Anyone know a source for custom mattress pads and fitted sheets for the forward berth of our Nonesuches? I have a 30U and had a fitted pad until I foolishly put it in the dryer following a washing.
Don Ringsmuth
Selkie 30U 425
Est Hampton, NY
Don -
I did a Google search for “custom marine bedding” and all sorts of suppliers popped up, all over the place. I’m sure one of them would fit the bill.
Ernie A. in Toronto
I bet if you leave marine out of the search title, you will get them, as well made, at 1/2 the price.
Brian Cayer
Spirit~Wind
N30U 419
Deep River, CT
There’s a sort of hybrid sheet size that works. I think its kind of an extra long twin? And only available in limited styles. Off the shelf, so reasonably priced. I got it at Bed Bath and Beyond, before they went out of business in Canada. But I saw it on Amazon too.
Don
I think that Brian Cayer has a good point point. I just checked. You really have to scroll down but you’ll start finding outfits that custom make these things.
However, if you went out and bought good quality flat sheets and mattress pads (like really good sheets - yummy), you could take them to your local seamstress/seamster (not teamster or hamster). Bring the mattresses with you (even if a bit of a pain). This person can perform rapid CHEAP surgery on these items and they’ll fit better (and last longer) than “custom made”. They can elasticize corners, etc., to ease the pushme/pullyou job of “making the beds”. You can give input and the craftsperson can add their two cents and you’ll have PRECISELY the stuff you want.
Just a thought … (but that’s what I would do).
Ernie A. in Toronto
I do a lot of sewing - canvas, sails, and the bedding for our 30U. I put a vote in for Ernie’s idea of buying good quality sheets and mattress pad and modifying them. Do not do the mistake i made. I bought double bed size. Go at least with Queen size so you have plenty of material for messing about.
I have my doubts that Brian’s idea pans out - I would be surprised to find a custom sheet maker for home products at prices lower than a marine shop. The marine shops have the mattress sizes in their database and will send the job off-shore. Anyone buying custom home sheets is buying super high end, otherwise they are going to buy premade high end at prices that the average sailor is going to think is crazy (being sailors, we want everything to cost about the same as our main form of propulsion). The custom home shop is not going to have the 30U mattress size in their database and will need to measure it. But that said, I could be all wrong and you might find they are cheaper.
lloyd herman
Rendezvous, 30U
Port Washington, NY
I think Lloyd is bang-on correct. I have found that that small, one-person sewing shops, in peoples’ homes, etc. are staffed by excellent, experienced sewers, dressmakers, etc. Invariably, they have been trained from childhood and, likely, they are hard-working immigrants. They can (and do) sew EVERYTHING, from trouser hems to thick draperies. They can do this kind of work in their sleep and they’ll come up with some darn good and novel ideas and they’ll be cheap. You’ll end up with the coziest and cushiest bedding in any Nonsuch (or any other boat, for that matter).
Ernie A. in Toronto
On Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 2:42:28 PM UTC-4 Julie & Lloyd on Rendezvous wrote:
Related but different, any recommendations for vendors to redo the cushions and mattresses? Local options are prohibitively expensive sadly…
Robin B
ZOE, 30U #307
SF Bay, CA
As has been discussed in the related post regarding recommendations for vendors to do upholstery in the Connecticut area, I recommend you investigate shops that do home upholstery, not marine. Just do your homework so you are asking for the right stuff. Do not expect the home upholstery shop to know about marine fabrics. Check Sailrite to educate yourself. You might luck into someone working out of their home - renewing your cushions is an easy home sized job.
lloyd herman
Rendezvous, 30U
Port Washington, NY
Makes sense, thanks!
Given we have a dodger, bimini, cushions and such Debbie has used her Bernia Record 830 for cushions and such. Owned it since 1973.
She makes carry bags out of sail cloth … covers for the hand rails, wheel, winches, anchor windlass, mast boot using sumbrelle
She uses another machine with a walking foot for dodger work. Sail repairs are with a palm needle.
Depending on the scope of work and your interest investing in an appropriate sewing machine is an option. Used Bernia’s run $600…