Glenn Ashmore wrote:
SWMBO will not let me close to her sewing machine so I am pretty ignorant on
the subject. I need a machine for making cockpit cushions, canvas items
around the boat and minor sail repairs. I know I need zigzag, enough power
to make it through 5 or 6 layers of Sunbrella and maybe a walking foot but
that's about it. Looked at the Sailrite zigzag machines but they start at
$600.

Packed up some Sunbrella scraps and stopped by the Singer store today and
pleaded ignorance. Asked about used machines but they didn't have any that
would do what I wanted but showed me a new CG-550. It is an all metal
"commercial" model which means they sell them to schools and dry cleaners.
It is not glamorous or fancy but it is pretty heavily made. The lady put in
a #18 needle (what ever that is) loaded it with #92 thread and let me run 8
layers of Sunbrella through it. Worked great. I could even get it slow
enough for a first timer to keep up with it pretty accurately. It also does
2 point and 4 point zigzag. (See I did learn something!)

I know this thing doesn't have that big honkin' power wheel like the $800
Sailrite but it did what it was supposed to do, has a 25 year warranty and
only costs $250 plus another $30 for a walking foot . Am I missing
something?

There was a time that I would have said, "A sewing machine is a sewing
machine."

At one time I borrowed a Sailrite for a cover project. It wouldn't work
because the timing was out. I timed it and it worked fine.

A couple of years later I decided to buy my own machine. The Sailrite
was heavy and expensive, so I bought a good quality home type machine.
It worked fine for quite a while.

One day while sewing leather to five layers of sunbrella, the machine
locked up. I tried to time it, but failed because a part was bent,
there was no adjustment that would cover it. Cost $80 for the service.
I was told that it wasn't possible for a customer to time it.

Maybe the machine you saw was a good choice, but if I had to do it over,
I would buy a used Sailrite on eBay.