Sewing the Rope For Spray Skirt Lip:

Measure three arm spans of thread, double it on a straight needle, and make a small knot with both ends. This will probably not be enough to make it all the way around, but it is easier to use several short sections than have a long section that will tangle. Stretch the welded rope around the cockpit, and start sewing through the back of the rope near one of the sewing holes, so that the knot will be hidden between the rope and the cockpit. Move the needle over about an 1/8", then push it back through the rope and the hole in the cockpit, pulling the thread tight. Move to the next sewing hole in the cockpit and push the needle through the hole and the rope (which should be centered vertically on the sewing hole). Moving over an 1/8" again, push the needle back through the rope and the same hole in the cockpit, and pull tight. Continue working around the cockpit in this manner, grabbing a bite of rope with the thread at each hole. To end the thread, simply make another knot behind the rope as with the initial knot, and start new pieces in the same fashion as the initial piece. Pulling the thread tight on each stitch is very important in assuring that your cockpit lip is firmly affixed and not loose.