Can someone give me guidance on how to sew these things? I've been trying to order them, but I want a color other than pacific blue, which causes the big retailers to melt down. The smaller shops seem to be very expensive. Figuring I should learn how to make such things for myself anyway, I just now tromped out of my office in frustration to a canvas store across the street and bought 60" of sunbrella. Now all I need is to figure out how its done. Soooo, can anyone give direction or point me toward a helpful website? Thanks,
Dan
PS: Looked at Triton381.com first, of course, but didn't see any detail on sewing these covers.
tiller/winch covers
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Figment
- Damned Because It's All Connected
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A canvas store across the street that sells sunbrella? Lucky dog!
If you don't have This Old Boat already, this is a fine excuse to buy it. Don Casey devotes a good chunk (too much, in my opinion) of the book to canvaswork. If memory serves, he goes over the basics of hatch cover-covers, windscoops, etc. and all of the same principles and methods apply to what you're proposing to do.
Though a damn sight easier than the oldschool cotton canvas, sunbrella and nylon webbing aren't the easiest materials through which to pass a needle. A sewing palm (aka sailmaker's palm) is not an unwise investment. You'll feel like you're all thumbs at first, but with a little practice it becomes second nature, and with a little sweat the leather softens and becomes one with your hand. Another good investment is a small el-cheapo hot glue gun from a craft store. This lets you quickly throw together inexpensive mockups, which go a long way toward frustration reduction in your patternmaking.
Don't obsess much over the quality of these first few projects. No matter how careful you are, your skills are going to improve tenfold over the next few projects, and you'll find yourself wanting to redo the tiller and winch covers anyway in a year or two.
I think that canvaswork is a great skill for any sailor to develop. You'll soon find yourself concocting canvas solutions for all sorts of things. Another great off-season amusement book is The Marlinespike Sailor, though it deals more in decorative ropework and splicing and such.
If you don't have This Old Boat already, this is a fine excuse to buy it. Don Casey devotes a good chunk (too much, in my opinion) of the book to canvaswork. If memory serves, he goes over the basics of hatch cover-covers, windscoops, etc. and all of the same principles and methods apply to what you're proposing to do.
Though a damn sight easier than the oldschool cotton canvas, sunbrella and nylon webbing aren't the easiest materials through which to pass a needle. A sewing palm (aka sailmaker's palm) is not an unwise investment. You'll feel like you're all thumbs at first, but with a little practice it becomes second nature, and with a little sweat the leather softens and becomes one with your hand. Another good investment is a small el-cheapo hot glue gun from a craft store. This lets you quickly throw together inexpensive mockups, which go a long way toward frustration reduction in your patternmaking.
Don't obsess much over the quality of these first few projects. No matter how careful you are, your skills are going to improve tenfold over the next few projects, and you'll find yourself wanting to redo the tiller and winch covers anyway in a year or two.
I think that canvaswork is a great skill for any sailor to develop. You'll soon find yourself concocting canvas solutions for all sorts of things. Another great off-season amusement book is The Marlinespike Sailor, though it deals more in decorative ropework and splicing and such.
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D. Fox
covers
Thanks Figment. I do have This Old Boat; didn't occur to me to look there as I moved last week and all my books are still boxed up and stowed away somewhere. Have to dig it out.
I can appreciate what you said about building the skill for this type of project. That was the primary reason I decided to just do it myself. Actually, thinking of the big picture, building skills and self-reliance is why I bought the boat in the first place.
I just discovered this canvas place. I've walked by a few times and, from the outside, it looked like they built couch covers and such. When I finally went in today, there were sailboat photos all over the walls, sunbrella and canvas hanging everywhere, and biminis, sailcovers, dodgers, and other stuff in various states of construction. Made my whole day.
I can appreciate what you said about building the skill for this type of project. That was the primary reason I decided to just do it myself. Actually, thinking of the big picture, building skills and self-reliance is why I bought the boat in the first place.
I just discovered this canvas place. I've walked by a few times and, from the outside, it looked like they built couch covers and such. When I finally went in today, there were sailboat photos all over the walls, sunbrella and canvas hanging everywhere, and biminis, sailcovers, dodgers, and other stuff in various states of construction. Made my whole day.
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Tim
- Shipwright Extraordinaire
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Don Casey also has a book devoted to canvas work--it's one of the International Marine ones, called Canvas Work and Sail Repair. I'm sure those things are covered in there. We have it somewhere, a long with This Old Boat.
Casey is big on canvas stuff. I think it's his favorite of all boat-type projects.
Frankly, I never saw the purpose behind winch covers...though a tiller cover to protect the varnish I can understand. Still, I don't have one. I like my brightwork out in the open for all to see and am easily annoyed by fussy covers. But that's just me!
Good luck with the sewing! Mike's right--just dive in and give it a try. You can always pull out stitches and start over, or just scrap the whole thing if need be.
Another good beginning project is a canvas bucket. I've been meaning to make one of those for years. I think Casey might have descriptions of one of those in one of the two books. The design and concept I like, though, is featured in one of the Pardey's books--I forget which one, sorry. But their bucket, like many of their ideas, is well-conceived, simple, and functional.
Anyway...good luck, and don't worry about your initial results. Oh, and by the way: Bravo on your "Just say no to Pacific Blue" stance. Pacific Blue needs to go the way of Avocado Green and Harvest Gold household appliances.
Tim
Casey is big on canvas stuff. I think it's his favorite of all boat-type projects.
Frankly, I never saw the purpose behind winch covers...though a tiller cover to protect the varnish I can understand. Still, I don't have one. I like my brightwork out in the open for all to see and am easily annoyed by fussy covers. But that's just me!
Good luck with the sewing! Mike's right--just dive in and give it a try. You can always pull out stitches and start over, or just scrap the whole thing if need be.
Another good beginning project is a canvas bucket. I've been meaning to make one of those for years. I think Casey might have descriptions of one of those in one of the two books. The design and concept I like, though, is featured in one of the Pardey's books--I forget which one, sorry. But their bucket, like many of their ideas, is well-conceived, simple, and functional.
Anyway...good luck, and don't worry about your initial results. Oh, and by the way: Bravo on your "Just say no to Pacific Blue" stance. Pacific Blue needs to go the way of Avocado Green and Harvest Gold household appliances.
Tim
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Figment
- Damned Because It's All Connected
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canvas bucket.... that's actually why I reccommended The Marlinespike Sailor. It has a nice design for one. I saw another design for one that used a leather bottom, which is nice because it doesn't slide around, and doesn't let tools in the bag mar finished surfaces when plunking it down, but I can't remember where I saw that design.