The Admiral’s Angle Sew? Cruising boats come in all shapes, sizes and materials, but what distinguishes one from another in the crowded anchorage is the way we dress them. Thus, you might think all the pretty canvas a boat sports is for appearances only, but reality is that UV protection for sails, equipment and crew is the driving force. The farther a boat travels into the tropics, the more UV protection is essential, and, of course, the longer a boat travels, the more need there’s going to be for repairs, often in remote situations. Because every cruising boat afloat is unique, as are its needs, every solution will be unique. So … it’s pretty handy to be able to sew. Several different kinds of sewing are called for on a cruising boat. There’s big, complicated stuff – sails, sail covers and stackpacks, awnings, biminis, and cockpit cushions – that require real skills, workspace and an industrial sewing machine to handle the multiple layers of heavy fabric that must be stitched through. There are smaller, more domestic type projects – courtesy flags, utility bags and organizers, pillows and cushions, fitted sheets, and covers etc. – than can be managed with a home-style machine. There are emergency repairs to sails, dodgers, and covers that can be made in place with the ingenious sewing awl. And finally there is marlinspike sewing – making splices and whipping lines – that calls for its own set of tools. Sewing is a skill that often (but not always) comes aboard with the female cruising partner. If your mother succeeded in teaching you this skill, you have a head start in setting up to sew on your boat. A brand new cruising boat is (pardon the pun) a blank canvas for someone who loves to sew. However, many of us in recent generations dodged this old-fashioned skill-training, so now what? Is it essential? I canvassed (oh, dear!) the Admirals and got answers that ranged the spectrum. Some like Betty Lee (Quantum Leap), Linda (Hawkeye), and Mary (Camryka) sewed as girls and brought that pleasure and ability to their boats, setting themselves up with industrial grade sewing machines to handle most of the sailing projects and repairs they might need, and 42 Summer 2013 pg 42-43 Admiral's Angle.indd 2
even making money along the way by sewing for other cruisers. Others like Sheri of Procyon, Judy of Ursa Minor, and, yes….myself… made it thousands of sea miles relying almost exclusively on shore-side canvas workers. Other Admirals like Daria of Aleria, Wendy of Velella, Lisa of Lady Galadriel, and Jane of Lionheart fell in between; they know how to sew and equipped themselves to tackle the more manageable domestic-scale projects -- like courtesy flags, organizer bags and awning repairs -- but leave the big jobs to professionals who have the machines, space, and knowhow to handle them. So, the answer is, NO, you don’t absolutely have to know how to sew to go cruising. But don’t stop reading! While sewing as a skill and the space to do it are found in most places you will visit, quite often the materials needed to do it right are not. Below, we’ll list materials you’d be wise to bring with you. Also, you may decide this is a horizon you want to broaden. There are marine sewing courses offered around the country, one of the most famous of which is Carol Hasse’s course at Port Townsend Sails. Sailrite, Inc, an online source for everything related to marine sewing, also has instruction books, videos and kits. Plus, sewing can be an ideal skill to learn from a cruising mentor. Cruiser nodes like Trinidad (which happens to be a fabric nirvana) often support cruiser sewing groups. The easiest first stop for setting up your boat for sewing is Sailrite (www.sailrite.com), a secondgeneration family business, whose objective from the start was to provide a source of instruction and materials for amateur sailmakers and canvasworkers. Its founder, Jim Grant, wrote The Complete Canvasworker’s Guide, which even I had on my boat. Sailrite is the best known vendor of heavy-duty sewing machines for sail and canvas work, which feature straight and zigzag stitching and a walking foot that moves the layers of heavy fabric together through the machine. They are beautiful and pricey. Several Admirals have Sailrite machines. Several others, however have old-fashioned hand-me-down Cruising
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