Tag Archives: fenders

Comfort Upgrades

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There were a few more upgrades that we wanted to do this year including adding “rain flashing” over our 4 large window hatches and adding a back rest in our cockpit.

These might seem like “small” upgrades but they add a lot of comfort value to the boat.

Quick Upgrade Summary:

  • Rain Flashing for windows
  • Back Rest in Cockpit
  • Inflatable Fenders
  • Forward Scan Transducer
  • VHF Microphone at the Helm

Rain Flashing

Sugar Shack has (4) large hatches and (3) small hatches on each side of the boat. The large hatches let in a lovely breeze and are open as often as possible.

However, when it rains, we have to run around closing all of the hatches to prevent water from getting inside the boat.  

As you can imagine, it gets very hot in the tropics.  When it rains and the large hatches are closed it becomes unbearable on the boat. 

The water drips into the cut out which then drops behind the hinge and into the boat.

We had to do something that would allow us to leave the windows open during the rain without soaking the interior.

Ian on Tavake (a Catana 431) had made rain flashing that inspired us to do something similar.  Unfortunately he no longer had the mold so we had to start from scratch.

Scott our fiberglass fabricator was able to make a pattern to build the mold.  

We were able to make 4 rain flashings for our large windows once the mold was completed.

Matt scratched the back of the carbon pieces, adhered 3M VHB tape and we were done!

Shortly after install we had our first rain and they worked perfectly.

Back Rest in Cockpit

A small yet irritating issue with the cockpit is the lack of back support. 

Many Catana owners added a back rest that sits between the salon main window and the cockpit main seating.

Our friend Eric, on El Gato (Catana 472) had drawn up these design specs.  We used this as a guideline and made our own modifications. 

However, we did not want it as tall so we made it shorter than the 10 3/8″ height. 

In addition, we wanted a round, not square mounting bracket.

Once the back rest was manufactured we had it electro-polished at Spiralweld in Auckland.  This will protect it and keep it shiny with minimal polishing effort on my part.

New Inflatable Fenders

Sugar Shack came with (4) A4 large, round fenders and (8) F4 pencil fenders.  We later added fender covers to protect the fenders and the boat.  These fenders have served us very well.  However, they do take up a lot of space in the forward bow peak.

So, we decided to purchase new inflatable fenders.  We went to Hauraki Fenders and purchased (8) Medium 350x1100mm (1’x3.6′) fenders and fender covers.

We are super excited to try out our new fenders!  For safety reasons, we kept the (4) A4 round fenders so that we always had fenders at the ready.

I did not want to unpack the tightly packed fenders for a photo op so you get a generic photo. 

Forward Scan Transducer

We decided it was time to purchase a forward scan transducer which will allow us to see the gradient ground levels in front of us.  

This forward-looking sonar provides a clear two-dimensional image of the bottom in front of us, allowing us to navigate shallow or poorly-charted waters with confidence. With real-time updates and a forward-looking view of up to eight times our current depth.

This will be a useful tool while anchoring.  We bought it from B&G for roughly $1200.

VHF Handheld at the Helm

We have our “big” VHF at the navigation station and (2) small hand held VHF units.  However, we have never had a VHF Microphone at the helm station.

A rather small inconvenience, but one that has irked us for awhile.  So, it was time to install one.  Matt ordered a white ICOM IC-HM 195S Command Mic IV from Amazon for $241.

Purchasing and Contact Info:

  • Scott Banks, Fabricator, Whangarei, NZ +64.22.380.3972.  Fabricated the helm pedestal extensions and the window rain flashing
  • Stainless Fabricator: Phil Waddell, hardout98@icloud.com, and his wife Joy Waddell, joyw2@icloud.com. +64.21.280.6356
  • Spiraweld, www.spiraweld.co.nz, +64.09.576.1199 

Be sure to check out our other upgrades on “Impactful Upgrades” blog post.

Our blog posts run 8-10 weeks behind actual live events. 

We worked on these two projects for several months over November 2025 through January 2026.

Shades of Canvas

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We bring Kim from Masterpieces in Canvas back to finish up a few more sewing projects.  We ran out of time and could not finish these two big projects last season.  Kim met us in the Norsand Boatyard where she worked with Matt to determine exactly what he wants before making a pattern.

She brings a huge roll of pattern material and custom designs each window covering.  Some windows get 2 patterns.  We are making sauleda covers for storage (they will be solid gray fabric that are not see through).  We are also making black phifertex window covers that will be our “everyday” window shades.  They will let in a little light, allow us to see outside, but will block 80% of the sun.

We also asked Kim to make us (2) side phifertex canvas sun shades for our cockpit enclousure.   These will zip on to the outside of our existing side panels and can be rolled up for storage when not in use.  So we can alternate between using the sun shade (phifertex) or the rain shade (sauleda/Isinglass) without having to change them out.

In the bottom photo, Kim is marking the snaps on the sauleda canvas window covers.  We will use these when we put the boat up for storage or when we are feeling particularly shy.  The yellow tape around the foward window is from a paint job that Matt was working on and will be removed.

And the final phifertex window covers.  We decided to go with two different grades.  The two side windows on both port and starboard are 90% opacity and the three forward windows are 80% opacity.  This will allow us to better see out the windows while the shades are on.

Sewing Projects By Us

In 2018, Matt and I made blue fender covers for our big round A4s and pencil type F4s.  See blog post dressing up our Fenders. 

Over the years the blue faded and frayed so it was time to replace them again.  Last season, March 2023 I replaced the A4 fender covers with black covers.  But that left the F4 (pencil) fenders ugly and blue.

So, it was time to replace them with beautiful black polar felt.  They should match better to our new gray color scheme and be soft on the boat.

New Line

We also purchased new line for the boat.  We bought 34m of a beautiful gray (with black/white flecks) in double braid heavy duty line for our main sheets, and 100m green mottled line with a dynema core for our spin halyard and reefing line.  While we were at it we replaced our red “oh $hit” line that we use to hold on while under way and bought 100m of 5mm dynema line for future projects.  Everything came from Nautilus Braids which provides the best customer service, quality lines, at reasonable pricess.  They custom made our lines for us!

By the way, there are no ropes on board a boat.  You will find lines, sheets, halyards, vangs, tricing lines, warps, whips, and jackstays, but not ropes.  

We will have Kim come back in early March to help us finish some really small projects:

  • Stern seat cushions over the line holders
  • (2) Line bags for our main sheets
  • (2) Recycling bags
  • (1) Remote wench holder
  • (2) Sets of 3 pockets for cockpit
  • (1) Table cover

Don’t worry, there still are a dozen other sewing projects for us to tackle with our Sailrite machine.

Our blog posts run 10-12 weeks behind actual live events. This blog post occured in mid-November.  We attack some beastly boat projects while on the hard at Norsand Boatyard.

Completed fender covers.

Dressing Up Our Fenders

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Every boat has fenders, so what makes them special?  Sugar Shack came with lots of fenders – really big ones!  It’s always good to have solid fenders and the bigger the better.  Fenders are used when entering a marina, pulling up to a dock, and any time you need protection for your boat.  We’ve pulled them out when a boat was dragging and coming down on us, we’ve used them for fun and games (think “wrecking ball” when you see image below).

Wrecking Ball on the Seas.

Wrecking Ball on the Seas.

In San Blas, we have 3 fenders out on the side of the boat so the pangas, ulus and dugouts don’t damage our boat when they come to sell us fruits, veggies, lobster, and molas.

The fenders have been working great and have protected our hulls from many potential impacts.  However, as the fenders get used, they get dirty.  When they are dirty, they transfer that dirt and other marks onto the hulls.  Which sucks.  So, we have been meaning to do fender covers for a very long time. Matt purchased and brought 50’ of blue fleece over 6 years ago along with two more large fenders.  The felt has sat under our master bed ever since.

Until, I got a bug up my butt and decided to do something about it! Matt and I worked on several patterns for the A4 fender which are giant balls (well, funny shaped balls).  We have 4-A4’s and 1-A5.  Many months ago, we tried our hand at making a fender cover using old sunbrella for the A5.  And, although it works, it is hideous.

A5 ugly fender cover attempt #1

A5 ugly fender cover attempt #1

We learned several things, sunbrella sucks as a fender cover, and our measurements were way off.  So, the key was in the pattern.  We made several patterns using shower curtains.  They are cheap, easy to draw on, cut quickly, can be stapled, and gently manhandled into a form.  Unfortunately, it took us a few tries to get what we thought was a decent pattern.  We wrapped it around our A4 and then went to work with the fabric.

First, tracing the pattern on the fabric.  Traced the larger pattern which has the ½” hem and then traced the actual panel inside.

After cutting the fabric, we sowed the panels side to side forming a giant circle.  Then the top and bottom hems were sewed.  We placed the cover, inside out over the ball.  It was close, worked, but not tight enough.  So, we pinned each seam making the cover form fitting, took it off, sewed it up and voila.

A4 Pattern and final product.

A4 Pattern and final product.

Since the first one was so big, we decided to make a new, smaller pattern.  Each ball has 6 panels and there are 4 balls.  With each fender, the covers got better and better.  The 4th ball is on the side of the boat for the pangas.

Once the hard covers are done, we moved on to the “easy” F4s which are tubes for lack of a better description.  Super easy.

We cut 28”x27” piece of fabric (almost a square), hemmed the top and bottom.  Then we wrapped it on the fender, inside out so we could pin the final edge.

Gently scoot the fabric off without popping the pins, then sew her up.  You want them to fit like a glove so that they don’t slip off during use.  Once the cover was completed, we had to squeeze it over the fender – it was very much like putting something on over something unmentionable….

F4 Covers Complete

F4 Covers Complete

The four A4s and eight F4s look great and are now well protected.  The only unfortunate thing is that we ran out of fabric before I could cover the last remaining A5 which happens to be the largest fender and the one we use the most ☹

Instead of enduring the ugly A5 with dirty sunbrella, I decided to use blue sunbrella scraps to make a new A5 cover.  It would not be the same as the others, but it will be closer in color and look a lot better – or so I had hoped.

The sunbrella fabric is not as forgiving as the fleece and does not “mold” to the round shape of the fender well.  However, I was determined. I did my measurements, added 2” and went to work.  Cut out 6 panels, pinned then sewed the sides and tried her on.  Hmph….too short, it did not reach all the way around.  No problem, I added another panel.  Tried again and it fit all the way around.  Good news.  I sewed the top and bottom hem, turned it inside out to try on again, and YUCK.

Matt jumped in as I was on the verge of panic and adjusted it a little.  Several side seams needed to be taken in and then it looked rather good.  But, in order to take in the side seams I had to take out the top and bottom seams (for Pete’s sake!).  So, I removed the top and bottom seams, sewed my new side seams, resewed the top and bottom seams and it is what it is.

A5 Complete

A5 Complete

Boat project: Fender covers complete!

Completed fender covers.

Completed fender covers.

Useful, yet unusual helpful sewing items:

  • Shower curtains for patterns
  • Chalk for outline
  • Binder clips to hold material