Mooring cover- Patern vs Blank

[Mike8560]

Rich I only leave it on maybe an hour when I making the pattern

[stitchit]

Hmmmm.  Intresting. Cheaper than electrical tape in cost I would assume.

[fragged8]

i'll use painters tape if I have to but usually I can get away with
just the venture tape right on the frame etc.

often the weather isn't warm enough to melt the venture tape
and leave a gooey mess so i use painters tape only on hot days.

but i do use all of the methods, what ever works.

I also keep sand bags in the van with banner clips attached to them which can help
at times. the banner clips don't make holes in the fabric but the harder you pull
the tighter they get.

mostly used on big winter covers or mooring covers etc to stop the blanket
blowing up.

[Peppy]

I use automotive masking tape, used to use inter-tape (quality stuff IMO) and now use Norton. Okay, very sticky but not very strong. And smells funny. It won't leave reside even after a day or two as long as it's not in the sun. Blue tape isn't sticky enough for my needs.

[scarab29]

Mike,

         Do you find a breeze makes it impossible to pattern outside?? 

I have a marine shop nearby that does pattern work in Florida, sends it to NJ and then back down to FL.  Those guys have to be the best pattern makers ever. 
   
   

Who's that  , Costa . Gioia ?

[Mike8560]

i believe Gioia is in NJ high velocity are the paterns sent to you?

[timtheboatguy]

Finished the cover and the customer is happy. I have decide that I will continue to use both pattern and blanket methods depending on the situation, but with much more care to details. One other question here- When making a cover using a pattern, do you then make a large blank, lay the pattern on top and make the cuts, or as when using four or five pieces (seams going accross the boat) would you pattern each piece separately and then sew them together?

[Mike8560]

tim if i can i use a blank it save patternign plstic.  many time if i can i will only attern one half of the boat. when i work my patterns on the table i mark it at 60" seam lines if your table and patterninlarge enough you could sew the pieces as you asked first then pattern the outline. this wold save problem of not having proper seam allowance and the cover being to short if you patterned each piece 
this cover i ran trhe seam down the center and put a sam at the handrail for the side piece .

this red cover i ran the seam side ti side in the top it used less fabric there was a seam at the gujnel and rubrail with the seam running lengthwise here.

here is another example of the same method
[IMG]http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/covers/th_MVC-487S.jpg

[Highvelocity]

Mike, that was Casta with an "a" sorry...  They are local to my house near Sweetwater NJ.  Great outfit, they are doing very well, and they sell me items like, welt cord, hid'em...etc great people, I don't step on there toes so...

Goia Sails is in Lakewood NJ, in an industrial park.  I delt with them for some time, Donnie has always been great to me.  But like alot of people he has less on shelves these days and orders what he needs.  His building is huge though, so WIND is not an issue if you can get the boat to him.

I work out of my home, so unless I can get the boat over its all about patterns.

[Peppy]

when using four or five pieces (seams going accross the boat) would you pattern each piece separately and then sew them together?

Yes. If by that you mean- draw a line on the pattern where you want a seam, cut that line and lay it on the cloth, add a 1/2" and sew it together. Thats how we do it.

But like Mike says, if a center seam makes less waste we'll do that, but more often (almost always) we do side to side seams.

[timtheboatguy]

When doing a runabout with a skirt around the perimeter, do you pattern the skirt too or just measure, cut and stitch it?

[JuneC]

I don't pattern that part.  It's usually not very fitted (drawstring or trailer tie downs) so it doesn't have to be as precise as a snap-on cover.  But, I frequently pattern just the bow and stern since that's where any variance in shape comes in.  I like a cover to drop over and under the bow to keep it firmly in place while you pull the cover back over the rest of the boat.  And again, under the swim platform if any, around swim ladders, outboards, etc. 

June

[Mike8560]

I pattern the portion on the hull and where it fit under te bow I don't like my cover to gather and wrine up as you can see on the countians red cover I match the curveof the bow and hAve  it fit  the bow. Also