I have a Sailrite long arm... It is heavy duty enough and can be driven with a 12v motor at least on canvas work and has a hand wheel. I bought it used (almost perfect) for $300...a veritable steal for a $2000+ machine. I bought this on recommendation of a full time canvas/cushion/sailmaker friend. I store it under my settee...suitable because of weight...not the best...good luck!

 

Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1

 

I've done quite a few projects with the LSZ-1, and it really has been great. The design was, after all, intended to occupy exactly the niche you are looking for : a compact but powerful machine that can be kept on a boat. Having said that, if I saw the big brother for sale for $300, I'd buy one of those too!

 

Almost any of the metal armature Pfaff machines will do a good job. I got mine from a Goodwill store for $25 a few years ago Yes it was a steal.

I have used a Janome HD1000 and it did the job too.

 

Which Pfaff machines are you talking about? I have a 332.

 

Not much of a sewer but I picked up an old (1960's) all metal drive Singer for 25$ with a transport case. Did a fine job of re-stitching my dodger.

 

I am a huge proponent of using the all metal domestic sewing machines from the 50's, 60's, and early 70's. Some of my favorites are Kenmores, Singers, Brothers, Pfaaff (as previous poster mentioned) or just about any of the all metal machines from Japan made during that era. I contributed a lengthy post on this site, about choosing a domestic sewing machine.

I just got done sewing a sail cover for my Catalina 28 using my 1968 Kenmore. It came out very nice.

That said, for what you describe, a domestic machine, no matter how robust is not going to serve for what you intend. For one thing, you'll have a hard or impossible time using anything heavier than V69 thread, and you definitely want to be able to use heavier thread for what you describe. Also, you really should have a walking foot machine. Yeah, I was able to do my sail cover on the Kenmore, and I'm also able to do hatch covers and so on, but there quickly comes a point where you need a walking foot machine to feed multiple layers of tough fabric.

The minimum would be the Sailrite Ultrafeed zig-zag machine. It has only a slightly larger motor than the vintage domestics, but is also geared down more to punch through heavy fabrics, albeit at a slower speed. And it has a walking foot. And, it takes heavier needles. There are other sewing machines similar to the Sailrite, at about half the price, but they aren't nearly as good as
the Sailrite.

The Sailrite machine is diminutive, which is good on a sailboat. If you find that you want to do a lot of work on sails, it's small size will be a problem, as you'll be unable to feed the rolled up portion of the sail through the machine.

The next step up over a Sailrite is going to be any number of true commercial or industrial machines. I really liked my Consew 206 rbi, but I wouldn't/couldn't have it on a sailboat. The motor is the size of a toaster and mounted underneath a heavy duty table. That's pretty much going to be the case with any industrial machine.

As sailors, we're lucky that Sailrite exists, as IMHO, there really isn't a similar, competitive product. Plus they have excellent customer service. Visit their site and check out all their how-to videos if you haven't already.

IMHO, there is no similar or competitive machine to the Sailrites.

 

I picked up a $139 sewing machine at BJ's Wholesale Club that was primarily purchased to replace an antique we had at home that finally, after 75 years, bit the dust. I never figured on using it for repairing sails or sewing heavy canvas. However, one afternoon I noticed some stitching had pulled out of my main where the batten pockets were sewn in. Additionally, my 35 year old bimini needed to be resewn and there were lots of rotted stitches that had broken free. The machine advertised that it would easily sew through four layers of denim so I gave it a shot.

I was utterly amazed at just how easy it was to repair the sail and bimini. The machine never struggled a bit and I was able to do some fancy stitching on the sail that was superior to the original stitching. Same was true with the bimini. I used UV resistant thread that I purchased from Jo Ann Fabrice in Bel Air, MD.

Good luck on whatever you decide upon,

Gary

 

What kind of sewing machine was it?

 

It's a Euro-Pro model 605D, which I believe has been replaced by the Shark model since I purchased mine. Euro Pro Shark 60 Stitch Sewing Machine - Overstock Shopping - Big Discounts on Shark Sewing Machines

Good luck on whatever you decide upon,

Gary

 

It's a Euro-Pro model 605D, which I believe has been replaced by the Shark model since I purchased mine. Euro Pro Shark 60 Stitch Sewing Machine - Overstock Shopping - Big Discounts on Shark Sewing Machines[/url]

Good luck on whatever you decide upon,

Gary

That model will not last long repairing sails or canvas work. Sure it may work good for the moment, but those plastic gears will wear out quickly. Furthermore, the extremely narrow throat and low lift means you will have trouble when you get to the radial patches and other thicker parts of your sails.

I sew canvas and upholstery professionally. An industrial machine is absolutely the best, but impractical on a sailboat. The next best thing is the Sailrite portable zigzag machine - takes commercial needles, has a high lift with a walking foot, and will handle just about anything a commercial can - just not as fast a sewer, and not as much room under the arm. The Pfaff 130 and some of the 50s-60s Japanese machines (Morse are great) will do the job also - much much better than the plastic machines of today, but really the Sailrite is the best for a portable.

 

Many, MANY thanks for the replies to my Sewing Machine query! It appears that the most often mentioned and with such positivity is the Sailrite. My only question is working with the standard 7" work area underneath the arm. Don't you find that tight for the size of many items (even dodger repair) I would want to do? I know-- that extra two inches I'm looking for in a machine is going to mean a larger machine if carried aboard. It's a trade off, isn't it.
Again all your responses are much appreciated! Cande
PS, I'll let you know how I make out with my decision.

 

I just did a boat cover with my Sailrite. It occasionally required some ingenuity, but it was entirely doable and that was for a 34'. A dodger or a bimini shouldn't be a problem, I would think.

 

Cande, I didn't have a problem, but this was mainly because the repairs to the sail and bimini were near the edges, not the center.

I would think the biggest obstacle would be doing any repairs inside the cabin, or even the cockpit of the boat - just not enough room. Most everyone I saw making and repairing sails in the Florida Keys hauled their sewing machines into the marina shops where there was sufficient room to spread things out. They had big work tables and some actually sewed the sails on the floor. It would be hard to imagine trying to do this in the main salon of any boat. just not enough space. I did mine in my basement family room and it was barely large enough.

Good luck,

Gary

 

I bought a Necchi Japanese brand sometime back which does a great job sewing heavy duty fabrics and leather (industrial quality machine with all metal gears) does weigh a bit... so we then added a Whites machine (all metal gears) from the 60's era... great machine and the only one I use now... same footprint as my Necchi but lighter and more portable... we don't keep it on the boat but could if I could find the space... sewing on the boat is a another story as it is rather cramped to repair sails, etc... but smaller items like winch covers, handrail covers, etc... are fine... sails I just bring them home as Gary mentions too large to spread out.

 

Good luck with your search for a good swing machine! Just two cents of advice here:
1) Make sure it has a "true" walking-foot, unlike the domestic walking-foot attachments. Without that it will gag on sunbrella four thicknesses or more.
2) Check out "Baracuda" which is the lower priced, rebranded "Sailrite".

Cheers,Tony
adventiabeforedementia.com
navigato ergo sum

 

The Sailrite is much more than a re-branded Reliable Barracuda. It is an improved design.

The most important improvement is the "pozi-pin" clutch. The friction clutch on the Barracuda tends to slip. You can fit the improved clutch , but the parts will cost you $170. The difference between the Barracuda and the LSZ-1 basic kit is $150 at Amazon right now.

 

The walking foot is essential for even feeding of multiple layers of thick materials but has little impact on the machine's ability to sew through multiple layers of heavy fabrics. My Kenmores and my 60's era Japanese domestic machines easily go through 6 layers of Sunbrella and more. The Sailrite's greater "punching" power comes from it's more powerful motor, the gearing of it's motor, and from it's ability to use larger (stronger) needles.

Without a walking foot, you're more likely to need to use double sided tape to keep thick seams feeding evenly, or at least pinning or stapling to make it easier to feed. In many/most circumstances, with a walking foot you can dispense with tape or pins. Without a walking foot some tasks will be doable but more difficult, and there comes a point where it becomes impossible not to have a walking foot and additional punching power.

The Sailrite isn't a rebranded Barracuda. They're similar, but don't come from the same manufacturer. They share a common origin, but Sailrite's machine has more robust internal components and has more punching power. And, Sailrite's customer service only extends to their own machines.

A machine with a throat of only 7" will allow you to do dodgers and biminies. Where you'd run into trouble is larger sails or winter boat covers. With either, you're likely to get to the point where it's crazy difficult or impossible to roll the excess up enough to feed it through the throat. Whether you'd be able to make a repair to the center of your main or genoa is hard to say, but Sailrite may be able to give an informed opinion.

One other thing to consider is what thread sizes you want to be able to use. With domestic machines you won't be able to go larger than V69 thread. V69's fine for a lot of projects, but if you're doing work for others, you probably want to use an appropriate weight thread (V92 or V138).

 

Do tell Cande, in your 60's, sailing a J37. That's a bit outside the norm.

 

I have the basic Sailrite that I have had for almost 20 years. I am currently doing all the upholstery and canvas for our CD-33. This is the 5th complete set of boat upholstery and canvas I have done with this machine and have never had a problem with it. It seemed like it cost a lot at the time ($500 back then) but it has paid for itself many times over, and will likely continue to do so.

 

Among your decisions is a straight-stitch vs a zig-zag machine. For canvas, a straight-stitch machine is all you need. For sail repair, a zig-zag machine is often more appropriate.

As for sail repair, depending on the size of the sail, typical zig-zag machines might not be appropriate for other than emergency repairs that could be done, albeit crudely and temporarily, with a straight-stitch machine. Look at your sails. If most of the zig zag stitches are multi-point, multi-step zig-zag stitches sewed with V-138 thread, then a straight-stitch onboard machine and a sail-loft of sail-repair might be appropriate.

Your concern about the work-area under the arm is also relevant to the straight-stitch vs zig-zag decision vis-a-vie sail-repair. Getting typical sailboat canvas under the arm has been less challenging than getting even the jib of our boat under the arm of an industrial sewing machine.

A zig-zag machine has more mechanics, which means more likely need for adjustment or failure.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have two industrial sewing machines -- a straight-stitch machine and a zig-zag machine with a four-point, three-step cam. I have never used the zig-zag machine for boat-canvas.

 

You might want to look at the Sailrite Forum. Something like Sail Sewing Machine - Sailrite Forum , but there are other threads there.

There is a social group at cruisers Forum that is not particularly active but worth a look. Cruisers & Sailing Forums - Sewing Group. Boat canvas projects .

 

I agree with most of what has been said, and, after not beeing happy enough with my Singer CG 590, bought myself a sailrite LZS-1 about 1 1/2 years ago. Needless to say I'm very happy with this machine!

There is 4 things I would like to add to what was said before:

1. Walking-Foot: certainly, it helps to handle more layers. But, and this I find even more important: with large stiff pieces of canvas, like Sails for example, you've got so much more control over what you are doing and how your results turn out. Many things you still can do without a walking-foot, but it's getting very hard on you and stressful. With the proper walking-foot you are able to get a straight line where you want it and stay relaxed while you're on the job.

2. Doublesided Tape: for everything heavy and big I nowadays always use doublesided tape. I can set up the material how I want it, and it will stay there till the seam is done.

3. Zigzag: triple-step zigzag might look nice, but 2 rows of normal zigzag are a lot stronger. For everything heavy duty you really only need straight-stitch and zigzag.

4. Size of the arm: certainly, I would love to have a longer arm, but there are limits in what I can carry and limits to where I can stow the machine. So this one has to do. And, surprisingly, it does!
There does not exist a sailmaker around here, but often people come in and have a tear or whatever they would love to have repaired. They come and ask, and of course I help them out. I insist we do it together, so they have to help. After spreading out the sail and sticking on the patches from both sides (with doublesided tape) we roll the sail up very tight on the side where we have to feed it through the machine, carry it over, and feed it through together. The largest sails so far I have repaired was an 80 m2 Genoa where the seams were gone in several places across, new sail-battens on a 55 m2 mainsail and a tear in a large squaresail of a squarerigger with 6 layers of 12 oz cloth. As I said, we were with 2 people and the cloth had to be rolled up really tight, but we managed and everybody was happy.

The Singer I'm gonna keep for tiny things like getting a patch on one of my jeans or replacing a zip in a pair of trousers as the machine is less clumsy for things like that. But for the real stuff my beloved Sailrite is the one to go!

Cheers & happy sewing Dody

 

Lazerbrains, I'm not really sure how long those nylon gears will hold up, however, they are still going strong after 8 years and the machine gets used by everyone in my family of 4, so it gets lots of use and abuse. Nylon gears are used on a lot of things these days, and for the most part, they tend to hold up very well. I think the reason behind this is that very little pressure is placed upon the gears because the motors are high speed, and the gear ratio is low, thereby providing lots of torque with little pressure applied to the gears. I even have an electric drill that has nylon gears and I beat the Hell out of it and it has been on two boats for 10 years and still works great.

I thing that most folks that repair sails don't do it very often. Same goes for the canvas - so the sewing machine, in reality, gets very little use. As for punching through the sail material, it was a lot easier than repairing my blue jeans last night when a belt loop pulled free.

Good luck,

Gary

 

I thing that most folks that repair sails don't do it very often. Same goes for the canvas - so the sewing machine, in reality, gets very little use. As for punching through the sail material, it was a lot easier than repairing my blue jeans last night when a belt loop pulled free.

Good luck,

Gary

Gary, I'm really surprised it went so well with your sail compared to the repair of the belt-loop of your blue-jeans.

A friend and I wanted to replace the UV-strip on her genoa. Sure, not a brand-new one but used for many years. Extra for this purpose she's bought herself a second-hand industrial machine. We were not capable to get the needle to even penetrate the material! I didn't have the sailrite then, but my Singer CG590. She did manage where there was maximum 2 layers of material, no way for the rest. By hand, with a sharp needle and a hammer, it wouldn't go through unless after many minutes of beating the crap out of it. I got myself some glue-on wheelbalancing-lead and added around 6 KG around my flywheel. This did a big trick, but still, the machine was absolutely unhappy with it. For the last bits Sue chucked the sail in the boot of the car and drove 300 KM to the next sailmaker to get the rest fixed.

I wanted to be able to repair my own sails no matter what the situation, and this was certainly not what I wanted. That's when I ordered the sailrite. Her sail just came back from the sailmaker when my new sailrite arrived. I had to try it out - and she had no problem at all!

Now, with forces like this on nylon bearings and gears, I doubt my Singer (which has them in nylon) would survive for very long.

Fair winds
Dody

 

Recently I was sewing a zip onto some covers with the LSZ-1, and I hit the thick nylon bit of the zip dead on with the needle. I should have been doing that bit by hand cranking, making sure that the needle went through gaps, not nylon, but I was impatient. The machine stopped dead, with a loud bang, and the entire machine jumped into the air about 6". I thought, "what did I break?". The answer : nothing. I didn't even have to adjust the timing.

I mention this as an example of when having all metal construction, not nylon, might make a difference.

 

Dody makes sense about the all metal construction... nylon gears under heavy use would degrade and put the machine out of service.

Took some photos of my Necchi and Whites machines to show the metal gear construction. The Japanese Necchi is solid and never skipped a stitch. They were inexpensive too!

 

Both great machines that will last forever. If they stop working, it is because the motor burned or they went out of time, but not because the machine broke. The old Pfaffs are fantastic as well.

 

For those folks who really have to count their money: a friend of mine got himself a "sew strong" machine. From the looks she seems to be very similar to the Sailrite and even offers something similar like the "Monster-Flywheel". He actually wanted to make his new sails for his squarerigger with it, but I don't know yet how it was going.

Fair winds
Dody

 

Those actually look nicer than the Sailrite to me, as they have a larger working space under the arm. I'm interested to hear how the machine is working out.

 

Alright, this is the reply from my friend (www.atylaship.com) about the sew strong machine:

..."About sewing machine, we used it in summer a lot. It works really good. Yours is stronger because of the smaller things for the belt from the engine. And easy to use by Hands. But still really nice. I did not make any sail yet. But we repair a lot of sails. And its really nice ..."...

Cheers and happy sewing
Dody

PS: not sure, but I think with "the smaller things for the belt" he might talk about the handcrank.