For years I’ve felt the Atlantic between my Nonsuch and most of the INA fleet — most members are in North America, and my boat lives in Europe. Still, the Nonsuch spirit is strong online, and it struck me that there’s a fun, tangible way to make that distance smaller:
sharing 3D-printable Nonsuch designs.
Many of us enjoy solving little onboard problems with clever hardware. Why not share those ideas — not just as pictures or tips, but as actual printable files?
Imagine being able to print something another Nonsuch owner designed across the ocean — a small, functional piece that connects us in a very real way.
To kick things off, I’ll share two prints that have already proven useful on my own boat:
Drain caps — simple plugs that stop the side decks from flooding when the boat is stored near trees.
Scanstrut ROKK mount adapter — a 3D-printed base that lets you fit a waterproof Scanstrut charger on your pedestal without drilling big holes. Looks slick, works great.
My hope is that this thread becomes a shared design library and idea exchange — a place where:
anyone can post their own Nonsuch-related 3D models,
anyone can ask for help designing something new (“3D request corner”), and
we can all benefit from each other’s creativity without starting new threads every time.
Whether you own a printer, know someone who does, or just love clever Nonsuch hacks — you’re welcome to join in.
These are designed to fit drains where the original screen has a diameter of 47 mm (1.85").
The cap itself is modeled at 46.8 mm (1.84") for a snug fit.
On my boat, these are the drains along the side decks.
If your drains are a different size — or if you’d like a version for the cockpit drains instead — just let me know and I’ll adjust the model for you.
The design was created in FreeCAD, and the included file is ready for your 3D printer’s slicer.
If you’re using different software to edit or print the model, tell me what format you prefer and I’ll see if FreeCAD can export it for you.
These are waterproof high current USB chargers made for outdoor use.
I use one on my pedestal to power my navigation iPad — it’s a great product, but it’s meant to be partially recessed during installation.
Here’s a link to the product: Scanstrut SC-USB-03
The less expensive SC-USB-02 should fit as well.
On most pedestals there isn’t enough room inside, and the required hole is quite large.
So I designed a 3D-printed housing that mounts on the outside of the pedestal, cleanly and securely — no big holes required.
One side holds the Scanstrut USB charger, and the other side fits a 12 V “cigarette lighter” style socket.
My pedestal is a classic Edson, with a 102 mm (4.0") column diameter, and the mount is designed to match that curvature perfectly.
It looks super slick, keeps the installation fully weatherproof, and makes both power options easily accessible at the helm.
I think it’s a great idea! But I’m curious how many of us actually do have 3D printers or know how to generate these files in order to reciprocate? Lots of us are old guys who don’t keep up with the latest tech anymore. I used to. But I seem to be in that period of life when most news is bad (like my X-ray, yesterday) and I’m trying to reduce my overhead of stuff and downsize. The most common expression around our house right now is “no new projects!”
BTW, I’m envious that you have enough trees to cause a leaf problem. I am from Oregon, but retired in San Diego county and I really do miss trees. Though I am torn because I don’t miss the rain that creates them!
Just a quick heads-up to avoid disappointment: this design doesn’t fit on the kind of 3D printer your neighbor or nephew probably has at home.
I’m using a regular Prusa with a print volume of about 250×210×210 mm (≈9.8×8.3×8.3 in), and this screen is larger than that — you’ll need an XL printer for it.
It could be redesigned to fit on a standard printer, printed in two parts that can be super-glued together. I might try that in the future.
