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Stack-pack Sailrite kit vs source parts locally


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Is there any opinion about purchasing Sailrite kit to make (DIY) stack-pack? Perhaps anybody done it? Alternative solution to get Sumbrella from the Canvas company, they have all bits and pieces but seems it would be slightly more than the first one. I did not checked shipping cost but that could be more than a few bucks. I planing to make my own sail cover  soon.

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The main thing is the design pattern. Sewing a stack pack is not too hard - good 1st project. 

Try Topfab or Shann for the materials - pricing there should be better.

Sailrite will send you a kit - basically a jigsaw, labeled and easy to sew. All the bits included, incl lazy jacks, battens, slugs etc etc.

Otherwise you have to design and build from scratch - unless you have an old one as a pattern?

Do you have a 1/2 decent machine to sew with?

Finally, get a price locally - you might be surprised!

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Thanks IT, I'll check their price as well tomorrow,. I was thinking to use Sailrite description as a guideline and make it fit to my needs. I have a Brother GS 2700, with a walking foot attachment which is fairly new I never used (I mean the walking foot) but i used the machine to patching up my old dodger last year with no problem so I'm confident it will do the job. By the way sailrite can supply lazy jack as well but separately.

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Hi clareb, the kit price for my boat is 265 USD, shipping around 120 USD plus local tax makes the Sailrite lot more expensive than buy the parts here in NZ so I go for the second option. Also as IT mentioned every boat/boom is different so the kit also needs to be "tailored" I think this is the sensible decision. I just going to order today... 

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I would be very wary of anything cheap. There are lots of cheap materials that simply do not last. The material cost me $600 way back 8yrs ago. That was trade too. But it has a good warranty for UV. It needs to be a decent weight as there is a lot of strain paced on it in places. It needs to be stitched well a d needs lots of reinforcing in places. They are expensive for a reason. You cannot get way with cheap if you want it to last.

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You absolutely right, that's why I was researching a bit beforehand... Have you used Sunbrella, or something else? I think it was designed for this.

http://www.canvascompany.co.nz/shop/Outdoor+Fabric/Sunbrella+Marine+%26+Awning+Canvas/Sunbrella+152cm+wide.html, this is the biggest chunk of the purchase, they have everything, probably the thread is the only one what I did not found locally yet... Based on the numbers, I expect to fetch the $500 mark (NZD). top of that an electric rope cutter will be on the list what I needed anyway.

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I have always been careful to make sure that the weight of the boom will not be taken by the bag material if the topping lift failed..ie take the lazy jacks down direct to the boom and then hang the bag off the lazy jacks, or use webbing or similar to take the load to the boom .

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I have been traveling down the DIY dodger route.

Have tried making a copy from the unpicked original; didnt work like i wanted, the material is too stretched/warped to make a good pattern.

Tried buying local, but couldnt find a single source of supply ie sunbrella,PTFE thread,pattern material,windows etc.

Ended up going to Sailrite as they have all the supplies including a fantastic resource for learning videos and even with gst and shipping cost no more than buying local.

The problem locally is suppliers like TopFab who distribute the sunbrella is a distributer and do not sell direct. So it all has middlemen , taking their cut, fair enough I guess but it pushes the cost up and no single source of supply and knowledge.

I can go to sailrite and get precisely what I need and delivered inside 2 weeks.

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Yep, sure can. Sailrite is a good source of info and gear. I've used them myself when I was off shore.

Now I'm here and (forced to be) working again, I've been doing a few cover repairs locally, so I can supply whatever you need - I have accounts  with Topfab and Shann. 

Send me a PM or give me a call - 0221539176 if you'd like some prices.

Matt

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I got one made for a 44 ft boat last year by Norths I think it was $1600 or maybe a little less BUT not a lot of thought went into chafe.  

 

For instance around clutches on the mast, a very good idea is to have white pvc sewed on the inside around wear points which will stop the fabric from being worn.  

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Hi All, yes pretty much worth it to look around locally and source components here rather from overseas, based on my recent experience, also a few thoughts about dealing with Sunbrella without "professional" sewing machine.

#1  Walking foot is helpful, but the available "attachments" for domestic machines (Brother GS2700) are not that effective, so work without it is probably easier apart from long strait stitches.

#2  Using as large needle you can source ( 110/16 worked well for me), especially for PTFE thread. 

#3  My biggest issue was the position of the machine as my one  is a portable type which is sitting on the table, therefore "feeding" the material through evenly is a very difficult task (at leas was for me as I'm not an experienced machinist at all). If I do it next time I'll make up something to lower the machine to table top level.

 

Do it myself was a reasonably good choice, If I start again I would start with something smaller and simpler project. The cover is 85% ready, I have to figure it out how I want to attach to the lazy jacks (the way how sailrite does not too pretty, but I probably just over think it)

.20170910_171719.jpg

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Thanks, I was thinking to attach "webbing ears" like on the two end of the top (bottom of the picture) to attach the jack lines to them rather then cut the fabric. I really don't know yet, luckily I still have a couple of weeks before I have to put it on so I would much appreciate any suggestion regarding this.

clareb, good idea to start with something smaller just to get some experience with the fabric (unless you already have some). I will do the small things later, but I'm fairly confident I will not change my day job for this. Respect for everyone who do it for living.

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