by TIM WEBB » Thu Jun 11, 2015 10:56 pm
You will definitely want lights for overnighting (Duh Tim - aren't you the master of stating the obvious!). You only need the nav lights if you will actually sail and/or motor at night, but you'll need the anchor light no matter what (although in my experience, most small boat skippers anchored to shore don't bother with them, especially in protected coves and such). A couple of decent headlights are a good idea, the kind you strap to your forehead, as well as one of the round, silver LED lights to hang inside your boom tent or whatever cockpit shelter you decide on making. But, hey, whatever makes Jacob happy! ;-P
Your cover probably traps a lot more moisture than mine - I just have it snapped to the coamings in several places around the edge. So, yeah, you might want the vents after all.
Pfaffs are great machines! I knew you must have been working with some kind of at least semi-heavy duty machine - most of the home models these days are built WAY too cheaply to do this kind of work. Sergers are good too, but you have to keep in mind that it is not a lockstitch machine, so be careful not to use it in any areas where raveling of stitches could be an issue. Does that model Pfaff do a double or triple throw zig zag? If so, you could also use it for basic sail repair and maintenance. And as you say, needle size is critical, especially if you are sewing with any heavier threads like E or FF, and speaking of thread, polyester is best, as nylon will never hold up to the UV.
As to those fittings, definitely something meant to accept some sort of "key", and a "snap-in" arrangement too, judging by the little "dimples" on each side of the slot opening. I like your thinking on the "non-boom boom tent"! Haven't tried it yet, but I think mine *could* be stand-alone, without the fore and aft peaks attached to the boom, but I've yet to try that. Will have to on the next trip. I've seen lots of folks with beach cats and similar just cut the floor out of a regular backpacking dome tent and plop the thing right down on the tramp, sometimes w/o any attachment to the boat at all! ;-P
Tim Webb
1979 DS2 10099 The Red Witch
(I used to be Her "staff", in the way dogs have owners and cats have staff, but alas no longer ... <pout>)