Champagne Murphy
Well-Known Member
Looking at that picture I'd say that's a backstay, not a topping lift. Perhaps if he slackened off his backstay his mast would fall down.
Considering new sails
- Thread starter NigelFortune
- Start date
Looking at that picture I'd say that's a backstay, not a topping lift. Perhaps if he slackened off his backstay his mast would fall down.
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Tabb went out of business over 20 years ago, so would guess that sail has had a good life!
Pete7
Well-Known Member
Since there is nothing to loose it would make an interesting video watching Dylan re-cut his mainsail.
dylanwinter
Well-Known Member
the topping lift needs to be brought back to the cockpit so that I can adjust it
however, as an old racing man I have tweaked and twiddled
but a flat sail is a flat sail is a flat sail
I have been onto the most excellent Paul Lees at Crusader and he says he has a second hand slab reefing main he will sell me for £300
short term I will try to find a small man to go up the mast to remove the steps and dustbin
next winter the boat will be stored ashore in scotland and the mast will be dropped there
then I can take a drill to the RR and replace the Tabb plywood main with something with a bit of shape and drive
D
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Kelpie
Well-Known Member
Offer still stands to be your short man, if you still have the mast steps when you get up here.
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
He would probably try to cut a hole in it to fit a spinnaker
dylanwinter
Well-Known Member
I do love a spinnaker
always a good day when you are flying one
This boat came with two - both pretty manky but no Halyard at the moment.
D
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
>I got quotes for my new main from a handful of UK makers, including Kemp and Hood. I did not know at the time that there was a connection between these two, but for the exact same cloth and spec
Kemp has taken over Hood but I would be very surprised if Hood cloth is now the same as Kemp they will lose the Hood market which is for long distance sailing. It would be worth getting samples of both and doing the test I mentioned to see if the are the same. If Kemp sails are significantly cheaper than Hood my bet is Hood sail cloth hasn't changed.
Kemp has taken over Hood but I would be very surprised if Hood cloth is now the same as Kemp they will lose the Hood market which is for long distance sailing. It would be worth getting samples of both and doing the test I mentioned to see if the are the same. If Kemp sails are significantly cheaper than Hood my bet is Hood sail cloth hasn't changed.
dom
Well-Known Member
You do realise that this so-called test would favour my grandmother's doormat over say North's ultra-durable 3Di sails as used by the Volvo boats: pre-impregnated cloth constructed of black Aramid and "clear" Dyneema fibres.
Edit: these sails are specified to last for the duration as no non-repair recuts are permitted and and only four replacement sails are allowed for the entire event -- they gotta last or you're done!
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bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Once again nonsense. The sailcloth you had has not been used for years. Please, please get yourself up to date with sailcloth developments then you will see that the world has changed. You "test" is completely irrelevant to today's sailcloths.
BTW Kemps have not "taken over" - they have a franchise to use the Hood name.
KellysEye
Well-Known Member
>Once again nonsense. The sailcloth you had has not been used for years. Please, please get yourself up to date with sailcloth developments then you will see that the world has changed. You "test" is completely irrelevant to today's sailcloths.
Hood still sell the highest quality sails on the basis of the most Dacron fibre to glue ratio. http://www.hoodsailmakersuk.com/ I suggest you do the test I mention and report back, but you won't because you will have to admit you are wrong. Carbon and other relatively modern sails are a different matter and usually used for racing, Dacron for is usually used for cruising.
Hood still sell the highest quality sails on the basis of the most Dacron fibre to glue ratio. http://www.hoodsailmakersuk.com/ I suggest you do the test I mention and report back, but you won't because you will have to admit you are wrong. Carbon and other relatively modern sails are a different matter and usually used for racing, Dacron for is usually used for cruising.
bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
Where are they getting this 'highest quality cloth' from? Where are they having it made?
Did you click the link I posted showing that Hood Textiles in Ireland- that's where the cloth you are referring to was made- has been in receivership for years? So wherever hood are getting their cloth from now, do you agree it's not from their original source? Do you know where they are sourcing it?
And btw loads of people cruise nowadays with laminate sails, I have cruise lam myself.
Keel
New Member
Just noticed the address from the websites:
Hood Sailmakers UK
Address:
The Sail Loft
16 Sandford Lane Industrial Est.
Wareham
BH20 4DY
Dorset
Kemp Sails (Manufacturing Sail Loft)
Contact
Address:
Unit 16, Sandford Industrial Estate
Wareham
Dorset
BH20 4DY
United Kingdom
This also explains the sailcloth side of things http://www.sanders-sails.co.uk/materials.htm
So "Hood cloth" is no more but other companies are producing a similar cloth, Hood and Kemp in the UK look like they are the same company.
Hood Sailmakers UK
Address:
The Sail Loft
16 Sandford Lane Industrial Est.
Wareham
BH20 4DY
Dorset
Kemp Sails (Manufacturing Sail Loft)
Contact
Address:
Unit 16, Sandford Industrial Estate
Wareham
Dorset
BH20 4DY
United Kingdom
This also explains the sailcloth side of things http://www.sanders-sails.co.uk/materials.htm
So "Hood cloth" is no more but other companies are producing a similar cloth, Hood and Kemp in the UK look like they are the same company.
bitbaltic
Well-Known Member
Indeed. Actually it was Peter Sanders who told me he couldn't get hood cloth anymore when ordering new sails a couple of years ago, and I am pretty sure he knows the business better than KellsEye!
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Their material is no different from that used by other sailmakers. Don't think you are correct in saying that Dacron is usually used for cruising sails. If you read enough of the posts on here about what people actually choose, straight Dacron is not the most popular for those who want better performing and longer lasting sails. as you will see from the link bitbaltic has given you there are many variations on Dacron, some of which are specifically designed for longer life.
The Vektran referred to on the Hood website is not made by Hood, but is now a generic material made by 3 other manufacturers and widely used by many sailmakers in addition to the Hood brand. Again you can read about this on the Sanders site (and on many other sailmaker's sites).
So, if you open your eyes a bit and do some reading, you will see why I (and others) have to constantly remind you that what you post has no validity. Or perhaps you should start sailing again - buy a modern boat and equipment and see how things have moved on in the last 20 years or so.
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x25dave
Well-Known Member
Hello, I bought from Far East Sails and they packaged it up with a super dodgy label, stating that it was a sail surplus to requirements at a knock down price.
Saved quite a bit
Saved quite a bit
Daydream believer
Well-Known Member
Cloth comes from Dupont & rumour has it that the best is only sold in the american market so that the Chinese do not get their hands on it. Hyde claimed to have access to it. Sounded by sales talk I must admit
As for Hood so called quality - I had a Hood genny ( made when Hood was Hood & not a franchise to all & sundry) for my Stella in 1972. It lasted 2 years & was pretty much rubbish. I changed to a Cranfield one & it was better. But I admit it was probably because they understood the Stella. Their manager Ian Gray now is partner in Lonton & Gray & they do make nice sails - I have had several from them.
I have also had 5 Hyde sails ( on my Squib & my Hanse)& if their rep had not been too busy to measure my boat I would have had another. In the end I went to Ultimate sails for a laminate made in the far east & I have to admit it is beautiful. My sail is a self tacker & I felt their experience on making blades for the J class would be good . & it is good. I took it to Lonton & Gray for cleaning & Ian Gray commented on what a well made sail it was
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dom
Well-Known Member
There are many very competent sailmakers around, but my personal favourite is Incidence in France. Their quality is first rate and the sails are typically a little pricey, but often not depending on the level of the euro. http://www.incidence-sails.com/en/
Just a side point: people often talk about the durablility of heavy dacron, and it certainly is. The thing is that it is stretchy and before long spends most of its effort trying to heel one over, at least when on the wind. Moreover, the presented airfoil becomes almost impossible to settle into a groove.
Modern laminates/high-mod fibres are just so so much better. They can completely transform a boat -- and keep it transformed
Just a side point: people often talk about the durablility of heavy dacron, and it certainly is. The thing is that it is stretchy and before long spends most of its effort trying to heel one over, at least when on the wind. Moreover, the presented airfoil becomes almost impossible to settle into a groove.
Modern laminates/high-mod fibres are just so so much better. They can completely transform a boat -- and keep it transformed
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charles_reed
Well-Known Member
My experience of Far-Eastern sailmaking compared to UK is (as others have pointed out) is that the saving is made on the quality of the cloth.
Get the best quality cloth, you'll pay twice as much, and have 3 times the useful life out of them.
The one thing on which it's short-sighted to economise is on your main motive power.
Look @ Bainbridge, Challenge or Polynant websites to see the variety and cost differential of various fibres, weaves and weights.
At least, with local UK sailmakers you'll have some advice and assistance, HK Sailmakers will assume you know what you're doing.
I've found the cost differences - spec for spec, between 3-8% (which disappears when you're looking @ Vektran and HydraNet fabrics)