Category Archives: Exterior Projects

Sitting in the Catbird Seat

Exterior Projects, Projects, Saving money, , , ,
Recently both Good Old Boat and Sailrite provided ideas for covering pushpit rails and catbird seats.  Simple and straightforward, you too could be sitting pretty. Good Old Boat (March/April 2013 issue) had an article on covering catbird seats by Clarence Jones that is easy enough for a non sewer. He used iron on fabric mending tape to create the seams and snaps to hold the cover on. Sailrite just did a video too.  They sewed the hems and used Velcro to fasten the cover. They both used home foam insulation underneath. Either way would make a nice comfortable perch for any catbird. March 2013 Blog Dedication: This post is dedicated to my cat, Stella, who will not be cruising with us as she has gone to the rainbow bridge Read more [...]

Cleaning Cowls

Exterior Projects, Projects, Saving money,
OK so this post is a bit off topic.  My Captain does such a good job keeping our topsides looking good that I couldn't stand that those off-white plastic cowls were looking so bad.  I suspect that they had never been cleaned.  And the boat is a 1990! My thought was that this is a project that I can do and would be best done while the boat is under shrink wrap cover this winter.  No problem.  I unscrewed the cowls, marked the screws in little snack zips so I wouldn't lose them and brought the cowls home for  a good soak.  The soaking did nothing except get the first layer of dirt off.  They really were mildewed.  Secret trick:  We took Tilex and a bit of Comet to them with a sponge. The Captain couldn't help himself.  Read more [...]

How Many Marine Canvas Items Do You Have Aboard?

Exterior Projects, Interior Projects, Projects
You can use this checklist for items to maintain or for ideas of things you might want to make for your boat.  What would you add to the list? Topside 1. Jib Sail sacrificial cover 2. Main Sail cover or stack pack 3. Line bags 4. Dinghy cover or chaps 5. Teak ladder cover 6. Lifesling cover replacement 7. Horseshoe buoy cover 8. Cockpit cushion covers and pillows 9. Binnacle and compass covers 10. Winch covers 11. Jerry can covers 12. Hatch covers and screens 13.  Companionway cover 14. Wind scoops 15. House burgee or courtesy flags 16. Bimini or enclosure 17. Awning 18. Fender covers 19. Cockpit organizer 20. Covers for "toys" - paddle boards and kayaks 21. BBQ cover or Read more [...]

Jerry Can Covers

Exterior Projects, Projects, , , , ,
March 2014 - Updated post on jerry cans here. Once you've found the best jerry can* to store extra water and fuels, you want to protect them from the sun and elements as they wait their turn to provide us with the reserves they hold.  Enter the canvas cover.  We'll be making covers for so many things on the boat.  This is a good basic project - no zippers or complex patterning.  It's an upside down tote bag or box.  Sides and a top.  Make a plan and think it through before cutting.  Disclaimer:  I haven't made these myself yet but I've been reading up on them as they are in my near future.  This is based on information from Canvas for Cruisers and other references and experience. You need about 1-2 yards of Sunbrella or similar Read more [...]

Boat Covers

Exterior Projects, Projects
Assuming that we are bypassing the question of leaving the boat in the water or putting it on the hard, boats in colder weather climates will likely benefit from a winter boat cover.  We'll also bypass the debate on shrink-wrap vs. a reusable cover since one reader specifically asked about making a reusable boat cover.  A cover can be a great tool for reducing wear on the boat in any weather if you won't be using it for long periods of time as well. It looks like the key to a successful covering is the frame you use underneath.  The Practical Sailor article and the blog noted below describe that.  Also be sure you have a way to get some air flowing through the boat periodically over the winter to avoid dreaded mildew come spring. Our Read more [...]
Hatch cover repair materials

Hatch Covers

Exterior Projects, Projects,
If you are a new Seamless Sailor and want to start with a fairly easy project, I'd suggest hatch covers. These are straight forward and several of the books I've listed on the Books page of the blog have instructions.   I've seen many different styles, some with fancy top-stitching or cut outs for hinges for example.  But really you can make  simple hatch covers that will serve the purpose of protecting your very valuable hatch lenses.  We seem to loose one or two a season during a big storm.  I've started cutting out an extra one when I'm remaking one so I have a jump on the next one. On a recent repair of a 20 x 20 hatch cover, I picked out the old rotting stitches.  I used my Engel hot knife (love) to seal the edges which were Read more [...]