Sailrite Ultrafeed model LSZ-1 Premium and Juki 1541S

[zipper]

My wife, Willow bought an early Christmas present, bought it on sale. A new, more powerful sewing machine. The old Kenmore is still good, but will not put a needle and thread thru 8 layers of sunbrella. As some of you know, we recently bought a 27 y.o. sailboat that has been somewhat of a project boat. Most of the projects so far have been mine. So Willow has been thinking about projects that she can do and new fabrics all around the boat is it. Anybody who has hired out canvas or cushion work knows how expensive it can be and how long the waiting list can be. The projects will start small with fender and hatch covers as she gets to know the machine and then move up to cockpit/deck cushions and then interior cushions. And then new bimini, Dodger and accessories, Winter cover. She will practice on the sailboat and then maybe tackle the curvy interior upholstery of the Yamaha. I am sure the grey fishscale vinyl, on the seatbacks will need redoing in a year or two. More sun shades over the bow/ swim platform and vinyl windshield just in case we get caught out in a squal again. Anyway, no shortage of projects in the near future for this machine.




Setting up the apartment over the garage as a sail/sewing loft with a sizable extension to the table.
It can also be brought aboard and used with or without AC power, using a handcrank.

https://www.sailrite.com/Sewing-Machines/Portable-Heavy-Duty-Sewing-Machines

 

[Bluewater272]

Damn. Beefy ass machine, but should take whatever you can throw at it.

 

[Beachbummer]

Very nice, I was looking some months ago and dreaming at some options for such purpose and these folks seemed top notch! I know you will, but do tell us how it goes! I'm an admirer of all things "machine", so sewing machines included, and this looks beautiful.

 

[zipper]

She made the first boat pillows, to shake off the cob webs and get time on the machine. She said there were mistakes, but it was not worth ripping out and resewing. Different styles and techniques. Good practice for the bigger, more advanced stuff later.



The first project will be a grille cover for the Napoleon grille. The original is faded and does not match the Captain Navy Blue color scheme. She chose Sunbrella SeaMark for the task, a waterproof sunbrella. Can't wait to try out the new Hotknife.

 

[Gym]

Your wife has talent @zipper. My wife would use a new sewing machine to sew my lips together.

 

[2kwik4u]

I had a Sailrite on the radar earlier this year. They are nice machines. Have a good friend that makes custom Airplane Interiors (want to talk about long waits and high prices, try building anything for an airplane), and he recommended it to me. They also have some AMAZING videos on how to do custom canvas enclosures. It was going to be a winter project for me, but I have too many other things going on this year to mess with it. I'm eager to see what you guys get accomplished with that machine. If it's anything like the rest of that "project" I'd wager it'll be top notch!

 

[zipper]

Yes I agree. They have How to videos on just about anything you can think of making for boats. https://www.sailrite.com/How-To-Projects-Guides/Projects-and-Tips/Marine-Projects . Everything from recovering the seat on a PWC to canoe seats and upholstery on pontoons to Yachts. Willow has been watching many of them just to check out their degree of difficulty, so she does not bite off more...well you know. She still has a few pieces of equipment to buy ie. A snap fastener tool, for different types of snaps. https://www.sailrite.com/Pres-N-Sna...Mcn6WW778qV-pmAj3XB4_aSfVE3O_t-saAoBOEALw_wcB
The machine is great so far, we have materials for several different projects laying on all the horizontal surfaces in the house. She needs to figure out which one she wants to do next. Fender covers, grille cover, or weather cloths, LOL, I want to use the indoor Softub, it's cold outside.

 

[swatski]

Yes I agree. They have How to videos on just about anything you can think of making for boats. https://www.sailrite.com/How-To-Projects-Guides/Projects-and-Tips/Marine-Projects . Everything from recovering the seat on a PWC to canoe seats and upholstery on pontoons to Yachts. Willow has been watching many of them just to check out their degree of difficulty, so she does not bite off more...well you know. She still has a few pieces of equipment to buy ie. A snap fastener tool, for different types of snaps. https://www.sailrite.com/Pres-N-Sna...Mcn6WW778qV-pmAj3XB4_aSfVE3O_t-saAoBOEALw_wcB
The machine is great so far, we have materials for several different projects laying on all the horizontal surfaces in the house. She needs to figure out which one she wants to do next. Fender covers, grille cover, or weather cloths, LOL.

Oh, ...noooo!
Why did I click on that first link...
I should have known better. That is way too cool.
NOT compatible with my day job!!!!
Bad @zipper.

--

 

[zipper]

Oh, ...noooo!
Why did I click on that first link...
I should have known better. That is way too cool.
NOT compatible with my day job!!!!
Bad @zipper.

--

Just think of all the projects you/family could do. A more durable bimini top, zippered bimini extensions fore and aft, shade/privacy curtains, zippered vinyl windshield, bow/cockpit covers,boots and why not make a drift anchor for your next crossing to Bimini. Oh right, that was not you.

 

[the MfM]

For anyone that can’t quite justify the price of a sailrite....


You can buy the same sewing machine on eBay and or amazon under various brand names. Rex, barracuda, sewline and omega. Probably more names.

They go for as low as $2-300. Less if you wait for an eBay coupon

The big difference is sailrite adds a few accessories like the monster flywheel and servo motor. You can buy those from sailrite and add them to the other brands. Or you can buy the accessories direct from China too. I saw the flywheel for $50 less on eBay. Aliexpress has parts too.

So for someone willing to do the setup and deal with China sellers you can save 1/2 a boat unit or so.

 

[zipper]

This is one thread that helped her make a decision on the purchase. https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/sailrite-lsz-1-vs-reliable-barracuda.150064/ pretty much the same machine, but the customer service, support and sale price tipped the scale.

 

[the MfM]

Yeah, I’ve been on the fence as to buying the China direct and seeing what it can do and upgrading as necessary or just buying the sailrite.


I keep hoping to find a vintage consew or Juki on CL for cheap. But enough people seem to know what they are worth.

 

[zipper]

Yeah, I’ve been on the fence as to buying the China direct and seeing what it can do and upgrading as necessary or just buying the sailrite.


I keep hoping to find a vintage consew or Juki on CL for cheap. But enough people seem to know what they are worth.

Juki's are real nice machines, she looked at one, but was $500+ more.

 

[zipper]

Willow finished up a couple of starter projects on the list, and learned about both materials used. First the fender covers, she chose the same 12 oz. Blizzard Fleece that Taylor Made uses for their covers. We will see how long they last as the seam will be a weak spot with this fabric. Other manufacturors use a woven tubular material, no seam to bust out. Very light material for the Sailrite, but she did not have the right needle for the Kenmore and it would not pick up the stitch.



These are 12" x 34" fenders for the Beneteau, very similar to these https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west...er-fender-covers-navy--P017216359?recordNum=3 for $55. She has $6 of materials and 20 mins. time to make one. She wants to use the Kenmore for this light material, just need to figure it out. If the material does not hold up, we will use something else. It was cheap enough to make.

And the Napolean Grille cover made with a stiff waterproof Sunbrella SeaMark fabric. Draw string to cinch/tie at bottom of grille. One note: It is hard to pull the draw string across the waterproof backing of this fabric, sorta sticks to it, you have to work it.
I do like the end result though. Made it a little bigger than the grille so it covers the regulator on the side.

 

[2kwik4u]

Looks great.

Interesting that they use fleece for the fender covers. I would've guessed 10 other materials before that.

Wonder if "parachute cord" would work better as a draw string than traditional Nylon rope?

 

[zipper]

@Scottintexas Curious, since we are on this thread, pun intended, how did the VeVe guide covers come out that your daughter was working on?

 

[Scottintexas]

They are very acceptable, nothing fancy and just a loose tube to slip over the posts, I'm not sure of the exact fabric, it was just from the local cloth store in the "outdoor fabric" section,

The original Veve's had that poly/nylon very tight sleeve that tore pretty quickly with my learning boat drivers or if you left the mid cleat up,

 

[zipper]

Looks great.

Interesting that they use fleece for the fender covers. I would've guessed 10 other materials before that.

Wonder if "parachute cord" would work better as a draw string than traditional Nylon rope?

This is the cord she used, although in black.

 

[zipper]

We recieved an order from SailRite a couple of days ago. The first item was a foam sample box, with different types of foam available. Planning on reupholstering the salon cushions and making new cockpit cushions for the Beneteau.




The other item of note is the Snap/Snad install tool



We also recieved a sample of SailRite Ultraleather, the material she will rebuild the Salon/Cabin cushions with and quite possibly the Yamaha in the future. We have chosen "Ermine" as the color as the originals are "white".

 

[zipper]

We did a trial with the snap and grommet install tool. We decided we needed to buy the 5/16" canvass hole punch that fits the tool, for the grommets, a razor knife cut hole produces rejects. Also going to order a pop rivet snap install tool. She wants to make "weather cloths", privacy shade, to attach to the lifeline around the cockpit area. It would snap around the top lifeline and on the bottom, I will install pop riveted snaps, male half, on the outside of the Aluminum toe rail to secure the bottom. Sailrite - Fabric, Canvas, and Sewing Machines Since 1969. I already have a rivet gun, but the expensive parts are the dies. And the case is useful.