Practical Boat Owner

DIY sprayhood and bimini

Sun, sea and general weathering had degraded the stitching, attachment points and external canvas work on Aderyn Glas, our Moody Eclipse 33. It was time to replace it all, but the cost would run into thousands!

Instead, I looked into the possibility of doing the job myself. My domestic sewing machine would not have the power or ability to handle the weight and layers of fabric required for items such as a sprayhood or bimini. An industrial machine would be required – they’re much larger, heavier and robust than domestic machines. They have a separate external motor and a metal foot treadle and are set into their own large sewing table, so do take up a lot of room. I store mine in the garage and wheel it into the house when sewing.

The industrial sewing machine has a very large throat compared to a domestic one. This is the space from the sewing needle to the upright control column, allowing for much larger volumes of material, which are also supported by the large table.

The machine I chose

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