Sailrite

[Hurricane]

Update
Here are some pics of the flybridge covers that I made at home in the spring and fitted in June/July







The grey covers are made from the same PVC as the Princess white covers (but grey).
The idea of the long covers is to let the dew/water run off to keep the cushions underneath dry.
Note the zipped panel half way along to allow access to the chiller where the beers are!!

 

[Bouba]

I had a small setback in my sewing. It turned out it wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped! So I got a bit discouraged and set it aside for a while. Then life took over and I was busy doing other projects (all of which have now escaped my memory) and this week is new car week, so I will be busy. But I have resolved that come winter I will be at my machine sewing like a beaver regardless if I or beavers can sew. Apologies to all

 

[Hurricane]

I had a small setback in my sewing. It turned out it wasn’t as easy as I’d hoped! So I got a bit discouraged and set it aside for a while. Then life took over and I was busy doing other projects (all of which have now escaped my memory) and this week is new car week, so I will be busy. But I have resolved that come winter I will be at my machine sewing like a beaver regardless if I or beavers can sew. Apologies to all

We are in the process of a new car project as well.
Our old Land Cruiser. 22 years old now - we have had it from new but we think the time has come.
Over the last few years it has actually been going up in value and ours is (relatively) low mileage - they are often used as commercial work horses.
It will be a sad day when it finally goes.
Its replacement won't be for a few months yet though - we couldn't find a modern equivalent that was as good - probably the reason that the second hand prices have gone up.

 

[Bouba]

We are in the process of a new car project as well.
Our old Land Cruiser. 22 years old now - we have had it from new but we think the time has come.
Over the last few years it has actually been going up in value and ours is (relatively) low mileage - they are often used as commercial work horses.
It will be a sad day when it finally goes.
Its replacement won't be for a few months yet though - we couldn't find a modern equivalent that was as good - probably the reason that the second hand prices have gone up.

I’m busy in the Lounge forum trying to justify going electric. The resistance is great but I think they will relent soon and allow people to talk about electric cars. But I don’t think there is an electric Land Cruiser replacement but I think Elon Musk is close?

 

[Hurricane]

I’m busy in the Lounge forum trying to justify going electric. The resistance is great but I think they will relent soon and allow people to talk about electric cars. But I don’t think there is an electric Land Cruiser replacement but I think Elon Musk is close?

Financially, electric doesn't make sense.
We have had our old Landcruiser for 22 years - in that period, it would probably have needed 3 sets of batteries.
Thats either depreciation of high maintenance - however you look at it.
Toyota won't supply their diesel 300 model into the EU/UK (I assume they don't want to meet the EU regs) so that rules a new 300 model Landcruiser out.
We didn't like the current model either.
On the engine front, the best we can do is a Mild Hybrid which uses a smaller and cheaper lead acid battery - I think I can just about justify the depreciation/maintenance on that option.

 

[Bouba]

Financially, electric doesn't make sense.
We have had our old Landcruiser for 22 years - in that period, it would probably have needed 3 sets of batteries.
Thats either depreciation of high maintenance - however you look at it.
Toyota won't supply their diesel 300 model into the EU/UK (I assume they don't want to meet the EU regs) so that rules a new 300 model Landcruiser out.
We didn't like the current model either.
On the engine front, the best we can do is a Mild Hybrid which uses a smaller and cheaper lead acid battery - I think I can just about justify the depreciation/maintenance on that option.

Why not keep the Land Cruiser, it has now reach classic car status for insurance because it’s over twenty years of age

 

[Hurricane]

Why not keep the Land Cruiser, it has now reach classic car status for insurance because it’s over twenty years of age

We've been making that decision for years.
It is starting to get rusty now - a bit like the cars we had when we first started driving.
I think we owe it t ourselves in retirement to have newer kit.
But I did drive it down to B&Q the other day - filled it up wit a load of stuff and it just coped.
It is a tonka truck - always has been.

 

[Bouba]

In the meantime I have made these

The wooden thing with magnets is a seam sewing guide, which you can buy from Sailrite but this cost next to nothing.
The hot knife sold by Sailrite costs well over $100 plus shipping and vat. But an €8 soldering gun in which I hammered the element into a blade, works perfectly ?

 

[Hurricane]

In the meantime I have made these

The wooden thing with magnets is a seam sewing guide, which you can buy from Sailrite but this cost next to nothing.
The hot knife sold by Sailrite costs well over $100 plus shipping and vat. But an €8 soldering gun in which I hammered the element into a blade, works perfectly ?

Thats a great idea - never thought of using a soldering iron as a hot knife.
I've used a conventional soldering iron to make holes before but that looks like a good cheap alternative to one of those very expensive hot knives.
Unfortunately, I have two of the expensive ones - one on the boat and one at home.

My magnetic sewing guide came with my Sailrite package and I use it a lot.
Mainly when joining fabric panels - to guide the first row of stitches when making a French seam.
So it is interesting to see a home made guide.
Anyone who hasn't got one should make one like yours.

 

[Bouba]

My magnetic sewing guide came with my Sailrite package and I use it a lot.

Now this is an embarrassing confession ?. After your post ‘in my Sailrite package’, well I bought the package also! Only I haven’t actually opened it......I just ran downstairs......and sure enough....there was a Sailrite sewing guide?
Anyone on eBay looking for a stick with two magnets ?

 

[Martin_J]

Now this is an embarrassing confession ☹?. After your post ‘in my Sailrite package’, well I bought the package also! Only I haven’t actually opened it......I just ran downstairs......and sure enough....there was a Sailrite sewing guide?
Anyone on eBay looking for a stick with two magnets ?

Your stick is probably longer front to back so could still come in useful, depending on how strong the magnets are.

 

[Hurricane]

Update

I think I'm finally there.
I'm quite pleased with the last set of cockpit covers that I made.
These are the second set that I've made - the first set was with a very cheap fabric that didn't last in the strong Med UV.
These new covers are made from the same material that Princess use on new boats.
Here are some pics (posted in another thread as well)













I'm quite pleased with them
The following pic is the older (professionally made) covers which cost over £2200.
I made my new ones for less than £100.
So the whole Sailrite project has been worthwhile.
Not only saving money but also giving me something to do during the Covid lock downs.

 

[Martin_J]

Well done.

I thought I was seeing double in picture 2.

The boat in the background has the same cover!!

I also like the fact that with window material being cheaper than the main canvas fabric, the larger the window area you create, the cheaper the final product becomes

 

[Hurricane]

Well done.

I thought I was seeing double in picture 2.

The boat in the background has the same cover!!

I also like the fact that with window material being cheaper than the main canvas fabric, the larger the window area you create, the cheaper the final product becomes

Yep the other boat is a Princess 58 - slightly younger but same vintage of boat - with the same Princess PVC fabric.

In fact, you are wrong about the window fabric.
I've managed to source the white PVC at a really cheap price.
I have to buy a whole roll (25m x 2.1m) but it comes in at under £3 per sqm - less than the window material!!
I also like working with the PVC
You have probably seen this pic before - it is a sample that I made up to test how the doors to the cockpit covers would come out.
It also shows how well the Sailrite handles the PVC material - each stitch is the same size even when it stitches across a thick plastic zip.

 

[Hurricane]

Some of you may have noticed that I changed the design of the professional covers.
On the old covers, the doors/zips are made using flaps - I assume to keep the cockpit waterproof.
The flaps are held in place using Velcro but they are a PIA when opening/closing the doors.
The Velcro flaps are like this:-



In fact, plastic chain zips are reasonably waterproof when used in vertical panels.
So, I changed to this method of zips and developed a really simple method of sewing them in.
In fact it is so easy, I now put zips everywhere ( on the tender cover for example - how often have yo fitted a tender cover and left something inside!!)
So, this is how I ended up with the doors to my new DIY cockpit covers:-



The only issue that I can see is that as they get older, the edge of my covering flap might fray/split.
But - hey ho - a completely new set of cockpit covers will only cost me another 100 quid.

 

[Bouba]

Update

I think I'm finally there.
I'm quite pleased with the last set of cockpit covers that I made.
These are the second set that I've made - the first set was with a very cheap fabric that didn't last in the strong Med UV.
These new covers are made from the same material that Princess use on new boats.
Here are some pics (posted in another thread as well)

View attachment 125298

View attachment 125299

View attachment 125300

View attachment 125301

View attachment 125302

View attachment 125303

I'm quite pleased with them
The following pic is the older (professionally made) covers which cost over £2200.
I made my new ones for less than £100.
So the whole Sailrite project has been worthwhile.
Not only saving money but also giving me something to do during the Covid lock downs.

View attachment 125304

Not only have you saved money but you have inspired others?. Unfortunately you have also shamed some??. But I promise to get back to the grindstone soon?.
But it goes without saying, your work is beyond reproach ?

 

[Alicatt]

We've been making that decision for years.
It is starting to get rusty now - a bit like the cars we had when we first started driving.
I think we owe it t ourselves in retirement to have newer kit.
But I did drive it down to B&Q the other day - filled it up wit a load of stuff and it just coped.
It is a tonka truck - always has been.

Is it an FJ80 or FJ100? as the 100 series replaced the 80 series about then, I had a 1998 80 series 4.2TD back then as a company car, loved it and used it pretty much as full as I could, put 113k miles on it in the first year and it was faultless and even now I find that the Landcruiser was a far superior vehicle to the Range Rover I have now.

 

[Hurricane]

Is it an FJ80 or FJ100? as the 100 series replaced the 80 series about then, I had a 1998 80 series 4.2TD back then as a company car, loved it and used it pretty much as full as I could, put 113k miles on it in the first year and it was faultless and even now I find that the Landcruiser was a far superior vehicle to the Range Rover I have now.

We have had both.
The J80 for about 3 years and then this J100 for 21/22 years.
I had to look the series numbers up but I think I'm right.
We have made our decision now though.
We can't get a new Landcruiser to our requirement and the new (300 series I think) isn't going to be supplied into Europe.
You are going to be shocked now - we are planning to replace it with a new XC90
So the old girl is going to be sold - she is having an MOT next Monday - it just goes on - and on - and on - and on.
No rush to sell - the new Volvo won't be here until Jan at the earliest.
It will be a sad day when we wake up without a Landcruiser in the family!!

 

[sharpness]

Full respect to you on making the new covers. From previous posts, it seems there's no task you wont turn your hand too. The fitting of new decks being an example, great work

 

[Hurricane]

This was just posted on our marina forum
It might be an interesting comparison for some people.
But it seems that you can't beat the ACTUAL Sailrite for quality.