Canvas work

[pessimist]

Just arrived home after checking the boat before the next blow. We have
suffered damage to the windows and zips of the cockpit enclosure from the last
blow.

With Christmas approaching this seems a good moment to set SWMO to work with a
needle and thread.

A few questions if I may.

We live on Exmoor and would like to visit a supplier of window material rather
than wait for the post. Any recommendations of supplier and material?

It may be the time to make new enclosure. I know the received wisdom advises
against using the old as a template but why? It would seem the obvious
solution.

What would the panel recommend for the material should we decide to bite the
bullet and produce a new enclosure?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Cheers,

Colin

 

[sarabande]

justa rounda da corna from you


And they are good.

http://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/

 

[pessimist]

justa rounda da corna from you


And they are good.

http://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/

U is rite. I shooda forta dem. Ta.

 

[ip485]

As still a bit of a beginner I can contribute that I purchased a Sailrite machine on eBay a little while ago and some fabric and other bits and pieces. Just before the Sailrite I bought another machine that fortunately the eBayer took back, after I realised (and so did he) that there are very few machines really up to the job of covering the variety of work that you might like to do on a boat. That lesson learnt, I have been pleasantly surprised at, and enjoyed the various items I have been able to make, using both the existing pattern in some cases and from scratch in others. Given the cost of the Sailrite I am probably worse off than if I had had them made professioanally, but the machine aside the cost is significantly less, I know what I want so its easier to explain it to myself, and I have enjoyed it. I bet I will eventually sell the machine for what I paid for it.

So make the enclosure, but as ever, make sure you have the "right" tools and expect to spend a little time learning the skills, assuming you dont have them already. There are some excellent videos on Sailrite, perhaps well worth a look before committing.

 

[duncan99210]

We've used a older Singer and an equally ancient Pfaff domestic machine to do canvas work. You need to make sure you're using a big enough needle and the right thread otherwise it's not too much of a problem. Not sure how well some of the more modern machines with a plastic frame world cope with the work.

We use Point North for fabric and fittings. They sell unbranded acrylic canvas which we've used for making biminis and the like for use in the Med. Good stuff which has not been damaged by several years exposure to UV. Google them for their website.

As regards replacing windows, we were told to use some glossy magazine pages between the sewing machine foot and the clear plastic to avoid it sticking to the foot as you machine it. Worked very well. Use thin double sided sticky tape to hold the windows in place for sewing but make sure you don't sew through the tape as the stickum will glue up the needle in short order (don't ask how long we took to figure this one out.

As to using the old enclosure as a pattern, I'd advise against it as we found that some shrinkage takes place over time and it's better to start from scratch. To make a pattern, support the hoops in place by using string and the use double sided tape to hold heavy guage plastic sheet in place to make a pattern. Not easy and has to be done on a calm day.....

 

[ronsurf]

Another tip: Use a silicon spray to lubricate the fabric and also stops the needle sticking. Recommend getting a roller foot as well.

 

[GrahamM376]

As to using the old enclosure as a pattern, I'd advise against it as we found that some shrinkage takes place over time and it's better to start from scratch.

Point North easier to find with Google as profabrics - http://www.profabrics.co.uk/

Funny you mentioned shrinkage, our sprayhood has shrunk over the last couple of years to the point the bottom edge won't clip on at the sides so I'll either have to extend with a short skirt or replace it, at 10 years it's lasted quite well. I suspect the problem was the new windows fitted about 3 years ago which have shrunk in the sun's heat with the hood not being fully clipped on very often.

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

Just arrived home after checking the boat before the next blow. We have
suffered damage to the windows and zips of the cockpit enclosure from the last
blow.

With Christmas approaching this seems a good moment to set SWMO to work with a
needle and thread.

A few questions if I may.

We live on Exmoor and would like to visit a supplier of window material rather
than wait for the post. Any recommendations of supplier and material?

It may be the time to make new enclosure. I know the received wisdom advises
against using the old as a template but why? It would seem the obvious
solution.

What would the panel recommend for the material should we decide to bite the
bullet and produce a new enclosure?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Cheers,

Colin

SWMO? Bit of a reversal of the usual roles there methinks

 

[ronsurf]

SWMO? Bit of a reversal of the usual roles there methinks

Things are different in Devon.

 

[pessimist]

Thanks all.