Seamless Sailor is delighted to provide this guest post by Lin and Larry Pardey – world cruisers, authors, and speakers. They inspire other cruisers by generously sharing their experience and knowledge. I love how Lin and Larry find just the right solution in self-reliant Seamless Sailor style. Here's one solution that all Seamless Sailors can use...
By Lin and Larry Pardey©
From – The Cost Conscious Cruiser
THE BETTER BUCKET
It is such a simple chore, lifting water from the sea. Seems like any old bucket should work. But at sea, nothing is ever that simple. You’ve just caught a glowing, leaping, 18-pound mahi-mahi (dorado). Your luck holds and you land it flapping, glorious gold and royal blue. The battle over, the fish subdued,
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Pi - The number π is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, and is approximately equal to 3.14159. Wikipedia
In high school I wondered why in the world I would need to understand pi, you know 3.14. Math and I got along just enough to get through. Now I know! I have actually used pi in a practical application. Very exciting for a non-math type. I used pi to figure out how to pattern a winch cover. Winch covers are valuable for protecting those important winches that help give us ability to manage lines under load. And they have a habit of getting lost or blowing away in a storm. It's likely you'll need to make extras at some point.
Materials you'll need:
- Sunbrella
- 
Here's some tips for making a duvet cover for your boat.
1. Look at the shape of your mattress and find the closest standard size to start. We are fortunate that our mattress on board is pretty close to a full size. The foot cuts in a bit but not too much. The chart will help determine the amount of fabric needed. You may want to take the boat mattress and make a pattern out of brown paper or an inexpensive shower curtain that way you can account for any odd angles. Allow about 12"of overhang depending on how deep your mattress is, how much space you have on the side of the berth or if you are going to tuck the coverunder the mattress. (You see that a lot on those big fancy yachts!)
NOTE: The above chart is for one side. 
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 
Originally published as a guest post on The Boat Galley, February 20, 2013
What linens do you need to provision for use in the galley, clean up, and dining? While you can buy linens, they may not be exactly what you want or your style. It's not hard to make your own linens for your boat. Besides it's a great way to save some money. Practical and self-sufficient. That's the essence of being a Seamless Sailor. Here is a checklist eight types of linens that every Seamless Sailor should consider having in inventory.
1.. Kitchen towels - I like to have plenty of these - a fresh one every day or so depending on how much cooking we are doing. Any inexpensive bar or kitchen towel will do. No need to use paper towels all the time. 
Piping requires extra time. No doubt about it. But it is one of those things in life that is worth the extra effort. It really makes my pillows and duvet look almost professional. The captain requested matching piping on the duvet - one way to get a perfect color match. I grumbled at the work. Piping for a queen sized duvet is measured in miles, not feet. But I took the time to make it. Luckily the fabric had some give making a bit easier to work with. I hate it when he is right, which is most of the time. It looks great. It wasn't that hard either.
Making custom piping - I used a cotton cording 12/32". The strips of fabric were 2" wide as long as I could make them. I sewed the sections together at right angles