Sailrite on a 26' Cruiser?

[Heathenly Twins]

Does anyone regret getting theirs? My boat needs a lot of stuff and I'm so tall I need custom made clothes and most tailors I've been to are just horrible. I'm thinking there's no way I can do a job as badly as them. Trouble is it's a tiny boat.
I dunno...

[slightlysoft]

You may have better luck storing the machine and base separately. The carrying case that comes with the premium and plus kits is cumbersome and hard to store in any boat, but it does protect the machine well.

Dimensions on the carrying case are:
Width: 21-3/4"
Height: 14-5/8"
Depth: 10-5/8"

[GrowleyMonster]

We have a Sailrite at the house. Hopefully some day Mrs Monster will actually use it to make something. We really need a new bimini and a dodger, maybe a boom tent and a forward tent too. And it's a 44'+ boat. I finally got tired of seeing it in my office doing nothing. I used it to hem up some pajamas I HAD to have a couple years ago. Little Sasquatches all over them and the words "I BELIEVE!" LOL. And my overalls almost always need hemming up a bit. So I taught myself to thread up the machine and make it do stitches. Before that I was all about regular needle and thread, or speedy stitcher. And you know what? Using that darn machine is not easy. Half the time I end up sewing through to parts that aren't supposed to get sewed, or I get a big tangled ball of thread on the underside of a seam. I get it adjusted perfectly and it works fine and next thing I know, I got a birdnest.

I could put the machine on the boat and actually I would have MORE room to sew there than in the office, because the baot is very roomy below and in the cockpit, too. But I have enough frustrating stuff on the boat already. I used to think I could make the PERFECT overalls or work/sail jeans by designing them myself. Now I see how hard sewing can actually be. Maybe it is just one of those things that I have no hope of mastering. Or maybe it IS friggin hard.

So do you really want a sewing machine on your 26'er? If you have a house on the hard, I suggest keep it there. If you don't, learn to sew with two needles either lock stitching or saddle stitching. Or chain stitching with the Speedy Stitcher. On my previous boat I took a cheap painters drop cloth and some PVC pipe and made a bimini that survived 4 years in New Orelans, never taken down for storms, either. Well, I did harden it up by giving it a couple of coats of discarded odd batches of paint, but what I am getting at is I did all the sewing in one day, chain stitching with the Speedy Stitcher. With the speedy Stitcher I was able to sew in place instead of trying to get it right sewing down below on a machine and then threading the PVC pipes through their pockets. A Speedy Stitcher used with lock stitches is great for sail repair or modification. A good bit easier than needle and palm or needle and thimble.

So back to my WBO, or World's Best Overalls... could I make them using needle and thread? With my middling amount of experience working on sails, I could probably do a fair job of it. Or maybe not, if I want to be brutally realistic about it. But if I couldn't, I still wouldn't be any worse off than trying to do it with a demon posessed sewing machine.

But let me put it this way. If you can't sew up a pair of jeans or trowsers by hand, you probably can't do it with a sewing machine, either. If you are one of the gifted at sewing machine whispering, maybe you can gitter done, and make a garment in a day or less, where doing it by hand might take a week. So it is theoretically a time saver and your stitches will probably look a lot neater. On the top side, anyway. But if you CAN NOT sew by hand don't expect a machine to suddenly make it happen. You will probably end up regretting that you gave up the space that the machine takes up even when stowed.

<EDIT>And the darn things aren't cheap, either.

[Cthoops]

We have a Sailrite but have left it at a friend’s house up in Massachusetts. We tried to find space for it on our Bristol 29.9 but literally could not do it. Granted, we’re pretty full now for full-time cruising, but I can’t imagine how it could work on a 26’ outfitted for cruising. My suggestion is to see everything you need now before you leave, then borrow one if necessary for repairs along the way.

[chris mac]

We have one and love it. It's extremely handy.
That said we are on a catamaran and have room for it. A 26 foot is pretty short on space. It will be tough to find a place to stow it and a place to use it.
I also gotta ask... if you are that tall, how comfortable are you on a 26 foot?

[Snore]

Sailrite makes an INCREDIBLE machine.

But I just finished sewing all new inside cushions and Sunbrella winch covers using a $200 Singer HD6380.

[Mike OReilly]

I wish I had one on board. I just can't afford the price. If anyone wants to donate theirs, I'd gladly take it off your hands .

[Bill O]

If you are hesitating purchasing the SR machine due to cost, there are clones out there that SR has built upon to make it theirs.We've had a clone for years and works well, especially after adding a monster wheel that SR sells.
In most cases you will only need the straight stitch, but will point out that w/the zig zag is a nice feature so one can move/position the needle better for zippers, bolt ropes, etc.
Do a search on the generic machines on CF.
Yes, on a small boat it will take up storage space and large projects like awnings will be difficult to do in the boat.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Bill O

If you are hesitating purchasing the SR machine due to cost, there are clones out there that SR has built upon to make it theirs.We've had a clone for years and works well, especially after adding a monster wheel that SR sells.
In most cases you will only need the straight stitch, but will point out that w/the zig zag is a nice feature so one can move/position the needle better for zippers, bolt ropes, etc.
Do a search on the generic machines on CF.
Yes, on a small boat it will take up storage space and large projects like awnings will be difficult to do in the boat.

I did look at alternatives a few years ago Bill. Barracuda comes to mind. Or this one called Sewstrong Which one do you have?

My problem is, I used to be a part owner in a Sailrite, and I got quite spoiled using it. I'm a terrible sewer, but I was able to use this machine quite easily. I fear a lesser machine might be harder to use.

[bailsout]

It wouldn’t be easy but you might be able to fit it into your salon table like the old home machines built into tables that swung down below the surface when not in use.

[redhead]

I love mine - we bought it decades ago and it's earned its keep making sails and cushions and everything else.

And yes, I'm ashamed to admit that even on this big boat, I have problems storing it. The problem is that all my storage spaces are either too small to accept it, or they're round which obviously isn't going to work. Right now it's at the foot of the bed and it's a toe cruncher at night.

If I had a boat your size, I'd take the handle off the case and put a small table top on it. Make it serve another purpose. I also like the idea of separating the machine from the base, I never thought of that.

Ask yourself how often you really are going to use it, we use ours about 4-6 times a year. Good luck!

[Tupaia]

No, no, no.... I am assuming you have a Heavenly Twins catamaran. Weight is everything on a cat, overloaded it will be a dog. I you really must have a sewing machine choose the lightest one you can find and stock up with new fine sharp needles, even the cheapest weakest machine will sew canvas if you use sharp needles.

[Cpt Mark]

I bought like over 30 years ago a Thompson Walking Foot. I bought the straight version which on a boat is a mistake. You want to repair sails? need zigzag. Thompson was sold by Harbor freight of all companies. They were bought out by .... drum roll please... Sailrite who changed the color, slapped their name on it and doubled the price. Back then they did not come in a fancy box so mine lived in a plastic box and was generally not well cared for. I've given it to my cousin so she can start her canvas business. It still works perfectly.

The Barracuda is built by Reliable who supposedly build the sailrites. I found one good blog where 1 cruiser had the sailrite, the other the barracuda. In a locale where parts were to be months away they found out all the parts were interchangeable.

I'm going to buy a Reliable zig zag. Not going to buy the case. I built a specific space for the Thompson where it's protected. If you need a case you can certainly make one a lot better for a lot less money.

I had not seen the Sewstrong. I'll research that one too before I buy my next machine.

[MCOS]

I have a sailrite along with several other machines. My favorite is a brother 1500. Does everything the sail rite can but zig zag. Have done sails, seat covers and all the sundry things expected on a sail boat. The brother will chug right through four layers of vinyl uphostlery, five or more layers of awning material and 1/8 leather. About $600 dollars. Also has a deep neck allowing passing through of large sections of material. A favorite of quilters for this reason. Still I would not consider keeping either on a boat. Not only space used but humidity. I do bring it in the trunk of the car and set up on a picnic table at the marina when making boat items. A hand sewing kit including a speed stiches, sail makers palm, stout thread and wax suffices for on board emergencies.

[sailorboy1]

I have a $72 machine I got at Walmart. Made sunbella, dinghy chaps, curtains. Window covers, sail cover repair. Anything that would need a sailrite instead to do I send out as beyond me.

It fits in a standard canvas bag.