boat, you want to be sure it is the right investment for your boating lifestyle and your boat.

Robert’s interest in SureShade began when he heard about our aftermarket automated shades on Ship Shape TV and learned about the quality, ease of installation and functionality straight from industry experts.

When I first saw Sure Shade on Ship Shape TV I thought it could work with my dinghy storage on upper deck… and it does.  

I also looked at some of your aftermarket installations on your website and thought they would work on my boat. Despite seeing them I was concerned about changing the looks of my vessel… well, any changes are for the better. It is not too big and enhances the lines of my boat.

With aftermarket installations of our ATF automated shade, SureShade typically coordinates with a customer’s dealer or local installer due to the complexity of electrical wiring and integration that may be required.

The installation went smoothly. The SureShade team was a big help in design and even choosing the best canvas color from Sunbrella. They dealt directly with Jeff from our marina [Rhode Island Mooring Services] who did the installation and worked out all the details of what model and how to install it without my worry.  

We were fortunate to have wire runs that where accessible and they found a way to put very few additional holes in my boat by using existing screw holes.

Final thoughts on the SureShade ATF product and how the aftermarket project went?

There is a lot of interesting engineering in this product. I really seems like it was well thought before coming to market. Everyone who has worked on the project is very proud of it.  

People who have seen it really like it. They thought it was much more expensive then it was….sorry I’m not telling them!

More SureShade-Equipped Boat Models 

See more factory and aftermarket installations of SureShade in our Boat Brand Gallery.