Dingy Chaps - How much or how men's hours to make

[Sailor_Al]

I'm trying to find chaps for a 10 foot walker bay dingy. I haven't found a source; it maybe a covid issue.

Can anyone tell me how many hours it should take for a professional in labor, or what they had purchased their chaps for

I am having thoughts of purchasing a sewing machine

Thanks

[JPA Cate]

You won't need a fancy sewing machine to do it. There's never too many layers to go through.

Sailrite has an article full of suggestions, relative to what to use to make the patterns from. I wished I'd read it first.

I would not make the chaps out of anything but sunbrella (my WeatherMax ones are shot and it just 5 yrs).

I would use Solas Tape to help make it visible at night by flashlight. My experiment with the reflective piping was a failure. It is designed for clothing, and it doesn't hold up well. (You can see a picture of it in the sewing group under the Community button.)

I would also figure out how to use tenara thread, you have to introduce more friction before the needle, to get the tension right, but it will last as long as the Sunbrella. It is worth the fussing, expense, and effort.

Finally, I would plan to use something over high wear areas for chafe gear, like if you keep it in davits and it rubs somewhere. Use either replaceable sunbrella patches, or leather, or even PVC cloth. Avoid dark colors, too hot to sit on.

Ann

We didn't keep track of the hours involved. It will be less than us, if you read the suggestions first, as we spent quite a long time trying to make the wrong kind of plastic work for the pattern. i don't think men's hours would be different substantively than women's, though.

[LLCoolDave]

So if you want to make your own you use visqueen to make a pattern.

I had mine made in Guatemala for $350 US.

[Sailor_Al]

Ann. I thought women's and children hours were smaller; kidding... I'm thinking of hiring a canvas shoppe but I don't know if he will work on an hourly rate, or give me a square deal.

Thanks for the helpful advice

[JPA Cate]

One place there are sometimes bargains to be had is with someone trying to break in to the industry professionally. Good luck with it, mate. It IS doable by just a regular person with a sewing machine, but it will take a while, and you might find it tedious, or you might find it fun to see it taking shape, who knows?

Ann

[Hudson Force]

I used the Heng's white rubberized paint as a protective coating for my Carribe RIB and I was very pleased with it. My choice was more for the simple convenience and my concern that the chaps provide a cover for mold, dirt, spiders and insects. Of course, most of my cruising was in Florida where mold, dirt, spiders and insects abound.

[Alan W Johnson]

Chaps

I made a set for my 9' Highfield using Sailrite's instructions on a home sewing machine. It was not difficult and may have taken me 10 hours. The Sailrite instructions give you measuring information, material suggestions and what you will need for chaff protection. I used their V-69 thread and it has been in use for three seasons without any thread failures. The dingy is keep on davits for the sailing season on Long Island Sound, NY USA. It is a worthwhile project.

Alan J S/V Skol Catalina 400

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Sailor_Al

I'm trying to find chaps for a 10 foot walker bay dingy. I haven't found a source; it maybe a covid issue.

Can anyone tell me how many hours it should take for a professional in labor, or what they had purchased their chaps for

I am having thoughts of purchasing a sewing machine

Thanks

I got a $72 sewing machine at Walmart and used around $200 in sunbrella etc to make mine. Having never really used a sewing machine it took me I would guess 20 hours

[MicHughV]

I have a cheap Walmart special sewing machine, it has no problem going thru' several layers of sunbrella canvas...no problem at all...
the trick is using the appropriate thread, not the stuff used for sewing clothes....you can order this online...you can even use thin stranded dyneema fishing line.....very strong...very strong indeed...
same for needles.....you need to get the heavy duty needles...
after that....just cut and sew...
I set my sewing machine to a zig-zag pattern, this gives a wider pattern....which seems easier on the machine...certainly easier on me...
finally, sewing straps to the canvas is also relatively straightforward.
You can probably knock out a set of dink chaps in one evening....

I have since made full length awnings, sail covers, winch covers, curtains, etc....it is all remarkably simple.....

The only issue is usually trying to feed a big wad of fabric thru' the machine...but if you can orient your work so that the bulk is outside the machine arm, you'll be fine..

I've never had lessons or otherwise....just bought the machine and canvas and went to work...

[tstano]

We spent two weeks with roughly 6 hours/day. A lot of time walking to the garage and back. Our Achilles has two angle cuts that also rise up to the bow making the cuts compound miters. You may not have those. We also had cut-outs for seats, paddles, and valves, all were reinforced by Sailrite’s video. My wife also added chafing material all around because our former chaps tore on barnacles, etc.

I would caution you that sewing will gather the material enough so that you might lose an inch in ten feet of material. That’s a real heart breaker after putting so much time into it.

I’m going to try adding a picture.

[LoudMusic]

We have a Highfield 310 in Hypalon and most people said chaps were too expensive and unnecessary, but I have to say, I ***REALLY*** like having chaps on the dink. It makes it profoundly more comfortable to sit on and does protect the vessel from weather and abrasion at the docks.

Ours was done by Jimmy Sellers in New Bern. I figure he charges more than it's worth, but I was happy to support a local while we were in town. Especially since they were hit so hard by the hurricane literally the next month.

We had him do several projects at the same time so I can't give an exact number on the chaps, but I think it was around $700. They've been GREAT. I'd do it again if we get a different dinghy. I can't imagine we'll need to replace these chaps before the dinghy wears out.

Key points are a sung fit and firmly attached. If it's flappy it might cause problems you didn't have before.

[jha]

We used the sailrite youtube video and made our own. We tried the plastic around the cutouts but the sewing machine didn't like it so we just put extra sunbrella strip on instead. It possibly took us 10 hrs over a few days. We used garden hosepipe to weigh the inner edge down and cord around the outside and attached to the stern.

[CdS2 Roland]

Hello,
Use good waterptoof fabric, Sunbrella is probably the best. Or, after a few years, you will have mold development in the hypalon, impossible to remove.

[AndyEss]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

I used the Heng's white rubberized paint as a protective coating for my Carribe RIB and I was very pleased with it. My choice was more for the simple convenience and my concern that the chaps provide a cover for mold, dirt, spiders and insects. Of course, most of my cruising was in Florida where mold, dirt, spiders and insects abound.

This 👍🏼

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

... We didn't keep track of the hours involved. It will be less than us, if you read the suggestions first, as we spent quite a long time trying to make the wrong kind of plastic work for the pattern. i don't think men's hours would be different substantively than women's, though.

In my experience, men don't read instructions first, so get your lady to do it. It will be done sooner, and better made.