Every yacht owner knows the harsh reality of marine environments. Salt spray, intense UV radiation, and constant exposure to the elements can destroy even the highest quality equipment. That's why at Sunrise Yacht Products, we back our multihull nets and catamaran trampolines with The World’s Best Tensioned Netting Warranty in the marine netting industry-and we're going to explain exactly why that matters for your investment.
The marine industry standard for warranties typically ranges from 1-3 years, often excluding the very thing that destroys most yacht nets: UV damage. In fact, we’ve searched all of our competitors and we can’t find a single company offering a clearly defined warranty for even 1 year for their products. Our comprehensive warranty changes that equation entirely. We offer extended coverage that actually protects against real-world conditions, transferable protection that adds value to your vessel, and worldwide service that follows you wherever you sail. We believe this demonstrates a fundamental difference in how we view our responsibility to customers who trust their safety and comfort to our products.
Not what you want to see on a boat. Yes, someone almost fell all the way through this net.
Understanding OEM marine netting product warranties
Most sailing multihull owners don't think about warranties until something fails. In the marine industry, standard warranties on new boats typically cover manufacturing defects and workmanship issues for 12-36 months. However, these warranties typically exclude "normal wear and tear," which manufacturers often interpret to include UV degradation, salt damage, and other environmental factors that are anything but abnormal in marine environments.
A sailing catamaran or trimaran is most often in tropical or semi-tropical environments with substantial UV exposure every day of its existence. The constant flexing from wave action, the salt crystallization in fibers, sahara dust embedment in the fibers, and the temperature extremes from tropical sun to cool nights create a perfect storm of material stress. Yet most marine warranties treat these conditions as exceptions rather than the rule.
Our research shows that net failures typically occur between years 2-4 after the purchase of new catamarans, just after standard OEM warranties expire. This isn't coincidence—it's when UV degradation and material fatigue reach critical levels. Forum discussions among catamaran owners reveal consistent frustration with nets that fail shortly after warranty periods end, leaving owners with expensive replacement costs that could have been prevented with proper warranty coverage.
Understanding Aftermarket marine netting product warranties
While OEM boats may have nominal netting warranties, aftermarket multihull nets suppliers (other than us) offer even less in the way of netting warranties. Zip, zero, nada. I was surprised to find this when I began writing this article, I knew their nets didn’t last anywhere near as long as ours, but I expected to see some sort of a warranty. Having replaced nets as soon as two years after installation I can understand why they don’t, but yikes, not a vote of confidence in their materials.
Why we're the only company offering real protection
The Sunrise Yacht Products warranty exists because we can. We know how long our trampoline nets last which makes it easy to stand behind them with The World’s Best Tensioned Netting Warranty. While our competitors avoid warranty discussions entirely, we've made highly durable nets with comprehensive coverage the foundation of our customer relationship.
All our standard catamaran trampoline materials have a minimum 6-year coverage which is a stark contrast to the industry's silence on warranty duration. We even offer up to an 8 Year warranty on our commercial coated 3-ply webbing nets which is why they are the world’s standard for commercial day charters. More importantly, we explicitly cover UV damage and material degradation from marine environments, the very exclusions that void most competitor coverage (when it exists at all). And for further piece of mind, keep in mind that we set our warranty limit to half the expected life of our nets meaning that the great majority of our nets will last 12+ years.
No other yacht net manufacturer we researched offers transferable warranties, yet ours transfers fully to subsequent owners, adding tangible value to your vessel. When you're ready to sell, buyers recognize the security of protected equipment with remaining warranty coverage. This transferability has helped our customers command higher resale prices, often recovering the entire premium they paid for our superior products.
Worldwide coverage means your warranty travels with you. Whether you're cruising the Caribbean, exploring the Mediterranean, or crossing the Pacific, our warranty remains valid and serviceable (although there is a very minimal chance you’ll have any need for it). For liveaboard cruisers and world voyagers, this international support provides invaluable peace of mind that no competitor offers.
Registration isn't required to validate your warranty. Your net is automatically active from your purchase date. We track every net we manufacture, eliminating bureaucratic hurdles when you need service. This straightforward approach stands in sharp contrast to companies that either don't mention warranty terms at all or create complex registration requirements that can void coverage.
Real coverage for real conditions
The technical superiority of our warranty stems from the materials and construction methods we employ. Our proprietary UV-resistant coatings and marine-grade materials are engineered specifically to withstand the conditions that destroy standard nets. When we guarantee UV protection, it's because we've had our products tested and proved in real-world conditions for more than 37 years.
Our comprehensive coverage includes:
- Protection against UV degradation
- Material breakdown from salt exposure
- Premature wear from normal marine use
We define "normal use" as what actually happens on the water instead of laboratory conditions. This means your warranty remains valid through ocean passages, heavy UV exposure, and the inevitable abuse that comes with active sailing.
For racing sailors, we understand the additional stresses competition places on equipment. Our warranty covers nets used in racing applications, recognizing that performance sailing shouldn't void protection. Similarly, charter operators appreciate that our commercial-use warranty options protect their fleet investments without prohibitive exclusions allowing them to offer much more consistent service to their customers.
Why warranty quality affects total ownership cost
Smart catamaran & trimaran owners should calculate total cost of ownership, not just initial purchase price. A quality warranty dramatically shifts this calculation in your favor. Consider a typical scenario (Lagoon 400 in this case): a budget net costing $750 (+ $1,000 installation costs) without a warranty versus our OEM replacement net at $1,727 (+$1,000 installation costs) and our comfort upgrade net at $3,260 (+$1,000 installation costs) with comprehensive 6+ year coverage including UV protection.
| Warranty Comparison |
Budget Net |
Sunrise OEM Replacement (Ultra-Pro) |
Sunrise Comfort Upgrade (3/8" Offshore) |
| Initial Cost (Includes shipping & $1,000 installation) |
$1,750 |
$2,727 |
$4,260 |
| Warranty Period |
Non-Existent |
6 years |
6 years |
| UV Coverage |
Excluded |
Included |
Included |
| Typical Failure / mode |
Year 4 / Catastrophic |
12+ Year non-failure replacement |
12+ Year non-failure replacement |
| 10-Year Total Cost |
$5,250 |
$2,727 |
$4,260 |
| Transferable |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
When the budget net fails at year three or four (the average failure point), you're facing another $750 replacement plus installation costs which are typically 8 hours of your time or around $1,000. Your "savings" have evaporated, and you're now $3,500+ into nets with another replacement looming. Our customers avoid this cycle, enjoying reliable performance throughout the warranty period and well beyond.
The financial impact extends beyond replacement costs. A failed net can end a cruise, delay a passage, or even more importantly create a safety hazard. Emergency replacements in remote locations cost significantly more than planned maintenance. Our warranty includes expedited shipping for safety-critical situations, preventing minor issues from becoming major expenses or dangerous situations.
Insurance companies increasingly recognize quality equipment warranties when setting premiums and processing claims. Several major marine insurers offer reduced rates for vessels equipped with warranted safety equipment, understanding that comprehensive manufacturer backing reduces their risk exposure.
A Quick Case Study – How likely will our warranty be needed?
A great way to look at how well our nets last would be to do a forum review for net replacement and compare net replacement forum chatter between a company we supplied OEM nets for (Seawind starting in 2010) to nets we didn’t supply OEM (Lagoon, Fountaine Pajot, or Outremer are good examples). You will struggle to find a single one (I wasn’t able to when I searched) for nets we supplied while they are plenteous for the others.
Example Sunrise Nets @ 14yrs old & 30k miles.
Example Sunrise Nets @ 16 Years Old.
Making your warranty decision in an industry that avoids the topic
When evaluating yacht net warranties, you'll quickly discover what we found in our research: most manufacturers simply don't discuss warranty terms at all. This silence speaks volumes about their confidence in their products and commitment to customers.
Since we appear to be the only company providing transparent warranty information, here are the questions you should ask any potential supplier:
- Do they even mention warranty terms on their website?
- If they do, does the warranty explicitly cover UV damage, or is it excluded as "normal wear"?
- Can the warranty transfer to future owners?
- What's the claims process for cruisers in foreign ports?
- How quickly can replacement equipment be delivered internationally?
- Do they require registration that could void coverage if missed?
You'll find that only Sunrise Yacht Products can answer all these questions clearly and positively. Our warranty documentation clearly states coverage terms without legal ambiguity or convenient exclusions. We provide detailed maintenance guidelines that help you maximize product life while maintaining warranty validity. Unlike the industry norm of avoiding warranty discussions entirely, we're transparent about exactly what protection you receive.
For yacht owners serious about protecting their investment, the choice has become remarkably clear. When one company offers comprehensive, transparent warranty protection while the entire industry remains silent, the decision makes itself. The premium for superior warranty coverage is minimal compared to the protection it provides—especially when you're the only company actually offering real protection.
When you calculate the true cost of ownership—including replacement expenses, safety considerations, and resale value—our industry-unique warranty transforms from an expense into an investment that pays dividends throughout your ownership experience. More importantly, it represents the only genuine protection available in a market where everyone else has abandoned warranty responsibility entirely.