[quote=charlescarlis]Very cool; love hearing about guys still sailing cats after "retirement age", if you will. It seems like I just got into sailing (well, bought 1st cat 2 years ago), and absolutely love it, but am also within a few years of retirement. I favor the bigger boats with volume and ability to drive through chop, but you have to use leverage and geometry to your benefit to put the thing together and apart. Still, it'll work for me fore another 10 years, I hope.
As to the trampoline and stitching; I've re-stitched mine twice: once with "outdoor, polyester upholstery thread", and once with true V-92 polyester thread. Both, I used a straight stitch on a good machine. Having said that, when i get around to actually building a new tramp, I'll use the PTFE thread (Helios) I bought and switch to a zig-zag stitch.
"Dual-duty outdoor upholstery thread" = if in desperate need for a quick repair and must get through the summer.
"V-69 or V-92 poly thread" = This is standard, heavy duty sail making thread and typical for tramps; if re-stitching an entire tramp - use it and save the money; likely the tramp fabric will not outlast the thread at this point. Easier to use, available and comes in colors, if you want to be fancy. But, don't get red; it fades.
"PTFE of Helios or Tenara"= This teflon formulation thread is impervious to sunlight and outlasts the fabric. Problem is, I've heard it's a nightmare to learn to sew with and it is expensive (cheapest I could pick up an 8 ounce spool was $92 USD). Will report back on how bad this is once I get there; but I'll push through and learn it.
I got the larger boat and loved the choice, but it is harder to manipulate and my wife doesn't care too much for that part...but it's REALLY comfortable, fun and reasonably fast.[/quote]
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