Sew zipper smiles in eisenglass front panels?

[CJBROWN]

I've seen the smiley openings in the front panels of eisenglass and they work out really nice. Much easier than unzipping and un-snapping the whole windshield to roll up out of the way. Some of the older Grady's had them, not sure why they quit - prolly just an extra cost and people didn't realize why they would want them.

I found the right coil zippers for curves, pulls, and edge bindings at Sailrite. My question is when you cut the window do you need to remove extra material for the width of the zipper teeth? Anybody have any experience with this?

(KingJ - if you're reading this I need to come look at yours again.)

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Never done it my self but i saw a guy doing it when i visited a canvas place, the guy removed aprox. 3/8" to 1/2", did not pay too much attention, but it looked that size.(i guese the width of the zipper plus a little more to strech?) I have seen some already made with no space though(good idea i think, cause it will not let any spray water go thru.

 

[CJBROWN]

>snip
I have seen some already made with no space though(good idea i think, cause it will not let any spray water go thru.)

That is a great idea, can do them that way. Need to order materials. Sailrite instructions say to use adhesive on the binding so it's stuck to the radius before you try to sew it. Prolly can do the zipper that way too.

I wonder if I can't sew the zipper on before I cut the window. May have to look at doing it that way. Could stick the zipper on, sew to the outside of the zipper fabric, cut window, apply binding, and sew another line next to the teeth.

Going to call them tomorrow. Will post their comments and update on the finished project.
Thanks!

 

[jweschler]

You need to get double stick tape from sailrite and tape the zipper down on the mark that you want the zipper to be on the glass. Then you stich outside and the inside edge, the inside you need to work the zipper a little bit. When you do it, push in with your fingers gently and work the bumps out as much as you can (you will still have some but after you stich the bumps disapere and use a #6 stich length. Are you using # 5 or 10 coil zipper? Also you cut the glass after you get both sides of the zipper stiched down. Cut right in the middle where both coils end and then you can take off a little amount of the glass or bind both the edge to make it better to shed water. You also need to put one or two pulls on then you melt one inch of the ends, so that the zipper does not come off.

There is a video at the marine fabrcators training inst. for $75 that will teach you how to do it the right way.

If you have any further questions please let me know?

 

[seasick]

I've seen the smiley openings in the front panels of eisenglass and they work out really nice. Much easier than unzipping and un-snapping the whole windshield to roll up out of the way. Some of the older Grady's had them, not sure why they quit - prolly just an extra cost and people didn't realize why they would want them.

I found the right coil zippers for curves, pulls, and edge bindings at Sailrite. My question is when you cut the window do you need to remove extra material for the width of the zipper teeth? Anybody have any experience with this?

(KingJ - if you're reading this I need to come look at yours again.)

Yes you have to remove enough so that the teeth, some of the zipper strip and the binding have clearence. The zipper slider itself needs to clear everything so that it doesn't bind and catch. Figure on two to three milimeters plus the width of the zipper teeth. Your bindings should be the sticky type . Otherwise it is difficult to keep it in position while sewing. I hope you know that you need an industrial sewing machine, proper foot and the correct thread for this job. If you haven't sewn canvas or eissenglass before and you value your existing glass, you might want to go to a canvas shop

 

[BobP]

I think they wil sew zipper in place first then cut out excess window. I expect it to be easier this way.

They always do things the easiest and fastest way.

 

[BobP]

By the way, the smile face zipper windows will take up some of the view you will then loose.

Zippers add cost, so that's probably why gone - when going to a canvas guy, have to ask for zipper windows- it's a cost adder option.

 

[CJBROWN]

Thanks guys. Sew zippers on first...

I've been sewing canvas and sails going back 20 years...remember I was a blow-boater in a former lifetime. :mrgreen: My specialty was acutally marlinspike work, have my whole dittybag still with seaming palm, huge needles, bench spike, fids, all the waxed threads, you know, the usual stuff. Last project was new slide-awnings for the motorhome.

Wifey's $3000 Bernina does a fine job with #18 needles. I use V92 poly thread. She doesn't like it that well, but her mom gave it to her so...
One day a few years back I was sewing up canvas bags or something and the bobbin jammed, and while trying to free it broke a link inside. She came home and it was in pieces - YOW!!!! When I picked up new parts at the dealer there were just women there, of course...they got a big kick out of this manly man showing up in their shop for sewing maching parts.

I had quite a find this weekend. You guys may find this interesting...
My old boat is for sale again in Seattle. I had her for about 4 years, she was MARI MARI which is Carribean for 'sparkling water'. Too bad the pics are so bad. If anyone is interested I'll post a nice pic of her. She was on the cover of Nor'wester Magazine in the late sixties. We sold her with a blown engine just weeks before moving to so-Cal in '92.
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listing/ ... ess=Public

 

[jekyl]

Wow Chris that was a beautiful boat. I can't believe the price......

I drewl over old, stylish, timber boats; and I think one day I'll end up with one but then I look at all the bright work etc and realise I would never be able to maintain it to the level that I would want.

If money wasn't an object i would love a classic Merrit or Rybovich etc. their prices seem to be reasonable but again I'm sure the expense is in the maintaining one of those lovelies.

 

[CJBROWN]

Thanks Jekyl. Actually, at todays values, that's probably high. Probably a decent price if she was bristol - tip-top shape. They are saying she needs some planks, who knows what else. Wooden boat values have really suffered over the years. The boats get older and more rotted, and the art of keeping them up is being lost with the older generation. There are pockets of enthusiasts around though, but not as many as there are old wooden boats.

It's easy to spend thousands on one if you have to hire work done. An old wooden boat is really for a DIY'r. I spent two summer vacations in the boat yard replacing planks and painting the hull. It also helps if you don't have to have a real job. :wink:

This was my second wooden boat, I had a 26 footer prior. It was an Ed Monk designed cutter, built by a shipwright on Lake Union. He had built her for himself and lavished all manor of luxuries on her. It had cedar planking, teak decks, floors, and trim, spruce spars, a volvo diesel, hot & cold pressure water, refrigeration, and every peice of hardware was bronze. It took him 7 years to build it, sailded it around the lake a few times, wifey would not go, so it sat for sale and deteriorated for more than two years. I bought it and restored it, she was stunning gorgeous, much prettier than MariMari, and I doubled my money inside of two years. Sold it when my first daughter was born (23 years ago) and built a rowing and sailing skiff in my shop. Then bought the Alden Yawl and never got to do the work I wanted to on her. Wife and I divorced, boat sold, moved to California. I just got done paying a lifetime of child support last year. :?

The fellow I bought the big Alden from had owned it more than 20 years. He had five daughters and they all grew up boating. They took it to Alaska 5 times. He and his wife cried when we pulled away from the dock that first time.

Here's an old b&w scan, I'll see if I can dig out a nice color picture of her.

 

[jekyl]

The two types of boating are just so "worlds apart" . Whilst plastic boats serve their purpose it must be difficult to make that transition from the beautiful craftsmanship and really the "made with love" of those boats to even a Grady.

Bring on the pics. I also have on my office wall a drawing and a photo of a Grand Banks 42 my other dream boat.

 

[CJBROWN]

Yes, well, that's true. Keep in mind that I grew up around boats, developing an appreciation for all manner of vessels, power, sail, work boats, fishing, commercial haulers, and on and on. My Dad bought a cabin cruiser when I was about 5 years old, I'm 52 this year. So it has been a lifetime. I love trawler yachts too, they're on my shortlist for a cruiser one day as well. The boating here in CA is VERY different from the NW. The San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands are some of the finest cruising grounds in the world. And it's mostly all protected waters. In CA, it's just the pacific ocean, it's windy and rough, and there's really no place to go. So a trailerable runabout serves to get you out on the water in very efficient way.

I went through a long phase of enthusiasm for wooden boats, building and restoring. At one time my dream was to build an ocean sailer and sail around the world. I have a book case full of books on design, building, maintenance, etc. When I left my ex-wife that desire to sail off into the sunset left me as well. I was just happy to be away from her. :wink:

When I was 19 mom and dad sold their motoryacht, they had couple of Chris Crafts at the end, a 36' tri-cabin, and a 42' sportfisher, and sold the house and moved to Arizona. After a year or so I realized how much fun we had all those years boating, and wanted to get my own. I couldn't afford gas to run one, and I had always been intrigued with sail power, so I bought my first sailboat. That was about 1979. First a 22', then a new 25, then bought my first wooden boat, the 26, built a couple of boats, an 8' pram, then the 16' sailing skiff, then owned the big Alden Yawl. My wife's brother had a pirate ship, a 56' LOD Baltic Ketch that was built in Sweden in 1896. Did a lot of work on that boat too. She had telephone pole masts, and a GMC 671 aux with a 36' prop. That was a BIG wooden boat! 26' beam, and 65 tons.

Anyway, when we left Seattle I stayed away from the marinas down here so I wouldn't get the boat-bug, and I couldn't afford one anyway. After 15 years, and being able to visit mom and dad once in a while for a spin on Lake Havasu on their speedboat, I decided I wanted to get a boat to putt around the harbors here with. So we bought a 15' RIB with a 75 outboard. We had fun but wifey quickly decided we needed something bigger. After pouring over all the various brands of runabouts it was obvious Grady White was way out ahead. That speaks well for the brand - here's a guy with a lifetime of experience with boats of all types, and he chooses it over everything else that's out there.

We love our little boat. Got one as big as I could tow behind our motorhome. We've put almost 300 hours on 'er in 3 years. We have the itch for a bigger one, but need to wait out this recession. By the time we can afford to get the bigger one, they'll be priced out of our reach.

I have a very bad back and cannot work like I used to on laborious projects. So the Grady is perfect for getting out for some fresh air, dragging a lure, and drinking some beer. :mrgreen:

EDIT: Sorry folks, we really got off track here...
Oh well, it's my thread! :twisted:

 

[gwwannabe]

Great posts, Chris. Thanks for sharing with us. You've had a very interesting life.

Gary 89 Overnighter

 

[enfish]

I enjoyed the read, Chris. No need to apologize for posting in your own thread.

Time to go catch some tuna!

 

[jekyl]

Well at least i can understand why, you would even consider doing your own zippers!

I go straight to the shop for that. I certainly don't have the skills or machinery to attempt it.

A few folks here buy the old retired fishing trawlers and convert them into great cruising boats. The older I get (56) the more interest I have in just being on the water . I don't particularly care where or how fast I'm going or even if I'm getting anywhere . A trawler towing a smaller fishing skiff would be pretty ideal.

 

[CJBROWN]

Well at least i can understand why, you would even consider doing your own zippers!

I go straight to the shop for that. I certainly don't have the skills or machinery to attempt it.

A few folks here buy the old retired fishing trawlers and convert them into great cruising boats. The older I get (56) the more interest I have in just being on the water . I don't particularly care where or how fast I'm going or even if I'm getting anywhere . A trawler towing a smaller fishing skiff would be pretty ideal.

That's true. I looked at a saifish for sale in the NW that had a huge tow-eye on the bow - it had been a fishing skiff tow-boat for a big motoryacht.

 

[CJBROWN]

Sailrite has a streaming video for $5 that shows step by step curved zipper installation. It was well worth the money. The entire project will end up costing about $50.

Mark zipper location with grease pencil.
Use 3/4" bias binding tape, stick with two strips (inner and outer) 1/4" self-stick basting adhesive. The bias style is important as standard binding tape will not bend as readily. They carry matching sunbrella binding tapes in all sizes, 3/4" is the right size for a #10 zipper.
Sew on a tape on both sides of the cut line, on the outside of the window.
Stick coil zipper with basting adhesive on cut line to inside of window, and sew to outside of the strip so there is space for the slide once it's installed. Coil zipper curve much easier than a standard RKK zipper.
Open zipper and cut between binding strips.
Install slider and secure ends, one is sufficient but two can be used.
Bind or hot-melt end teeth so zipper is captive.

Optional: sew on edge binding beside zipper strip, wrapping to the outside. This serves as additional water shedding, to prevent leakage thru the zipper.

Gee, I'm glad I asked them. You sew on the zipper before you cut the glass, you don't need a space in the cut for the teeth section, and you use basting tape to set everything up on the glass before you sew it.

Ordered the zippers and tapes and everything today.

 

[KingJ]

Chris, sorry for the late reply! Of course - this weekend would be fine to come check out Vedette’s front wind-shields. or anytime. Talk to you soon.

And, thanks again for all of your help with Vedette over the years, mate! I have learned so much due to your help. Our slip is yours when at sea! Also, lobster season kicks-in soon. Looking forward to some night boating this winter!!