Advice needed - Cockpit bags

[djr]

Hello all,

So I have an HR34 - and I'm mildy annoyed at how messy it looks in the cockpit with all the sheets/lines - its great when I am sailing but when she is sitting there and we are enjoying a G&T it doesn't look great;

Currently I have them hung on the winches - but I have been looking at the Blue Performance Cockpit bags, just wondering - anyone else use them? any alternatives to consider?

I've just had a ton of work done to her and these tweaks may well be the next things needed.

 

[Refueler]

I bought string shopping bags ... so the ropes can fully air when in them ... different colour for each line.

 

[Supertramp]

A different boat but I use something similar attached to the guard rails on the inside of my cockpit spray dodgers. As well as sheets, I find it really useful for all those necessary bits of rope, shock cord and straps that are needed at a moments notice. Made of acrylic canvas and held above the deck so they drain and dry out.

I have noticed that other people don't need as many bits and pieces as me!

 

[johnalison]

I too have an HR 34, but a far less well-developed sense of shame. The long lines, such as the jib and spinnaker halyards, I make into a tidy coil which is self-'locked' or whatever it's called, and they are seldom touched. I just chuck them forwards out of the way. The other lines are either very short, such as the tails of the reefs, or manageably short enough just to loosely coil and shove out of the way, where they make a convenient cushion for things like binoculars or cameras.

The jib halyard has to be available for tensioning the sail and relieving the clutch, so I just leave the right amount of slack for this.

 

[fredrussell]

I’ve got the blue performance ones as pictured above. Nicely made and strong as hell, though the pull our rain/sun cover is a bit of a gimmick. I have two line reefing for all three reefs, so lots of string in cockpit. These bags solved that.

 

[lustyd]

I made some for ours which use lift the dot fasteners to attach. Ours are deeper than that pictured, do they look a little less full and protect the rope a little better since they close above the rope but the principal is the same and we're very happy with them. Make sure they don't foul any cockpit cushions, and especially make sure they don't foul a backrest when lounging!

 

[Daverw]

I’ve got the blue performance ones as pictured above. Nicely made and strong as hell, though the pull our rain/sun cover is a bit of a gimmick. I have two line reefing for all three reefs, so lots of string in cockpit. These bags solved that.

I have three of these, as above the sun cover is not very good but bags well made, I’m just about to make covers for them as the uv seems to be effecting the short straps that hold them closed. Just fitted the mast halyard bag which I did not know they made but very good to keep bast mast tidy

 

[djr]

I am glad I am not totally crazy - I've had a ton of jobs done like new standing, running rigging so want to just finish it off - then I can stop tinkering for a bit.....

 

[lustyd]

- then I can stop tinkering for a bit.....

Are you new to boats? it never stops for a second and you’ll see the next project as you start work

 

[djr]

Are you new to boats? it never stops for a second and you’ll see the next project as you start work

Baited hope after all the £ spent in the last few weeks

Next is sorting out interior lights to all be LED based - then a few easy swap outs like the pull out shower head/hose

 

[lustyd]

LED is easy enough just work out the fittings on the bulbs and shape of them. These links may be useful

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B07GTHFTRQ

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B01FURM7NU

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B09Q3CFR76

 

[djr]

Do all fittings work with LED bulbs

 

[Ray Purchase]

I've had few Blue Performance products over the years and no complaints.

 

[Supertramp]

Do all fittings work with LED bulbs

Fluorescent tubes are trickier to replace - you need to bypass the ballast resistor or buy a whole fitting.

 

[lustyd]

Do all fittings work with LED bulbs

Yes but they may get a bit bright while charging if the fitting and bulb aren’t regulated due to the higher voltage. I have all those linked on my boat and the boat is 1999 so predates LED bulbs. No fittings have been changed and all working beautifully but we do notice it’s a bit bright while charging.
Paul Rainbow has in the past suggested a 12v to 12v converter on the lighting circuit which will smooth out the voltage. I don’t have one and it works but I agree it would be better. I’d suggest start a thread on it and he’ll give some good advice but certainly no need for new fittings.

 

[Stemar]

£50 for a rope bag?

Get your sewing machine out!

 

[lustyd]

£50 for a rope bag?

Get your sewing machine out!

How much do you imagine a metre of acrylic canvas costs in 2024, along with a spool of UV thread etc? I don't think £50 is that unreasonable having made some recently

 

[Frayed Knot]

£50 for a rope bag?

Get your sewing machine out!

Couldn’t agree more. Sewing is my new retirement hobby.
If you’re even slightly practical, I’ve found that with a little practice basic things such as stowage bags, pockets etc. can be made exactly to suit quite easily.
No need for a massive, heavy, expensive machine either. I bought a tiny Frister and Rossman Cub model through eBay as my first machine, which I now keep on board. The 60w motor means it can be used with a small inverter if necessary and it’s perfectly capable of stitching through 4 layers of acrylic canvas.

 

[wonkywinch]

I've got a Blue Performance halyard bag on the mast and it works very well. Very good quality but colour faded after a year. It has internal buckled straps to keep coiled lines tidy and a mesh drain at the bottom.

 

[Frayed Knot]

D

How much do you imagine a metre of acrylic canvas costs in 2024, along with a spool of UV thread etc? I don't think £50 is that unreasonable having made some recently

Depending on weight, finish supplier etc. £10 - £18. Spool of V69 thread, enough to make about fifty halyard bags about £8.
Having now done some larger projects I have to say that should I want to make something small I have fabric remnants etc. so don’t need to purchase.
However the satisfaction of creating something precisely to suit is difficult to put a price on.