Buying new sail(s)

sighmoon

sighmoon

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I've been getting some quotes for some new sails.

I plan to keep the boat for some time. However I also plan to sail in light airs so I don't want something too heavy. Also, I sail with a family crew and sails are going to be flogging sometimes, which I want to be relaxed about.

Firstly, what cloth do I want for long term value for money? Is it worth considering vectron? People (here) have said it's too heavy in light airs. Is there are half way house like lighter vectron?

Asking for quotes, the local sailmaker is 50% more than another UK based alternative (Dimension 360 low aspect UVI vs Contender fibre con pro Polyester)? Should I be suspicious of the cheap one?
 
Vectron will out last ordinary dacron by about 50% or more. The largest cost in sailmaking is the labour, so it is beneficial to increase the life of the sail by using better quality cloth.

Other advice I would give is to find a local sailmaker. They will measure your boat and advise the best cloth and cut for you. Many of the cheaper costing sailmakers expect you to provide measurements and if these are wrong, you provided them so tough. Again many will get the sail made in the Far East and just do final finishing in the UK. Some other short cuts include using a 4 ply leech on a furlng genoa. It should be 6 ply as when you need the sacrificial strip replaced, it does not require a complete leech rebuild.

If you are worried about the mainsail flapping, then have full length battens fitted. These are a lot more expensive but do increase the life of the sail.

If you provide a little more information as to the type of yacht and where it is based for best advice.
 
Sorry for thread hijack, I'm also looking at options.

If your boat is a one design, how important is it to measure things yourself? And is another option to send the sail maker your old sails?
 
I have a Hydranet main and laminate jib. The fully-battened main will set happily in ultra-light winds. It may not be quite as good as one made for the purpose but you wouldn't notice much difference when cruising, when durability is so important.
 
Concerto said:
Vectron will out last ordinary dacron by about 50% or more. The largest cost in sailmaking is the labour, so it is beneficial to increase the life of the sail by using better quality cloth.

Other advice I would give is to find a local sailmaker. They will measure your boat and advise the best cloth and cut for you. Many of the cheaper costing sailmakers expect you to provide measurements and if these are wrong, you provided them so tough. Again many will get the sail made in the Far East and just do final finishing in the UK. Some other short cuts include using a 4 ply leech on a furlng genoa. It should be 6 ply as when you need the sacrificial strip replaced, it does not require a complete leech rebuild.

If you are worried about the mainsail flapping, then have full length battens fitted. These are a lot more expensive but do increase the life of the sail.

If you provide a little more information as to the type of yacht and where it is based for best advice.
Click to expand...
Is Vectron heavier?

We have a fully battened main already. It's the jib that I foresee lots of flapping with.

The boat is near a well known sailmaker but I don't want to malign them by putting out word that they are expensive. My local options are limited to the one, I think. I'll find out where the other sailmaker makes his.

Another option is that we have an unused racing jib. The luff is too long for the furler and in any case it's battened. Might recutting that be cheaper or would it end up costing more than a new one and always feel like a compromise? Also it's 110% rather than 140%.
 
I went through the same questions and the answers the sailmaker and I arrived at were a fully battened main of the best quality dacron and a hybrid dacron/dyneema genoa. The main being fully battened and hence suffering no flogging, it was felt a good dacron would both be durable and keep its shape. For the genoa the added strength of the Vectron/Hydranet would pay off in the longer term. After four seasons and 7000 NM I am still happy with the choice. The genoa sets very well and is efficient even in light airs, I would say even better than the one it replaced.
 
sighmoon said:
I've been getting some quotes for some new sails.
Click to expand...
The first question that your sailmaker should ask once s/he has placed a steaming cup of coffee on the table is, "what are your plans?" You both know where your starting point is. Personally, I recommend a local sail loft as they know you will be back to either get more stuff or haunt them.
 
Sandy said:
The first question that your sailmaker should ask once s/he has placed a steaming cup of coffee on the table is, "what are your plans?" You both know where your starting point is. Personally, I recommend a local sail loft as they know you will be back to either get more stuff or haunt them.
Click to expand...
A cup of coffee on the table is so 2019...
Plans are cruising in Scotland and keeping the boat for many years yet.
 
sighmoon said:
A cup of coffee on the table is so 2019...
Plans are cruising in Scotland and keeping the boat for many years yet.
Click to expand...
As long as hands are sanitised and we keep 2 meters apart you will be OK.

Hope to see you on 2021 as a plan to get back home.
 
sighmoon said:
I've been getting some quotes for some new sails.

I plan to keep the boat for some time. However I also plan to sail in light airs so I don't want something too heavy. Also, I sail with a family crew and sails are going to be flogging sometimes, which I want to be relaxed about.
Click to expand...

If you're really serious about wanting to sail in light airs, then look at specialist light air sails to supplement the normal roller furler jib.

I'd be thinking about a code zero (but a cruising version that doesn't have to conform to the racing regs as a spinnaker, so can have a much better shape) for anything from sheets just eased in 6 knots to broad reaching in 15. You'll get a lot more pleasure out of that than trying to make a sail designed to cope with 30kts set well in 6...
 
sighmoon said:
I've been getting some quotes for some new sails.

I plan to keep the boat for some time. However I also plan to sail in light airs so I don't want something too heavy. Also, I sail with a family crew and sails are going to be flogging sometimes, which I want to be relaxed about.

Firstly, what cloth do I want for long term value for money? Is it worth considering vectron? People (here) have said it's too heavy in light airs. Is there are half way house like lighter vectron?

Asking for quotes, the local sailmaker is 50% more than another UK based alternative (Dimension 360 low aspect UVI vs Contender fibre con pro Polyester)? Should I be suspicious of the cheap one?
Click to expand...
As you are carefully not to mention the sailmaker , you have many other choices in the clyde area , to choose from , maybe a good email to the sail lofts with your boat and cruising area and what you want to achieve and let them tell you what they can offer, I have not heard any bad reports from all the sailmakers in Scotland.and have used then for my bimini and also my boat came with sails made from a Clyde loft and they are great
 
If you are planning on sailing on the Scottish west coast you will end up sailing in strong winds at times. If your main is a light weather sail you may wreck it if caught out when the wind picks up.
 
Just been through the process of trying to understand the choice of cut/sailcloth for a furling headsail. My requirements were a little different to yours but long life shape was a major requirement. In the end I decided on a 120% crosscut in DP Vectron 067. Only had 3 or 4 days out yet but very pleased with cut and windward shape.
Compared to my old genoa it is VERY crackly if allowed to flap, I would expect that to reduce over a few years. The cost was about 40% more than specifying 'standard' dacron but the potential for holding its shape over a longer period was what I wanted.. I don't feel the Vectron is any heavier than the alternative dacron.
A couple of the sailmakers reckoned the DP Vectron was the closest match to the old Hood Vectran cloth and the only one they would specify.
Smaller boat than yours, 28ft.
 
Chae_73 said:
Sorry for thread hijack, I'm also looking at options.

If your boat is a one design, how important is it to measure things yourself? And is another option to send the sail maker your old sails?
Click to expand...


In my view no point in having the sailmaker out to your boat if it is in class. I took an existing sail along and we went over it noting the changes I wanted and the sailmaker's suggestions.
It worked fine but, of course you need to be local and choose a slack time.

.
 
doug748 said:
In my view no point in having the sailmaker out to your boat if it is in class. I took an existing sail along and we went over it noting the changes I wanted and the sailmaker's suggestions.
It worked fine but, of course you need to be local and choose a slack time.

.
Click to expand...
Although I have a class boat, my mast bend and rake are greater than some sister boats, and my last main which was measured is a little better than the one before that wasn't. For boats under 30' it may be at differences would be smaller and less significant.
 
I had two sails made by Owen's last year. I went for Vectran on the Genoa, and very good it is too. Not the cheapest, but I believe you get what you pay for with them. Murray Caldwell is now back in Rosneath, so certainly worth giving him a call (mcsails.co.uk).
 
I believe Vectron was a feature of Hood sails. I had it on my last boats new headsail at recommendation of sailmaker who had a stock of this sailcloth. I would go for whatever your local sailmaker suggests for durability -look at what other local boats have maybe in your class ?
 
Concerto said:
Vectron will out last ordinary dacron by about 50% or more. The largest cost in sailmaking is the labour, so it is beneficial to increase the life of the sail by using better quality cloth.

Other advice I would give is to find a local sailmaker. They will measure your boat and advise the best cloth and cut for you. Many of the cheaper costing sailmakers expect you to provide measurements and if these are wrong, you provided them so tough. Again many will get the sail made in the Far East and just do final finishing in the UK. Some other short cuts include using a 4 ply leech on a furlng genoa. It should be 6 ply as when you need the sacrificial strip replaced, it does not require a complete leech rebuild.

If you are worried about the mainsail flapping, then have full length battens fitted. These are a lot more expensive but do increase the life of the sail.

If you provide a little more information as to the type of yacht and where it is based for best advice.
Click to expand...
Happy to be educated here - what exactly is a 6 ply leech?
 
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