Need to bite the bullet - spray hood

[Graham_Wright]

I always intended to make my own but it aint easy.

Recommendations please.

 

[Poignard]

I had mine made by TecSew, Gosport in 1999. They did a good job as it's still in use!

 

[Tranona]

As they need to be custom made, a local supplier is probably the best bet. I have had sprayhoods made by both Tec Sew and Kemps (the latest). Both relatively expensive but very personal service (3 visits for the last one to establish the spec and measure plus half a day to fit). Excellent product from bith.

 

[Taliesin]

Jeckells have quite a few spray hood patterns on file, depends how near you are to them. (Just noted your in Glos, they’re in Norfolk)

 

[Sea-Fever]

I always intended to make my own but it aint easy.

Recommendations please.

Have you got the old one to use as a template? I would say if you are borderline inclined towards the DIY route…..give it whirl, it will save you a packet…..and I mean thousands.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I made mine several years ago. You need a decent sewing machine, use bonded polyester thread, make a pattern first using pattern material. Look at others to see how they are made. I believe Sailrite may have a utube video.

 

[Shuggy]

Buy cheap, buy several times. I am now 14 years into ownership of my boat, and I’ve just taken delivery of her third spray hood. Owen sails made this current one and they templated, cut and fitted it. All thread is UV proof and it cost almost £1,500. I’ve tried cheaper and the last one managed 11 seasons. I’m hoping this does a bit better and having been on board all week I can confirm it fits the cockpit tent (which they also made a couple of years ago) like a glove and is excellent quality. I have a very wet boat and the spray hood is critical to my crew staying dry… whoever is on the helm will get battered regardless. For me, a local high quality supplier wins every time.

 

[Graham376]

I always intended to make my own but it aint easy.
Recommendations please.

Tell me about it! I'm half way through making one, couldn't face paying £1k + when materials are <€200 but can see how many hours are needed.

 

[Stemar]

I'm getting mine done by Sails of Merit in Southampton, after being impressed by the work they did on a friends' boat and the repairs to the sprayhood on my old boat.

Materials are cheap enough; it's the labour that costs. A visit to to template, cutting out, sewing, another visit to fit. It all adds up, at £50 an hour, which sounds a lot, but they have vans to run, rent and bills to pay. It's a living, but they aren't driving Bentleys. Try your friendly local BMW dealer for an hourly rate to bring tears to your wallet.

 

[ashtead]

You don’t say which boat? I would be having a look on owners website if investing should one exist . I was very impressed with Tecsew but for cockpit tent but have used a firm in Emsworth for smaller jobs with good resultswho replaced our hood windows .That said I was disappointed with work of a large well known firm on our previous boat. A lot depends on your budget I guess -are you looking for budget offering or prepared to pay for more personal service etc.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

As they need to be custom made, a local supplier is probably the best bet. I have had sprayhoods made by both Tec Sew and Kemps (the latest). Both relatively expensive but very personal service (3 visits for the last one to establish the spec and measure plus half a day to fit). Excellent product from bith.

+1. A sprayhood needs two visits from the maker; one to measure and one to adjust the final fit. In my experience of having two made (the first lasted 14 years; I've just had the second!) they position things like "lift-the-dot" fasteners in place - and when I watched the guy who made the first, they make it look easy, but I don't think it is!

Also, I think you'll find that big, national sailmakers don't do them, because of the need for repeated visits and the lack of standard patterns. Jeckells certainly don't; I asked them, and even though they're actually quite close to me, the answer was a polite no.

 

[coopec]

I always intended to make my own but it aint easy.

Recommendations please.

I wonder how hard it would be to make up one of these using X2 "U" shaped SS tubes covered in "bendy" ply?



Or maybe one of these?

 

[RobF]

Agree with Tranona that you'll want to find a trusted supplier who is local to the boat and can make a couple of visits to measure. Unless you've got a really standard boat - in which case some of the bigger candidates might already have a pattern. Whereabouts is the OP's boat?

 

[ghostlymoron]

I used to have a Mirage 28 and out local sailmaker asked if he could measure up for a sprayhood on Mirage 30 miles away which would save him a 60 mile round trip - time and fuel. I agreed in exchange for a couple of small repairs. Both happy.

 

[Stemar]

Or maybe one of these?

View attachment 133563

I had plans to make the top of something like that, but Management outvoted me. I still think it would have worked out cheaper than having a canvas one made - unless I cost my time.

 

[coopec]

I had plans to make the top of something like that, but Management outvoted me. I still think it would have worked out cheaper than having a canvas one made - unless I cost my time.

Absolutely! But that is not taking labour into account. (as you point out)

Mind you I could build it quite quickly after I got the two SS tubes bent in a "U" shape. The fiber glassing would be straight forward.

I have a problem with canvas dodgers as most seem to be gangway covers.

 

[alahol2]

Another option, if you already have a reasonably well fitting sprayhood, is to get it copied. I had my old one copied by Quay Sails in Poole, it fitted perfectly, the cost was a whole lot less than those that wanted to measure . That was in 2007, it's still looking OK (I replaced the 'windows' in about 2020).
I've read good reports on here about Sabre Sails on ebay for copies.

 

[Temujin]

Hi Graham. My wife does spray hoods, sail covers etc and is based in Gloucestershire. Can give you details and there are good few boats in the local area where you can see the standard of work.

 

[Beneteau381]

I made mine several years ago. You need a decent sewing machine, use bonded polyester thread, make a pattern first using pattern material. Look at others to see how they are made. I believe Sailrite may have a utube video.

We have just made one for ours. Sailrite videos were our saviour. . Template making was a must. Singer 201k to sew it. Took us ten days here in Portugal

 

[Poignard]

We have just made one for ours. Sailrite videos were our saviour. . Template making was a must. Singer 201k to sew it. Took us ten days here in Portugal

Well you must be very skilled. Looking at how complicated mine is, with its many different panels, pockets, fasteners, webbing, zips, windows, etc., it would take me ten days to take it to bits!