# Sewing Sailor Making a Companionway Board Storage Bag



## SeaMistress (May 3, 2021)

Hi there,

I just purchased a Sailrite LSZ-1 sewing machine, and have created a cutting table and somewhat of a sewing room where I don't have to put things away when I'm in the middle of it. I'm about to delve into sewing some items for our 26' Grampian sailboat we purchased four years ago. We just had some new acrylic boards built for our companionway and don't want them to get all dinged up so I'm creating a companionway slide storage bag. I've been researching and there seems to be a lot of people investigating how to make or what to do with companionway boards when stowing. This bag will be made of Sunbrella lined with fabric from a fleece sheet (I think - I was going to use Cordura but the ad said it is not a good fabric for large ranges in temperature and it would be staying on the boat all winter - we live on Vancouver Island in British Columbia and although it doesn't get really cold here, it isn't the tropics). If anyone knows anything about the differences in fabrics for outdoors, I'm all ears!) The bag will be stored in our lazaret and there will be an aluminum bar threaded through a sleeve above the bag so the bag will be hanging from it. We think that will give it more support rather than just hanging from a couple of bolts. The bag will have a flap on it and two lined dividers for the three slides. I ordered some IKEA cube storage units as part of my cutting table and they came with some packing material that I think would make a good landing spot for the slides as they are rather sharp where they were cut on an angle to fit together to keep out the water. I'm looking forward to creating this bag. Right now, I'm putting together an order for some of the items I will need from Sailrite and JT'S Outdoor Fabric Store (Canada). I'll post pictures showing how I'm making it, if anyone is interested. This is my second project with the machine. My initial project was a fitted v-birth sheet made in my living room. Glad I've been able to move my machine into it's new home. We are looking forward to getting out on the boat so I better hasten! Cheers! Bethanny


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## Siamese (May 9, 2007)

Former Grampian 26 owner here, and also do a little sewing. Mostly boat projects. I'd say you're on the right track with the Sunbrella. Shouldn't be too challenging as projects go. The Sailrites are nice machines. I want one, but I don't have any projects in mind that require a walking foot. I have a small collection of old, all metal Japanese sewing machines, and a couple Singers that I use for my projects. Have fun.


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## RegisteredUser (Aug 16, 2010)

No need for sunbrella if used just for storing.
Polyester fabric will be stronger and more abrasive resistant

Easy research....


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## SeaMistress (May 3, 2021)

I answered this in another reply and thought I had started another post in error and I can't delete this. Please consider it deleted.


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## SeaMistress (May 3, 2021)

Thanks for the tip! I'll definitely look into that at Fabricland. I wondered if that might be the case as it will be out of UV Ray site. Thanks again.



RegisteredUser said:


> No need for sunbrella if used just for storing.
> Polyester fabric will be stronger and more abrasive resistant
> 
> Easy research....


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## SeaMistress (May 3, 2021)

Hello former Grampian 26 owner, Thanks for writing. I see your a cat lover too. So are we. My partner use to have two Siamese cats. They were his babies. Our current cat is a ginger and white 1/2 and 1/2 Manx cat with a stubby tail. He got lost at sea when we went on our Desolation Sound trip. He was lost on a desolate island for over two months but I left a poster on the island and someone saw it who had also seen our kitty about two miles away. It was nothing short of a miracle I think (if one can say there is such a thing). We also have four sewing machines. Two inherited singers and a Janome which was mine before I bought the Sailrite. I haven't sewed that much in my life though. Hoping to make up for it as I'm 67 now. Take care...what part of the world do you hail from?



Siamese said:


> Former Grampian 26 owner here, and also do a little sewing. Mostly boat projects. I'd say you're on the right track with the Sunbrella. Shouldn't be too challenging as projects go. The Sailrites are nice machines. I want one, but I don't have any projects in mind that require a walking foot. I have a small collection of old, all metal Japanese sewing machines, and a couple Singers that I use for my projects. Have fun.


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## Siamese (May 9, 2007)

We have two siamese, Kit and Boo, siblings. I'm 67, too...how the hell did that happen? Wife and I are in







in Muskegon, Michigan, so Lake Michigan is where we sail our 1996 Catalina 28MKII.

I'm using a 1957 Singer Model 66, a 1960's Japanese clone of a model 66 (a Bel Air), and a few 1960's Japanese straight stitch and Zig Zag machines. These machines are good for up to about 6 layers of Sunbrella, but of course they can't handle the projects a Sailrite can.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

Siamese said:


> We have two siamese, Kit and Boo, siblings. I'm 67, too...how the hell did that happen? Wife and I are in
> View attachment 139235
> in Muskegon, Michigan, so Lake Michigan is where we sail our 1996 Catalina 28MKII.
> 
> I'm using a 1957 Singer Model 66, a 1960's Japanese clone of a model 66 (a Bel Air), and a few 1960's Japanese straight stitch and Zig Zag machines. These machines are good for up to about 6 layers of Sunbrella, but of course they can't handle the projects a Sailrite can.


That is a right-fine looking piece of kit!


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