A Custom Winter Cover For Our Alberg 35

Sewing a custom cover for our Alberg 35, sailboat Mystic, has been on our radar for years. Each fall, we have wrapped her up in poly tarps that end up in the garbage the following spring. The cost for this has been somewhere around $150 each year. We obtained a quote of $4,000-$5,000 for a custom cover through a canvas shop. It was a no-brainer to do the work ourselves.

We've been planning for a long time so we had a good idea of what we wanted. Our first task was to gather the materials. We purchased 50 yards of Surelast marine fabric from Rochford Supply in a neutral light brown color from the second's bin. Shipping was expensive but we our total cost was about $5.00 a yard. We needed 6 yards of Marine grade vinyl also order from Rochford Supply. With shipping, it cost about $10.00 a yard. We stocked up on other supplies needed for finishing. We ordered 8 cover vents, thread, needles and basting tape from Sailrite. We picked up buckles at Defender Marine. Later, during the project we purchased more vinyl. By the time we were finished, our supplies cost about $500.00, only 10% of the cost of a custom cover from a canvas shop.

Together, we watched a good number of videos from experts including Sailrite and Ship Shape. We learned a lot. The information guided us to modify and improve our original design which used the boom and a angled 2x4 running from the mast to the bow. We planned to go under the lifelines and over the toe rail. This design required us to work around 28 obstacles (stanchions and stays) and created pockets for snow to gather. John Hall, the owner of Frank Hall Boatyard, stopped by one day and suggested we raise the 2x4 at the bow to make a straight line from the bow to the stern. He recommended that we avoid creating flat spots where the snow could sit on our deck over the canvas. In addition, he told us to go over our life lines to create a tent style pitch to the cover. This made sense, so we changed our design again. The new version cut 20 of those obstacles out of our work. We were left with only eight stays to maneuver around. John stopped by daily to make suggestions and to encourage us along.

Original style which we decided not to follow
photo by Sailboat Owners

When we left on our journey four years ago, Dave built a mast cradle that held our mast on deck as we moved down the inland waterway. We decided it could also work for the winter cover with slight modifications. Dave made adjustments that created a multipurpose mast cradle/winter cover base support. We primed and painted all the parts. John Hall commented on how simple, but finished it looked. Dave said he wanted it to look good as we moved through the Erie Canal and the paint would help it hold up for many years to come.

Bow cradle with horizontal 2x4

Dave building extension behind backstay

Dave adding sections to stern cradle

Stern cradle in progress

Dave with finished stern cradle

I was a little nervous about cutting into that 50 yards of fabric so we started out small. The first cut we made was a section used to cover eight air vents. Adding fabric to the vents is not required but we saw this done on the Sailrite video and liked the finished look. Vents are an important part of covering a boat. They allow air to flow which limits condensation and moisture. We added the rubber vents into the panels, four on each side. Each vent is held in place with vinyl on the front and back. 

Cutting out vinyl to finish vents

Vents with fabric installed

Fitting vent into panel cut

Adding vinyl to vent during installation

Sewing vents into cover panels

Vents in place on the cover

We made a separate bowsprite cover for Mystic, mainly to protect the newly varnished wood from the elements. This fitted cover goes underneath the boat cover. The bow panel has several screened vents that may allow some rain in. Having a custom fit cover will protect the bowsprite should any rain get through. We had to work around the forestay with a hood and zippered boot. A strap and buckle hold the cover in place under the bowsprite.

Bowsprite cover with supporting frame

Bowsprite cover installed

Boom and 2x4 create straight line.
Bowsprite cover with supporting frame.

Bowsprite cover

Our confidence grew with each step and eventually we were ready to cut seven 16x5 foot panels of fabric for our cover. We started our work with panel 1 and 2 at the mast. Each panel has a hood that wraps halfway around the mast, meeting at the center on the sides. A zipper runs from the top of the hood down below the rub rail on each side. The hood zips only about four inches up the mast and is not water tight. To help keep this area dry, we designed a second mast hood that goes over the zippers, covers the winches then wraps tightly. This second hood goes about one foot up the mast and is held in place with a buckled strap.

Panel 1 and 2 mast hood, joined by zipper

Second mast boot, covers panel zippers and winches

Port side view, panels, vents and mast hood

We made six boots, one for each of the side stays, then added them to our panels. They zip from the top down with a hood around the stay that is velcroed shut and tied. This creates a nice finished look at these obstacles. The first one we made took a long time but once we got the hang of it we made the rest relatively quickly. Our work involved a lot of measuring and zipper installation. We were lucky to have enough heavy duty zippers that we repurposed from another project. Most were 94 inches long. Several had to be shortened with new stoppers but they looked great and will last a long time!

Adding basting tape to vinyl

Working on stay boots

Stay boot and hood with zipper down the middle,
this will be added to the cover panel

Once the boots were made, we installed them in the panels. Each step we took required a quick run to the boatyard in order to refit our work. We took things at a slow pace, measuring three times and fitting twice. It took a lot of time but we made less errors this way.

Beth sewing panels with yards of fabric sourrounding her
like Rapunxel's hair

Stay boots installed in panel

The bow and stern boots were a little more complicated. We had to maneuver around the forestay and backstay while transitioning from a horizontal piece of fabric to a nearly vertical panel. It was tricky but both turned out great! John recommended that we add screened air vents to allow air to flow into both the bow and stern. We came up with a nice design for these vents and installed four in the bow and four in the stern.

Bow Stay Boot sewed into bow panel

Screened air vent ready for installation

Stern air vents

Bow vents

Once all the panels were sewn together we gathered the three sections and brought them to the boat for a fitting. When connected, the panels created an uneven bottom. With the finished cover in place, we marked the rub rail on the fabric. Once we had this mark, we measured down nine inches and trimmed off the excess fabric below the nine inch mark, leaving a nice even bottom edge for finishing.

Installing the bow cover panel

Working from the bow to the mast

Dave marking the rub rail

Dave making his way to the bow

Backstay fitting

The stern view during fitting 

Dave fitting the forestay boot over the bowsprite

Bow fitting

Uneven edge during fitting

We finished the bottom of the cover with vinyl trim. It took over 100 feet of four inch vinyl to complete this step. We ran out of the original vinyl that we purchased from Rochford so we bought more from Joanne Fabric. We found the same brand but had to go with a lighter color. 

We created a tie down system that we learned about from the videos we watched. Sailrite sells a product that you simply sew to the bottom of the cover, but it is expensive. We made our own loop system using ratchet straps cut in 8 inch lengths. They loop below the cover and are secured with a vinyl patch over them on the back side. We added 62 straps, approximately 2 feet apart, giving us many options for tie down. 

Tie down webbing loop installed

Our last visit to Avondale was bittersweet. After a very long summer of hard work we were ready to wrap Mystic up for the winter. With the three cover sections in tow, we began our winter prep ritual. Having a custom cover made things much easier than our old method of shaping and fitting a poly tarp. Our work came together nicely.

Beth fitting bow panel

Dave securing bow panel from underneath

Dave tieing off bow panel

Beth adding final stern panel

Beth fitting and closing stern panel

Dave ready to tie off our custom cover

Dave tieing off port side

Dave working on starboard side ties

Mystic all wrapped up

We are happy with the cover design and fit

Back panel has zipper for easy boarding

Bow panel wrapped up tight

Mystic at Frank Hall Boatyard ready for winter

Almost looks like she's smiling!

We estimated the project would take about 80 hours but it was more like 120. The finished cover took 48 yards of fabric, has 3 sections that zip together and weighs about 39 pounds. Each step included planning, measuring, cutting, sewing and fitting. Like many things we do for Mystic, we wish we'd taken this project on sooner. Had the cover been in place last winter, we may not have had the water intrusion that caused damage to our beautiful boat. We are confident that this cover will last ten years or more, our teak will be out of the elements over winter and we've done everything we can to protect Mystic while we are away.

That's a wrap! Nice teamwork!

Mast Monkey Installing Spreader Boots

Last year we replaced the wooden spreaders on our Alberg 35, Mystic. It was a necessary, surprise repair that needed to be done before we could launch for the cruising season. Dave built the new pair out of cedar, a weather resistant wood. We didn't have time to varnish them but we slathered them with as many coats of linseed oil as they would absorb; and added one top coat of flex seal to protect them. Over the winter, Dave built new spreaders out of epoxy laminate. He put 10 coats of varnish on them. 

Today, I hoisted him up the mast in his bosun chair to check on the condition of the cedar spreaders. From the deck they look aged and stained. We prefer to wait to replace them with the epoxy laminate set when the mast is down but needed to make sure last year's temporary fix would make it through another winter. The good news is that they are in fine condition. No need to replace them until we drop our mast to enter the Erie Canal. 

Dark stains on cedar spreaders

No cracks or rotting visible

Lots of staining from the linseed oil

They are in better shape than they look!

We've been planning the hoist up the mast for some time but have been delayed due to high wind and my distaste for holding my partner's life in my hands with a 1/2 inch halyard. In spite of my nervousness, we have a great system that is as foolproof as you can get. The mast is wrapped with a rope tied in a tree climbers knot or prusik knot that slides up and down but grabs tight if there is any tension on it. In addition, Dave has two safety lines, one on the safety harness and one with a loop for his foot. He stands on the foot rope which releases tension, allowing me to raise the halyard. If my hand slips, the second rope catches him before he can drop on my head.

While we waited for the perfect day for the climb, I made classy boot covers for the spreaders and stuffed them in the side pockets of the bosun chair. They fit snuggly over the top of the spreaders with Velcro closures underneath. Ropes secure them around in three places. In addition, Dave added zip ties to be sure they wouldn't come loose in bad weather. 

The boatyard carpenter walked by while Dave was up the mast. He chuckled and said, "Aha, spreader boots; aren't you guys getting classy! Has anyone told you that you two work too hard." We can't argue with that but it sure feels good to check one more thing off our "to do" list. One of these days our projects will be complete and we will wrap Mystic up for the winter.

Dave Installing Spreader Boots

He loves his bosun chair

Looking straight up the mast as Dave secures the boots

Monkeying around, Dave reaching horizontally, oy vey!

Mystic's mast with new spreader boots in place

Stargazing

This summer didn't go as planned. Normally we spend our time cruising aboard our sailboat. We've been traversing our way around America's Great Loop for four years.

The summer of 2020 has been like no other. We've spent months in Connecticut and Rhode Island working on our sailboat, an Alberg 35 named Mystic. We'd planned to launch her in April and head for the Erie Canal. Instead, we began the refit of our beloved second home after finding her damaged by water that entered over winter. Our cruising season turned into a summer of hard work.

As we complete our projects and prepare to return home to Minnesota, we are wistful about all that we've missed out on. Due to Covid, friends are less than eager to congregate. The few gatherings we had have been wonderful; different, with Covid distancing, but uplifting to see the beloved friends we are blessed with.

We've spent a ton of time on our boat this summer just not on the water. She sits on jack stands in a gravel yard just outside the office at Frank Hall Boatyard. The yard workers know us well. We are there every day working on Mystic. When we look back on this summer, our first thoughts may be of the work we did but will quickly move to the memorable times we spent aboard Mystic stargazing. Twenty-Twenty brought some cool action in outer space. First there was the Neowise Comet. We drove to Avondale and made a comfy spot on the bow of Mystic, a comfy spot to gaze at the sky. Folks all around the country were getting fabulous photos of the comet. It took us a while to spot it with the use of binoculars.

Photo by NASA.gov

nasa.gov how-to-see-comet-neowise

Photo by Bob King, Duluth, MN

Also in the sky this week, the Perseid meteor shower passed over. Once again, we packed some snacks and headed out to the boatyard to wait. This time we made our comfy spot in the cockpit where the sky was darker. Dave mentioned how weird it is to be on board while the boat doesn't move. We laid there for a couple hours, gazing at the stars that seemed to multiply as the night sky darkened. We listened to the marina sounds, inhaled the salty air and relaxed into the arms of Mystic. Perseus was expected to produce 50 meteors an hour. We only saw two, but that didn't matter at all. It felt good to enjoy boat life again.

Photo by Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Recovery After A Major Setback

The year 2020 was meant to be the year we crossed our wake on America's Great Loop. We started this adventure in 2016 on Lake Superior and spent the first 10 months taking our time exploring the inland waterway and the Gulf of Mexico aboard our 1966 Alberg 35, Mystic.

America's Great Loop Map
Photo by: Boatus

We had our share of mishaps and excitement; including surviving the storm of the century in Frankfort, Michigan, almost getting run over by a barge while anchored on the TennTom and a near miss with a tornado in Columbus Mississippi. We enjoyed microbreweries and friends from Mobile, Alabama to St. Augustine, Florida. And, we were blessed, for much of this journey, to cruise with the best buddy boat team, Scott and Rhonda Joiner, aboard their catamaran Mucho Gusto. Last year we made the decision to take a detour to New England to visit family. We cruised past New York, north to Rhode Island and planted our beautiful sailboat at Frank Hall Marina in Avondale. We know and love this area, having spent a lot of time exploring the beaches in Misquamicut and Watch Hill during the years we lived in Connecticut.

Watch Hill Harbor

Watch Hill Yacht Club

Watch Hill Light

Plover at Napatree Point

Hiking Napatree Point

When we returned to Rhode Island for the 2020 cruising season we were shocked to find Mystic with about 600 gallons of water inside. We've winterized our boat for eight years and never had a drop of water, even when we left her in St. Augustine for 2 hurricane seasons. To say we are baffled is an understatement. They call this a "land sinking". Apparantly, it happens all the time but usually it happens to boaters who do something wrong. In our case, it was a combination of a very wet winter and spring, covid delays and really bad luck!

The land sinking was devastating, but we feel lucky! Although our engine was sitting in water, it started on the first try and purred like a contented kitten. Our electrical systems and refrigeration work too. We were left with a mess, ruined teak and holly floors, warped mahogany doors, a nasty black line and flaking paint throughout our interior; all cosmetic damage. For this we are thankful!

Some boat owners would have walked away from the mess and let the insurance company worry about the cleanup. We couldn't do that. Mystic is our second home; we had to try to save her. We did more than 150 hours of work each, over the first 4 weeks. We scrubbed every surface at least six times using various products meant to kill mildew. Then we had to rejuvenate the wood with oil. The results were encouraging.

The V-berth mess we had to clean

V-berth cedar with mildew damage after several cleanings

V-berth cedar after cleaning and oiling.
Refinished doors waiting for installation

Once the mildew was gone we began the repairs. We started by attacking the black line that marked the 14" of water along all of our doors and drawers. Everything had to be removed, sanded, cleaned, reoiled then reinstalled. We were amazed at the difference, in fact, the stained teak looked so good that it became evident that we needed to sand out everything that wasn't damaged so that it matched. Once we finished this step, Mystic began to shine and we felt certain that we would be able to bring back her natural beauty. We were not able to salvage the mahogany doors or the teak and holly floor.

Black water line on doors and drawers

Beth sanding water stained teak

Working on removing the blackened teak

Damaged teak

The floors are ruined but the doors and drawers look great

Although they were unsalvageable, we  needed to address the floors because the finish was lifting. Sadly, they were new when we purchased Mystic but destroyed by the event.  We took a couple floor boards out and carefully sanded the finish off. The laminate surface is only about 1/16th" so we had to be very careful not to sand through it. It turned out looking "better" but the water damage is still visible in spots. Eventually, we will have to replace the floor.

Teak and Holly with stains

                                               

Teak and Holly hatch, looking better.
Color variation is due to shadows in photo

When we arrived in June we had other projects planned for spring. That work was put on hold to save Mystic from the results of the event. Once things were under control, we tackled the exterior teak. Everything was sanded out and finished with eight coats of varnish. As we added each coat, the golden amber in the wood brightened. Mystic got a lot of attention from boatyard visitors including the owner, John. He came by each day and complimented us on our work. He told us we were doing such a great job that he wants to hire us. 

Our major repair work is done for now. We have a list of the things that can be put off until next spring. The last project that needs to be completed before we leave is a custom winter cover to wrap Mystic up tight and protect her from the elements. We've been planning this for some time. There is a lot of work involved and our design has evolved. We're ready to begin the construction. Our cover will drape over a frame at the bow and over the boom in the cockpit. It will hang over the lifelines then drop below the rub rail on the outside edge of our hull. This will protect our teak underneath. The aft panel will have a zipper opening for easy entry. You can bet that we'll have friends checking on the interior over next winter. Last winter several friends checked on Mystic, but due to the way she was tarped, viewing the interior was not possible.

This has been a horrible experience but it's not the worst thing that has happened to us. We often have to remind ourselves of this. Although keeping perspective has not been easy, we are in a much better place than we were 6 weeks ago. It's good to be here.

Making Peace With Teak

One of our bigger projects this summer is catching up with the never ending exterior brightwork on our 1966 Alberg 35, Mystic. We've been cruising for the last four years, slowly making our way around America's Great Loop. Teak time has been limited. Although we've tried to keep up, we've mostly failed at it. This year we are determined to get a nice 10 coat shine going.

There's a lot involved in bright work. It takes patience and determination, as well as lots of time for hours of sanding and prep work. We use the orbital sander when we can. It makes your hands go numb and fingers tingle, even after you stop sanding. Most of our exterior teak required detailed hand sanding which takes longer. It's overwhelming and tedious to make progress six inches at a time but there is no shortcut to brightwork. We start with 80 grit sandpaper then work through 120 and 220 grit, making three passes over all surfaces. Each day, our upper arms, wrists and hands ache and stiffen. Our arms are firming up our muscles and replacing the Covid flab that we brought with us on our upper bodies. The dust never quite comes out of our pores, even after a long hot shower. We just hate every moment of it; except the finished shine!

Bow sanded, ready for varnish

Stern sanded, ready for varnish

Dave taping before coating

We applied our first coat of varnish after sanding out every inch of the toe rail and cockpit combing. It took us four hours to soak the newly refreshed wood with spar varnish. Exhausted, we looked around us and slapped on the biggest grins we've worn in weeks. Mystic is looking beautiful again!

Bow with coat #1

Dave smiling at our progress

The results are more than worth the labor required to uncover the beauty of finished teak. If the past repeats itself I know it won't go unnoticed. When Mystic is dressed in her Sunday finest coat, we get a whole lot of attention. For an old girl, she sure cleans up nice!