Go Big or Go Home?

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I would be very interested in the sewing thread. Especially how you sew material that is only a meter wide into bigger pieces that are still waterproof. Not only are professional boat upholsterers expensive they are nearly impossible to get hold of

Try Mumsnet

 

[Bouba]

Easy
Pretty much a standard French seam.
There isn't an easy answer to your question.
The seams that I make are like French seams.
I start by placing the two top surfaces together (face to face).
I use basting tape (a double sided tape - sometimes called Venture tape) to "stick" the seam together.
Then I run the sewing machine down the seam - just inside the double sided sticky tape.
Then more basting tape and turn the panels the correct way up - pulling very hard against the sewn seam - sticking the little flap underneath as I go.
Pulling hard against the sewn seam makes foe a better seam.
Then the bit I think you are concerned about.
A top stitch to hold the fold in place - on a large panel, you might have to roll the fabric to get it to pass through the machine.
The basting tape is great for holding the fabric whilst you sew but it also forms a waterproof seal where the needle passes through.
A lot of it is all about planning to avoid having to push wide sections through the machine.
For example, the job I'm doing at the moment has lots of zips - zips can be completely split and finally assembled at the end - this can reduce the amount of fabric that passes through the right side of the machine.
In fact, I have developed my own technique with zips where I sew down one way and up the other thus keeping the fabric on the left and not having to pass through the right side.

A lot of people use domestic sewing machines.
I've used domestic machines in the past but these Sailrite machines are unbelievably good at canvass - every stitch is the same size which is difficult to achieve with a domestic machine.
This is my Sailrite machine with some of that cheap canvass.

They make 2 machines - the LSZ-1 (the blue one) is the best and worth the extra.
This is their promotion video:-

Here are some of the jobs that I've done.

Console covers using the cheap canvass.
View attachment 103408

Same thing but I've now made them with the longer lasting material that Princess use. (sorry a bit of bird poo on the top)
View attachment 103409

These are cockpit covers that I made with the cheap canvass.
View attachment 103410

And here is an example of the quality of the stitching that the Sailrite can achieve.
This pic also shows the end result of my zip technique.
Using the Princess fabric.
View attachment 103418

That is brilliant! I’m going to give it some serious thought. If I thought that I could achieve the results that you have I wouldn’t hesitate

 

[Bouba]

Try Mumsnet

I heard that they are really mean on Mumsnet?‍?‍?‍?

 

[Hurricane]

That is brilliant! I’m going to give it some serious thought. If I thought that I could achieve the results that you have I wouldn’t hesitate

It isn't difficult.
The Sailrite machine is a MUST in order to get the quality of the stitching right.
Apart from that, the biggest learning curve I have had has been in selecting the materials.
Then working techniques that I can handle.
All this information and techniques I'm happy to share.

 

[MapisM]

Mapism is the expert. From memory it has a strange interior layout hampered by 2

J, I'd love to comment on a subject on which you qualify myself as an expert, but I struggle to understand what you are referring to.
Not that Sq58 I guess, 'cause I've only seen a few of them and never owned one - as opposed to yourself and some other forumites.
So, what's the other subject on which you think I'm an expert...?

 

[MapisM]

Your inference they dropped it because it had issues is fake.

For the records, what I said wasn't "my inference", but something I learned (first hand, not from social networks) from several MAN engineers whose cumulative experience is well above a hundred years.
Besides, as I said MAN never used the V10 block for commercial heavy duty rating, and this is a fact.
Now, make of "my inferences" and of all my other suggestions what you want.
And of course, feel free to like Lamborghini V10 engines.
From my part, sorry but life's way too short to try to follow the logic of your posts (if any), so I'm giving up.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Meh, most 'big' boat interiors look like dodgy 90s small/medium sized town nightclubs to me, this one's no different.

True. Equally, the quality of the orignal build is very good so a well judged refurb can really lift the look. If that boat's interior has been wrapped then unwrapping would be a good start. Maybe change work surfaces and some panels. Stainless or chrome fittings instead of brass / gold. New linings and carpet, reupholstery. LED lighting.

I suppose the best advice is go view a few.

 

[Chris H]

I would be very interested in the sewing thread. Especially how you sew material that is only a meter wide into bigger pieces that are still waterproof. Not only are professional boat upholsterers expensive they are nearly impossible to get hold of

I’ve used a very reliable and reasonably priced guy in Antibes, let me know if you need a contact number.

 

[Bouba]

I’ve used a very reliable and reasonably priced guy in Antibes, let me know if you need a contact number.

Thanks Chris, I maybe a bit far from Antibes, 100 miles. But I have to wait until I can visit my boat which may not be until Christmas, if we’re lucky.
I’m interested in Hurricane’s DIY approach but his sewing machine is like hen’s teeth, thin on the ground. There’s not one for sale in Europe!

 

[Hooligan]

So Gravy, put us out of our misery. Are you going big or going home?

 

[Hooligan]

Blog drift but can someone tell me how to insert a picture that inserts the right way up? I click on the Insert Image, choose a photo and every time it comes out the wrong way up. Makes no sense to me at all. What is the point in inserting a perfectly decent picture turned anti clockwise? Is it me or the way this system works? Example. Every time.....

 

[Bouba]

Blog drift but can someone tell me how to insert a picture that inserts the right way up? I click on the Insert Image, choose a photo and every time it comes out the wrong way up. Makes no sense to me at all. What is the point in inserting a perfectly decent picture turned anti clockwise? Is it me or the way this system works? Example. Every time.....

View attachment 103460

I use a photo hosting site
Postimages — free image hosting / image upload
It’s free and never let me down. I also suffered horizontal pictures until I went to postimages

 

[Portofino]

Besides, as I said MAN never used the V10 block for commercial heavy duty rating, and this is a fact.

When you lower the Hp rating s of V8 , and the V12 for heavy duty , the range overlap problem becomes more acute .
Shorter span. Thus no room space to fit the V10 s Hp range as its already covered .

look you were wrong denying the existence of the V12 1200 man up

The dropping of the V10 in leisure and it’s lack of appearance in heavy duty commercial has zero to see with any reliably issues .
All the parts are vertically interchangeable as you should know they are modular for there era s .Still are .
Any balance issues with 10 cylinders I have already covered .
Emissions might have been another factor in range cutting , but who cares ?
It was not reliability.
There is a V12 1200 Hp .

 

[GravyStain]

So Gravy, put us out of our misery. Are you going big or going home?

Hahaha - I'm far too busy enjoying the banter here at the moment to make any decision... Doing my Day Skipper exam tomorrow (finers crossed but should be fine), then wait for European travel to become easy(ish), then nail the practical somewhere in Spain (thank you Hurricane for the recommendation) and look towards doing Coastal...

To be honest Hooligan, I'm really quite torn. All you guys here have given me some very, very sound advice (albeit some of it conflicting, but that's to be expected). I'm not scared of being hands on, never have been and I know you need that to run a boat.

I think I'm going to say that I'm flexible at the moment. I need to see some of these boats at places other than second hand boat shows. I need to bang my head in the engine compartment of a Prinny / Ferretti / Fairline / Azimut etc to get a feel for space etc... obviously (generally) the bigger the boat , the more the space allround and that is enhanced by their youth (Princess 50 MK3 for example).

One thing I'm sure of (until I change my mind for the right boat) is that I love the internal stairs to the flybridge and would like to buy something with them.

The smallest I will buy is 50 ft, the largest is 59ft so Go Big is still winning. My compromise is in dated burr woods and less freeboard etc... but these things are very much first world problems. you only sleep in your cabin (well, mostly ) so that's not a biggie for me, even at 6' 3". SWMBO is lucky at a diminutive 5'2"

My heart says 58ft. my pocket and head say 50ft, and as MarkC said here (to paraphrase) 'don't buy what you can't afford or look after without worrying. It will spoil your whole experience'

So, to conclude... it's 58ft @ circa 1998. or 50ft @ circa 2003

Watch this space (I'll be annoying you lot with many more questions yet)!

 

[Portofino]

Blog drift but can someone tell me how to insert a picture that inserts the right way up? I click on the Insert Image, choose a photo and every time it comes out the wrong way up. Makes no sense to me at all. What is the point in inserting a perfectly decent picture turned anti clockwise? Is it me or the way this system works? Example. Every time.....

View attachment 103460

Can’t help but I think I know why ,
It because you turned the phone sideways originally.
So I try to keep it vertical, if theres a chance it may be used on forums / FB etc .

 

[Hurricane]

Blog drift but can someone tell me how to insert a picture that inserts the right way up? I click on the Insert Image, choose a photo and every time it comes out the wrong way up. Makes no sense to me at all. What is the point in inserting a perfectly decent picture turned anti clockwise? Is it me or the way this system works? Example. Every time.....

View attachment 103460

Firstly, I agree, this forum's software is rubbish.
To get your photos the correct way up using the forum's upload button, you will need to rotate the using some software before you upload them.
Another issue that you seem to have fixed is that you have to reduce the size/scale of the image prior to uploading.
Photos' taken with modern cameras (including phones) contain "metadata".
This metadata contains stuff like the resolution, the date and sometimes the location that the image was taken.
In fact, there is loads of stuff in the metadata - the make and model of the camera and the exposure values etc.
Often referred to EXIF data.
One of the parameters in the EXIF (metadata) is the photo's orientation which is defaulted from the camera/phone's orientation when the image was taken.
So, Porto is "sort of" correct when he said turn it sideways.
But the proper solution is to rotate it before uploading.
I'm afraid that I am a Linux user and the tools that I use wouldn't help you.
Sometimes when posting on here, I can't be bothered to rotate the image if it look OK, sometimes I leave it unrotated.
See if you can find an editing app that will rotate the image before you upload it.

 

[Hurricane]

I’m interested in Hurricane’s DIY approach but his sewing machine is like hen’s teeth, thin on the ground. There’s not one for sale in Europe!

No, they are like "Rocking Horse Poo"
But you can buy them direct from America.
Sailrite's service is excellent.
Like me, two of my friends have bought the LSZ-1 from them directly from Sailrite - takes about a week to come (including clearing customs).
I wouldn't buy the LS-1 (the Red one) - this is the non-zig zag machine.
For me, I don't use the zig zag feature of the blue LSZ-1 but it has a very useful feature that isn't on the red LS-1 - the ability to offset the needle - I use that all the time.
So, if considering a Sailrite, I recommend the more expensive LSZ-1.

That said, there are some Chinese "rip offs".
The Baracuda is one - see here - BARRACUDA 200ZW ZIG ZAG PORTABLE SEWING MACHINE
Or even cheaper
Alibaba Manufacturer Directory
But you would need to be very brave.
I chose to buy a proper Sailrite machine because, on the scale of things, getting it right was more important than getting the cheapest solution.
I believe that lots of yachties have bought the cheap ones and they seem to work for them.

The other thing that swayed me was the support that you get from Sailrite - they have a huge selection of "how to videos" on youtube.
Certainly, these videos helped me to get started.
This page will get you to most of the "How to" for boats etc.
Marine Projects - Sailrite
Click on a project to see a page of notes and usually a video on how to make the project.
For example here's one on how to make a power boat helm console How to Make a Boat Helm Cover Video - Sailrite
But there are also lots of easy to follow videos to specifically get you started.

 

[Bouba]

Blog drift but can someone tell me how to insert a picture that inserts the right way up? I click on the Insert Image, choose a photo and every time it comes out the wrong way up. Makes no sense to me at all. What is the point in inserting a perfectly decent picture turned anti clockwise? Is it me or the way this system works? Example. Every time.....

View attachment 103460

This is an example of using Postimages to post a photo, enjoy???️

 

[MapisM]

look you were wrong denying the existence of the V12 1200 man up

Correct, but I wasn't considering the previous century.
And you said it was the LE404, so we should man up together, I reckon.
If it weren't that life's too short, as I already said.

The dropping of the V10 in leisure and it’s lack of appearance in heavy duty commercial has zero to see with any reliably issues.

Respectable, but that's just your opinion.
Which happens to be different from the one of four chaps who are (or have been) chief engineers at official MAN dealer shops.

 

[jrudge]

J, I'd love to comment on a subject on which you qualify myself as an expert, but I struggle to understand what you are referring to.
Not that Sq58 I guess, 'cause I've only seen a few of them and never owned one - as opposed to yourself and some other forumites.
So, what's the other subject on which you think I'm an expert...?

The sq55. You had some pretty significant views. I have never been on one !