where to get curtains

S

slapshot

New member
Today, we signed to buy a new 25' Cruiser!!! I've seen lots of posts about curtains and some great photos. My big question is - where did you get them?
 
Most folks use snap in place Sunbrella fabric, that matches the interior cushions. Often your dealer will throw this in as part of the "Deal". If not you can make your own--using Sunbrella binding tape makes it much easier. Easy and basic canvas project, if you want to go there. King Canvas also has made the covers for the C Dories in the past. The male snaps are put in screws which hold the window frame in pace. Remove one of these screws in the corners, (Robertson Screwdriver), and put the snap screw in its place. You can set your own snaps with a set of dies which fit on Vise Grips, or with a set which uses a punch (cheaper, but not as good).
 
You will find that a lot of the curtains seen here on the site where hand made by the owners. My wife Susan made the window covers for the 22 . Our 27 came with covers made by the last owner's wife. She did a great job and we still use them.
 
We used kraft paper to make patterns, the Janet sewed up the curtains for Dreamer. Like Bob says, replace the corner screws in the window frame with male snaps on wood screws. Much cheaper than the approximately $ 500 at the canvas shop!
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I just bought $3 napkins from Walmart that measured 18" x 18", used cafe hooks and a tension rod and voila, curtains for my boat. The blue color matched the sunbrella so close it is unbelieveable.

Not that I am advocating that, but be creative, think outside the box, and come up with something cool. Don't go and pay tons of money to have someone do it for you. It is way more fun, and cheaper, and creative to search out a solution. It's the C-Brat way!
 
On the 27 dons wife used wire stays under the corner window screws and then used small bungees with the curtains over them to hold the curtains in place. .. did that make sense?

she made curtains and instead of curtain rods she ran bungees thru the curtains. then she attached the bungees to the corners of the windows by attaching wire stays to the corner window screws. works really well and fast to but up or take down.
 
I had mine sewn by a talented fellow C-Brat w/ paper patterns I supplied. Sides and back are on tracks and stay in place. Windshield has three seperate pieces (like Roger posted) that just snap into place. Pics in our album.
 
On our 22' Comfy Dory, we took the "cheap route". Buy 2 nice fabric shower curtains with a seashore or other water based scene. Cut one horizontally in 3 even strips. Hem tops and bottoms as required and sew button holes in the 2nd strip to match those on the top strip. Install the 3M self sticking and removable hooks to align with the holes in the tops of the curtains and voila...side curtains. 3rd strip is for the front windows. Put hooks over the front windows and sew buttonholes to align with them and voila...front curtain. (can be cut into individual curtains for each window if AC unit is placed in the middle window. The 2nd curtain can be cut to size for the rear windows, buttonholed to align with hooks and voila...all windows covered. Very easy to put up and take down for storage. Total cost is under $50. Can add velcro strips sewn on bottom edge of curtains with self sticking velcro tabs on the bottom of the windows if desired, but we kind of like the curtains moving with the breezes.

Tad and Toby
 
Slapshot,

Congratulations on your purchase, I know you will be very pleased with the 25' and thank you for your business. Please feel free to give me a call at the factory and I will give you our upholsterer's name and number, he can make up curtains and send them to you. Or, I will give you the fabric numbers and you can have somebody back there make them up for you.

Let me know how I can help and again thank you!

Scott Boysen
 
Umm-

How about just order the boat with the window covers through the dealer as part of the package. Then the snaps are in place and everything will fit.
 
I too ordered through Kings Marine Canvas. The customer service was good and the windows fit perfectly. I would not characterize the stitching and edging as heavy duty but good.

You have to take time to carefully install the snaps to have a proper snap fit. I also used sturdy cloth and snaps to make hoop curtain supports such that I could roll them up when underway and then easily unsnap the loop and have them roll out/snap on the bottom.

Curtains are a HUGE addition to the vessel in terms of security (out of sight/out of mind), temperature control, and of course privacy.
 
Congratulations on your new 25! Hope you enjoy yours as much as we have been enjoying ours. Some kind of window covers are a must to get the most utility out of overnighting, extended cruising, or storage with your boat. We ordered ours from the factory (from King Canvas) when we ordered our boat, but that was only because we started cruising immediately when we picked up the boat; otherwise, we would have made the curtains from matching Sunbrella. My wife did make a front hatch cover and other items from Sunbrella and had experience using Sunbrella with our previous sailboats. That fabric holds up well and cleans up nice. Not sure if the new 25s still use Sunbrella for their interior cushion covers, but it looks sharp when it all matches.

Good luck with the new boat and keep us posted on your experiences with it!

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Wow. I really appreciate all the great ideas out there. I think I'm going to make roll up (or fold up) window shades. I'm going to look at some Sunbrella today - and possibly go for a stripe - just to be different. I'm thinking velcro! I love all these options! Thanks so much. We're very excited about the 25!
 
When we bought our 2008 Venture it came with curtains. They had suffered somewhat from the sun and when we looked at replacing them were advised that curtains swinging around over a stove were a bad idea. we went the snap-on matching sunbrella and have never regretted it. Got them installed by the dealer. Great way to go.
 
Well, for curtains on my CDory 25, I used an old bed sheet set (blue) an velcroed them in place...I love velcro. I am also fond of duct tape but have not used that yet on my CDory...so far no need...
Amanda
 
Had some curtains made for my CD-22 last fall and thought I'd share what I had done now that I've got some photos. The material is sunbrella I believe. I had a storage cover also made, and the guy that made that did the curtains. But these shouldn't be too hard to do for anyone that has the proper sewing machine and skills. (I don't :cry: The track system is a flexible nylon of sorts that mounts over the windows, using the window frame screws. The curtain has a flexible round nylon rod sewed in on the top that then slides into the track. I can leave the curtains installed and just roll them up, or I can slide the entire curtain out of the track when not needed.

This photo shows one curtain down, with the others surrounding it up.
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This one shows the window track
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And this one shows the curtain bead
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The curtains are snapped in the down position with snaps in the bottom corners. The cabin door curtain is done the same way. It is easy enough to snap it down, even after stepping out of the cabin, before closing the door. Or it can be left unsnapped and just pushed out of the way to enter and exit.
 
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