Making storage pockets-Gratitude to Don Casey

I've just completed yet another project with the help of Don Casey. When I think back on all the things I have learned from his books, I am left with a tremendous amount of gratitude. Any teacher who helps us learn something interesting or useful has our gratitude and rightfully so. But when it comes to a sailboat, there are just so many, many things to know, and the consequences of error can be so high, that a good teacher is priceless.

That's a fleece hat in the right pocket. There are four pockets total, each 5" wide.

Mr. Casey, I have never met you, and you will never read this, but thank you. Truly thank you. I maintain our boat myself, and I've learned so very, very much from your books that I could not begin to articulate the totality of it. From diesels, to paint, to rigging, to electronics, to sewing, I have learned things from you that have made my boat, and my skills, far better.

This latest Don Casey inspired project was to make new storage pockets for Aeolus. Like on most boats, there are a million little things to store, and some of them you access quite frequently. Also like with most boats, the places to store things are deep, dark and far away. For things like your sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, your iphone, a warm hat, sailing gloves--for these things, you would like them to be readily identifiable and available.

Enter this project.

Deep enough for sunscreen, hats, gloves.

I made acrylic pockets using 20mil acrylic on a roll, and used two different techniques to make the sunbrella backing. On one, following Casey to the letter, I used binding tape and webbing on the edges. On my second model, I hemmed the edges instead. One is for smaller items like lip balm. The other will hold our hats and gloves. They will mount right inside the companionway. I made these start to finish in just about an hour each. No time at all.

The smaller version. Holds my phone, and sundries.

Thank you Mr. Casey.