Time for a new mainsail

[ralay]

I jut spent 2 days carefully nursing our mainsail - put new leather on all the corners, restitched the seams, added some patches. Unfortunately, the fabric towards the leech is quite worn, probably from all the time we've spent sailing reefed.  I replaced the tabling wand sewed a new leech line in.

Then we put the sail back on the boat and the first big tug I give to the leech while flaking, I tear a big old 6" hole.  The fabric is just toast. 

I'm going to have to chalk all the time up to practice.  Any recommendations on sailmakers?  I may give a sailrite kit a try, though it's a little intimidating to start with a mainsail.  May make a new dinghy sail first for practice. 

[Bubba the Pirate]

I'm sure you'll keep us posted. Diving in where it's scary isn't a bad thing.

I dream of making a whole set in tanbark for my W32. However, there's lots of other work before I have to worry about sails. :-)

[ralay]

I think having a space to work is the biggest issue.  I'm definitely not going to be making a sail on the boat.  Not going to be doing it outside this winter either.  Don't have a car to move things back and forth.  So I need a big gymnasium that I can store a bunch of stuff in, within bicycling distance of the boat, preferably for free.   ;D I find that magic combo, I'll think about making it myself.

[Bob J (ex-misfits)]

There's Hood just up the bay in Salem, MA.

[ralay]

I sent a quote request to the RI loft. 

[CharlieJ]

Rach. Look into Bacon Sails in Annapolis. They have a ton of used sails. You might find just what you need

As to SailRite. Both of the sails on Tehani were SailRite kits. Made to my specs

Good luck

[ralay]

Been to Bacon many times and got our genoa from there.  They only mainsails they have right now are one mylar laminate sail and one that sounds like it's in pretty rough shape. 

[CharlieJ]

There are other used sail outlets. Don't have access to i ternet so can't research. Best of luck

[ralay]

I'm drinking a cup of coffee and calling around for quotes from sailmakers and sailrite.  I'm also a really big fan of Bacon, so that was a good recommendation.  I'll look myself, but if anyone else knows any more Bacon-esque sail consignment stores, I'd be happy to direct my search there.  Searching for used sails is also difficult, because our main has a fairly low aspect ratio.  Most of the used sails with the right luff length have a foot that's 2-4' too short. 

I can also post on the Westsail Owners Association. 

Part of me wants to throw my hands up and curse the boat every time we have a big item to purchase.  Then I sit down and say, "Rachel, you've paid $0 for rent and utilities in the last 7 months.  How much would you have paid in rent/mortgage/taxes/water/electricity if you lived on land?"  That helps to put it in perspective. 

[ralay]

Also, what do y'all think about loose-footed mains?  Every sailmaker I've talked to has a loose foot as standard and reccomends against getting a sail with a shelf foot like the one we have now, even though, presumably,  they could charge more.  Pros and cons?  Personal experience? 

[CharlieJ]

They seem to have become really popular.I have read that the loose foot makes shaping the sail a better deal. Can't really say, as I've never sailed on  a boat with a loose footed main.

As for the boat costs? You got it ;)

[lance on cloud nine]

another used sail outlet is Atlantic Sail Traders. I have not bought a sail from them, but they have given me great service on other things. They list their sails by dimension on their web site. Good luck.>>>http://www.usedsails.com/

[ralay]

I checked Atlantic Sail Traders, Second Wind, and Bacon and signed up for their update feature. 

Sailrite quoted me $1100 for a kit.
Bacon quoted me $1800 for a new sail.
Hood quoted me $3200. 
Still waiting for quotes from some other places. Thought folks might be interested to hear the spread.

I also learned that pretty much NO ONE makes sails in the US.  Hood, Doyle, North, Neil Pryde, etc all only do repairs in-house.  All the sails are shipped in from China/Sri Lanka.  There goes my image of sails being made by some white-bearded guys in Salem or Newport.

There also seems to be consensus that loose footed sails are superior for sail shaping.  No one would recommend a sail with an attached foot anymore, even the guy who made our last (attached foot) sail. 

See - breaking something is the fast track to learning new things.  ;D

[Frank]

I have "Mack Sails" on my 27 and to the best of my knowledge... they actually make them
Don't picture an old bearded guy tho.... they are in their 40s I'd be guessing

Loft is in Florida near Stuart by memory

Edit to say Yep....in Stuart and Yep.....they still make em there

http://macksails.com/sails/

[CharlieJ]

:) :)

[Bubba the Pirate]

I can vouch that Mack Sails are good people. However, I dealt with them last spring on a Harken furler, a forestay and a backstay for the boat I was crewing on.  Ironically no sails were involved.  I was the one with a US based card that worked over the phone to pay them. I dealt with the office as much as the shop but they all were good people. I still wear my Mack Sails swag T shirt.

Never met them in person, so I don't know about grey beards. :-)

[ralay]

Right you are, Frank.  I'll give them a jingle too.

[lastgreatgeneration]

Right you are, Frank.  I'll give them a jingle too.

I cannot believe bacon was so expensive. I believe their sails are made in china. A friend of mine got a decent sail from them with 2 reef points for around $800 (cat 27) he used it and sailed to Florida and back at least one time and he had no complaints. I priced a north sail for my sabre 28 with 3 reef points and it was $1,600, boat show price was $1,400. They told me they are made in South Africa. I bet they will still have the boat show prices until power boat show ends.

I would go used if you can find one, if you call bacon I find they are very accurate with their detailed description of the used sail condition.

If your current sail isn't worth much you could always trade it for a free bag made of sail material from Seabags of Maine or Resails in Annapolis.

Good luck!

[ralay]

Well, our mainsail has almost as much sail area as the whole sail plan of a Cal 27 (311 sq ft vs 350 sq ft), so that might have something to do with it.   ;) Our quotes have been for a large sail in 8-9oz cloth, V-92/138 triple stitching, 3 reefs, offshore reinforcement, etc.  Not exactly apples to apples.  It is a good time for everyone with smaller boats to rejoice in their choice. 

Actually, Bacon was the lowest quote out of Mack, Hood, North, Neil Pryde, etc.  Their sails are made in Sri Lanka, but so we're sails that were twice as expensive.  Mack makes them in FL, but they quoted us higher for a sail with lighter cloth and only double stitching.  After making a spreadsheet, we decided to put a deposit down with Bacon as they had the lowest quote that had everything we were looking for.  Ask me in a few years whether I think it was a good value.

[ralay]

For another comparison, the suggested sail area for a Westsail 32 STAYSAIL is 150-188 sq ft.  Sailboat data gives a sail area for a sabre 28 main as 179 sq ft.  The smallest of our three sails is probably close to the size of your main sail.