Back to the UK for a winter refit

Jimmy, just back from hols and catching up on this thread, good going so far. I wouldn't have thought its essential to exactly match the exterior profile of the existing pods if making completely new ones, as long as they look good, so here's a left field idea, what about asking a surfboard shaper to make some?

They make surfboards by eye out of solid lumps of rigid foam using an electric planer, then glass them up afterwards. Shapers are skilled at getting smooth lines and surfaces, so the end product could be pretty good, and I'd guess you'd be looking at about £500 for the pair, though I haven't bought a new board in a very long time.

There may even be a shaper in Brighton, though I wouldn't count on that.

I'd leave it until next year now though :D
 
Any progress Jimmy?

Not too much to report Pete, it has been Christmas...

The teak is all off the bathing platform now - in fact against expectations, it all came off in a couple of sheets. Paul found that once he'd got some wedges started under the backing mat that the teak was originally bonded to, the whole lot could be (slowly) peeled away from the platform. Like this:

IMG_0678_zps25ff1851.jpg


IMG_0679_zps010af30d.jpg


And this is the result:

IMG_0677_zpsfab78812.jpg


I had a text from Paul earlier today saying that the platform has now been cut in half, yikes, but I don't have any photos of that yet.

In other news, the Spradling fabric sample book arrived, but I'm not sure that that's what I want. I'm quite keen on the Sunbrella solid that Bart has got on Blue Angel, so next step is to order some samples from Dickson Constant.
 
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Jimmy, just back from hols and catching up on this thread, good going so far. I wouldn't have thought its essential to exactly match the exterior profile of the existing pods if making completely new ones, as long as they look good, so here's a left field idea, what about asking a surfboard shaper to make some?

They make surfboards by eye out of solid lumps of rigid foam using an electric planer, then glass them up afterwards. Shapers are skilled at getting smooth lines and surfaces, so the end product could be pretty good, and I'd guess you'd be looking at about £500 for the pair, though I haven't bought a new board in a very long time.

There may even be a shaper in Brighton, though I wouldn't count on that.

I'd leave it until next year now though :D

Thanks Nick, that's an interesting idea. The remanufacture of the pods continues to present as the most complicated part of the bathing platform project, so I'll explore this idea further, cheers. The current plan is to extend the main (centre) section of the platform, because the method and design for this is very clear. Once that task is complete we'll temporarily refit the extended main section to the boat, and then figure out the plan for the pods.
 
Jimmy, just back from hols and catching up on this thread, good going so far. I wouldn't have thought its essential to exactly match the exterior profile of the existing pods if making completely new ones, as long as they look good, so here's a left field idea, what about asking a surfboard shaper to make some?

They make surfboards by eye out of solid lumps of rigid foam using an electric planer, then glass them up afterwards. Shapers are skilled at getting smooth lines and surfaces, so the end product could be pretty good, and I'd guess you'd be looking at about £500 for the pair, though I haven't bought a new board in a very long time.

There may even be a shaper in Brighton, though I wouldn't count on that.

I'd leave it until next year now though :D

The shaping the foam then glassing is exactly how Paul who is doing the platform did my dashboard.
 
jimmy_the_builder said:
In other news, the Stradling fabric sample book arrived, but I'm not sure that that's what I want. I'm quite keen on the Sunbrella solid that Bart has got on Blue Angel, so next step is to order some samples from Dickson Constant.

Have you worked out their catalogue? They seem keen to describe every possible use apart from seating. The Rodman has a helm seat in what I think is Sunbrella, a grey/blue colour, which if original has stood up very well. However the dinette seating is in a more solid blue pretend leather, which hasn't worn well as it gets a lot of wear from passing traffic (there ain't much room in the saloon of an 8m boat with wide side decks). So I was thinking of matching the dinette seating with the helm seat covering, but can't see how I get hold of a selection of samples that might match.
 
Hi Jimmy and Others

I'm interested in the fabric for seating discussion.
We are getting to the point where the old stock Princess vinyl flybridge cushions will need replacing is a few seasons.
In fact, with a few repairs, they could go on for a few years yet.
However, that is not the same for the helm seats which are on my shopping list to replace as soon as possible.
So, thinking ahead, anything that I do on the helm seats now will need to be replicated/match on the rest of the FB at a later date.
Originally, I thought of working with a seating fabricator and then get the same guy to do the FB cushions later but I'm having problems finding someone who will make new, appropriate, heml seats from scratch.
Yes, there are the really expensive units but we don't really have space for anything fancy and all I really want is a simple bucket seat to replace the old ones
So my thoughts now are to make the fabrics the same even though I may use different fabricators.
Any thoughts would be helpful.
 
Nice idea and lateral thinking there Nick.
There used to be a great Board shaper called Chris Sharman Jackson who made and shaped 'Brainwaves' boards in Hassocks, Brighton. I really liked the graphics too designed and painted by 'Nigs' Lloyd. They made a cool waveboard for me once called, 'SeaWolf' You should have seen the Wolf's head coming out of a moonlit sky. Excellent. :cool:

I think this is a link to his updated website:
http://www.cjsurf.com/category/home/


It may be interesting, but I suspect that Paul will be doing pretty much the same already.

RR
 
Hi Jimmy and Others

I'm interested in the fabric for seating discussion.
We are getting to the point where the old stock Princess vinyl flybridge cushions will need replacing is a few seasons.
In fact, with a few repairs, they could go on for a few years yet.
However, that is not the same for the helm seats which are on my shopping list to replace as soon as possible.
So, thinking ahead, anything that I do on the helm seats now will need to be replicated/match on the rest of the FB at a later date.
Originally, I thought of working with a seating fabricator and then get the same guy to do the FB cushions later but I'm having problems finding someone who will make new, appropriate, heml seats from scratch.
Yes, there are the really expensive units but we don't really have space for anything fancy and all I really want is a simple bucket seat to replace the old ones
So my thoughts now are to make the fabrics the same even though I may use different fabricators.
Any thoughts would be helpful.

Just had all my outside seating done in beige Silvertex from CTP textiles http://www.ctptextiles.co.uk/MarineAutomotiveRanges/Silvertex.aspx and am very pleased with the result. Its important to renew foam as well for best results.
 
Just had all my outside seating done in beige Silvertex from CTP textiles http://www.ctptextiles.co.uk/MarineAutomotiveRanges/Silvertex.aspx and am very pleased with the result. Its important to renew foam as well for best results.

Thanks for that link
I like white or light fabrics with a dark contrasting stripe (that's what we have at the moment - white vinyl/blue)
I'm concerned that light coloured fabrics will show the dirt.
It seems to me that vinyl fabrics would be much harder and longer wearing.
It would be interesting to hear what others think.
 
Thanks for that link
I like white or light fabrics with a dark contrasting stripe (that's what we have at the moment - white vinyl/blue)
I'm concerned that light coloured fabrics will show the dirt.
It seems to me that vinyl fabrics would be much harder and longer wearing.
It would be interesting to hear what others think.

They will send you samples, what they sent me were A4 size, the pictures on the above link don't really show what its like although with a browse around LIBS I'm sure you will see this on a few boats, I know a few people with this now and its very cleanable and hard wearing, from experience its easier to clean than vinyl.
 
Have you worked out their catalogue? They seem keen to describe every possible use apart from seating. The Rodman has a helm seat in what I think is Sunbrella, a grey/blue colour, which if original has stood up very well. However the dinette seating is in a more solid blue pretend leather, which hasn't worn well as it gets a lot of wear from passing traffic (there ain't much room in the saloon of an 8m boat with wide side decks). So I was thinking of matching the dinette seating with the helm seat covering, but can't see how I get hold of a selection of samples that might match.

I'd agree that the D-C website is a triumph of form over function. Spradling make (amongst other fabrics) Silvertex, which is what Princess used to fit as one of their OE cockpit fabrics (they called it Movida). I'm not overly bothered about sticking to the manufacturer's prescribed application - I think it's just as valid to look at what other owners have done (like Bart on BA, or Jfm on both Match 1 and 2, or Nick_h on his P57) and see what looks good and works well in the flesh. At the end of the day, this cockpit reupholstering exercise is actually one of the cheaper parts of the refit, so although you don't want to get it wrong, it is not the end of the world if you do change your mind about fabrics.

Spradling send out a sample book (which I have here) which has all the colourways albeit in tiny postage-stamp sized samples. For Sunbrella, D-C want you to buy A5-sized samples at €1.80 each.
 
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Hi Jimmy and Others

I'm interested in the fabric for seating discussion.
We are getting to the point where the old stock Princess vinyl flybridge cushions will need replacing is a few seasons.
In fact, with a few repairs, they could go on for a few years yet.
However, that is not the same for the helm seats which are on my shopping list to replace as soon as possible.
So, thinking ahead, anything that I do on the helm seats now will need to be replicated/match on the rest of the FB at a later date.
Originally, I thought of working with a seating fabricator and then get the same guy to do the FB cushions later but I'm having problems finding someone who will make new, appropriate, heml seats from scratch.
Yes, there are the really expensive units but we don't really have space for anything fancy and all I really want is a simple bucket seat to replace the old ones
So my thoughts now are to make the fabrics the same even though I may use different fabricators.
Any thoughts would be helpful.

Sounds like you need to come to the boat show and see if there are any seats there that fit the bill. How about Thursday 15 January 2015? :D

If JW is coming up on seven years old, and you think that (a) the helm seats have already had it but (b) the rest of the fb still has years of life left in it, aren't you overdoing the concern about matching up the fb upholstery to the helm seats at some point in the future? In other words, in say five years time when the fb upholstery is end of life, it sounds like the helm seats will be ready to go again at that point anyway - so do the helm seats any way you like now, and then just do them again when the rest of the fb needs doing in five years time.

Alternatively - do the helm seats now, and just buy enough fabric for the rest of the fb, and store it until needed. I prefer plan A though.
 
Sounds like you need to come to the boat show and see if there are any seats there that fit the bill. How about Thursday 15 January 2015? :D

If JW is coming up on seven years old, and you think that (a) the helm seats have already had it but (b) the rest of the fb still has years of life left in it, aren't you overdoing the concern about matching up the fb upholstery to the helm seats at some point in the future? In other words, in say five years time when the fb upholstery is end of life, it sounds like the helm seats will be ready to go again at that point anyway - so do the helm seats any way you like now, and then just do them again when the rest of the fb needs doing in five years time.

Alternatively - do the helm seats now, and just buy enough fabric for the rest of the fb, and store it until needed. I prefer plan A though.


Good points, Jimmy
On this boat, we have always taken care of the external cushions.
At the moment, they are all nicely stacked in the crews quarters with background heating.
It is easy to lift the cushions and their backs off at the end of the season and when we leave the boat for the longer periods.
To date, the helm seats have been left covered but screwed down on the FB.
I was intending on replacing them with new ones and a mechanism to remove them quickly - that way we could leave them in the cockpit whilst we are away from the boat.
Consequently, I was hoping to make the replacement helm seats last longer/better than the initial ones.

As far as LIBS is concerned, we have decided not to go this year.
Instead, we are heading off to Dusseldorf for 4 days.
Helm seats (or at least the helm seat problem) is on the shopping list.
I was just wondering if anyone else on here had any ideas.
 
Good points, Jimmy
On this boat, we have always taken care of the external cushions.
At the moment, they are all nicely stacked in the crews quarters with background heating.
It is easy to lift the cushions and their backs off at the end of the season and when we leave the boat for the longer periods.
To date, the helm seats have been left covered but screwed down on the FB.
I was intending on replacing them with new ones and a mechanism to remove them quickly - that way we could leave them in the cockpit whilst we are away from the boat.
Consequently, I was hoping to make the replacement helm seats last longer/better than the initial ones.

As far as LIBS is concerned, we have decided not to go this year.
Instead, we are heading off to Dusseldorf for 4 days.
Helm seats (or at least the helm seat problem) is on the shopping list.
I was just wondering if anyone else on here had any ideas.

Might see you at Dusseldorf then, we'll be there on 24 and 25 January.

It'll be interesting to see what you come up with for quick-release helm seats; removing the helm seat on Vega took ages, because of the fore-aft adjuster mechanism it was _very_ well fixed to the boat.
 
I am doing the graveyard shift (24th/25th) come say bellow in hall 16d22. Yachting World. It's in the sail hall but they have moved some motorboats around so you will pass it !
 
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