I spent yesterday afternoon making what felt like entirely too many winch covers.

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Candygramformrmongo@reddit

Nice! I made winch covers and a tiller cover last season from a sailcover I got from a marine salvage yard and used my great aunt's bomber old Singer machine with a heavy jeans needle. Took me a few "prototypes" lol but satisfying AF. I like your bungees, I sewed on sail ties at the seam to tie mine off.

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mrjqiii@reddit

Nice work. Is that sumbrella and could you tell me what kind of machine you used for this project? Cheers!

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hellafly15@reddit

Ranger gang!

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Yep, sunbrella. They are a little more complex than they look because there in an internal sleeve with bungee sewn in to hold them on the winches. I have a long arm industrial machine, but almost anything could do this. One of those blue LSZ machines from sailrite would be perfect. I used tenara thread, though, which the LSZ hates, but normal 92 polyester would work perfectly.

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LateralThinkerer@reddit

I use an old Singer salvaged from a Home Ec department and it's fine for this sort of thing with a bit of a tune-up. Even sewed vinyl cushions with it.

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graciewindkloppel@reddit

Do you have a pattern?

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PossiblyBefuddled@reddit

Sailrite has a [a great video](https://www.sailrite.com/How-to-Make-a-Winch-Cover-Video) and a downloadable PDF. I've made sets for two boats, one using a thrifted 1960s Kenmore sewing machine, then another after I bought a Sailrite. All their videos are kind of amazing. I knew the basics of sewing (from a home ec class 40 years ago!) but using their videos I've made a binnacle cover, a mainsail cover, winch covers and reupholstered settee and v-berth cushions. I'm not associated with Sailrite except as a very satisfied customer.

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Less a pattern and more just a standardized way that I do them. I'll be doing some more pretty soon, (within the next week or so) and I'll document how I do it.

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Tryitout311@reddit

Thanks in advance - would love to make some for my boat and unsure where to begin, have not sewn anything this shape yet.

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Sure! It's really not bad. Cylinders are way easier than anything with box corners. I'll try to get to it sooner than later but it won't be until next week at the soonest.

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Tryitout311@reddit

Ugh yes, as I learned the hard way, box corners are a pain.

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BallardDrifter@reddit

Nice work!

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elvismcsassypants@reddit

I know a couple of drummers that would love your number…

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nylondragon64@reddit

Oh poo. I need a compass cover. Lol haven't made one because i wanted to make a cover to go over the whole helm.

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RedditIsRectalCancer@reddit

I made one for mine and screwed up the measurements and it didn't fit. My LSZ-1 is in Colorado and my boat is in Florida so for now I throw a bucket over the compass. :\

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

I like to do binnacle covers as a two-piece. One for the binnacle itself and a seperate one just for the wheel. You can get a good fitted look that way.

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nylondragon64@reddit

Yep but i want to cover the instrument pod i want to install too.

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

That'd be part of the binnacle cover part.

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Whole-Quick@reddit

Looks great. Is there something you do to keep them in place so they don't blow away?

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Yep, an internal sleeve that has bungee sewn into the sleeve. That sleeve extends a little less than halfway down. I should have taken a picture of the inside too but they are already on the boat. I currently have four more to do in a different color, and I'll post an inside pic then.

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LameBMX@reddit

so, are all those winches used for ballast then? I think this pic has a stays'l ketch covered.....

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Primary and secondary cockpit winches, some dedicated winches for halyards and one dedicated to a center board. I've seen worse. Some of those old IOR race boats had an obscene number of winches. I think the most I've seen on one boat (a sloop) was 14 of them.

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LameBMX@reddit

while that was tongue in cheek, you are over 90% of the way to 14 winches.

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

64.2% of the way

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LameBMX@reddit

9 in the pic, plus 4 more covers is 13 last I checked. 13/14=0.9285714286 aka 93%

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

The other four are for a different boat. Hence the different color.

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Plastic_Table_8232@reddit

I’ve honestly never wished for fewer winches.

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wkavinsky@reddit

A quick step by step would be quite nice, if you have the time.

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Sure, next set I make (which will be soon) I will do a step by step.

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Foolserrand376@reddit

They look great. Glad I only had to do 4. Pita. For what they are. I’d rather make a nother dodger

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Ugh, I hate making dodgers.

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Foolserrand376@reddit

Not fun. But damn a heap load of savings diy

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BoatUnderstander@reddit

I'm gonna drop one overboard

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fcancellaraq@reddit

With the buy-one/get-one sale at West Marine, you can now fill those covers for half the price. Go!!!!!

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

I avoid West like the plague. One of my least favorite places.

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overthehillhat@reddit

For a very exquisite craft I'm sure - - I've sailed on 100's of different boats over many decades - - None of them with winch covers

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Eddie_shoes@reddit

I put winch covers on my modest boat’s winches whenever I leave the boat. Takes me 2 minutes, and I’m cleaning the boat after anyways. Might as well.

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Bigfops@reddit

I just got them at the end of this past season, my winches were getting pretty gnarly and I saw that a lot of other folks in my marina had them.

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texasrigger@reddit (OP)

Really? They are pretty common in my area. It helps keeps the dust and dirt out of them and protects any plastic parts (increasingly common) from UV.

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youngrichyoung@reddit

That's a lot of winches.

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RaygunWizzle@reddit

I made winch covers like this for all the winches on my boat too... then got tired of putting them on/taking them off every time and they just live in a cockpit locker now.

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