Correct Size Sails for a Westerly Longbow

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thesaintlyone

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Hello

Having bought the Westerly Longbow I am looking to replace both the Mainsail and Headsail as both are looking past their prime

The Mainsail has been stretched and has a few small holes and I plan to add roller furling to the headsail so can anyone tell me the correct sizes of Mainsail and a furling Headsail
Alterernatively are you using any non standard sizes that appear to work well on the Longbow

Regards
 
Check out sailboatdata, they will list the appropriate sizes.
Also any quote you get from a sailmaker will tell you, and give you a useful indication of the price of new sails.
 
Regardless of any answers you may get it is wise to measure the length of the roller reefing headsail yourself, either by hoisting a non stretchy rope and measuring its length or hoisting the old sail and measuring the length. If you are going to be adding roller reefing you will need to measure anyway to specify the roller reefing. having done so you will get the sail dimensions from the inner dimensions the manufacturer supplies. For the mainsail you cant do better than measure the existing and if necessary deducting a bit for stretch if it seems to be near to the maximum.
 
Your chosen sailmaker will most likely have the details of a well known boat like a Longbow

Or will provide you with a form to fill in the relevant dimensions: I, J, P and E etc

Or, if local, will measure the boat themselves.

From your earlier posted photos I would say the rig is the original standard size etc. At least the mast looks like the original, although the boom is newer I think.


Dont rely on dimensions you might find on the Internet.

Getting the sailmaker to measure up is the best bet as any mistakes are their responsibility. I
 
Go out and buy a 20/30 metre long measuring tape. You can then use that to measure accurately the distance from the gooseneck fitting for the mainsail to the top of the mast and all the other measurements you'll need, rather than using a rope and then measuring the rope where stretch and measurement errors will creep in.

That said, the best way of identifying the measurement for a well known boat such as the Longbow is to ask the sailmakers. They will almost certainly have made sails for Longbows before and have the measurement to hand. A local sailmaker will also come to your boat and make measurements to confirm your boat conforms to the normal sizes or not. He will also be able to advise on the specifications for the roller furler for your new genoa.

Edit:
like what he said above. Must learn to type faster...
 
duncan99210 said:
That said, the best way of identifying the measurement for a well known boat such as the Longbow is to ask the sailmakers. They will almost certainly have made sails for Longbows before and have the measurement to hand. A local sailmaker will also come to your boat and make measurements to confirm your boat conforms to the normal sizes or not. He will also be able to advise on the specifications for the roller furler for your new genoa.
Click to expand...

I would always recommend measuring, or getting a measurement. I have two mainsails for my boat. The spare one came off a cutter version and should be a different size ... but isn't. I don't know whether my boat is non-standard or the other boat is non-standard, but one of them is. I've just ordered a new mainsail, and since my current sail fits fine (it's horribly baggy) I've asked for the replacement to be the same size.

Westerly had form for changing rigs sizes mid-run - the OP may have discovered that later Jousters had a cruising rig, which cut the best part of 18" off the boom and knocked a foot off the luff measurement, although the mast was unchanged.
 
JumbleDuck said:
snipped .....
Westerly had form for changing rigs sizes mid-run - the OP may have discovered that later Jousters had a cruising rig, which cut the best part of 18" off the boom and knocked a foot off the luff measurement, although the mast was unchanged.
Click to expand...

I suspect that if Westerly got offered masts that were close to the desired sizes at a good enough price they got fitted even if not quite as designed. They did the same with engines, hence many Centaurs were fitted with 25 or 30 hp engines, when maybe 12-16 would have been about the right power for the hull.
 
Although in theory the sizes are standard, a sailmaker told me that for my own boat Moody bought spars in batches to go with hulls they were manufacturing. At times different batches had slightly different sizes.
This is quite likely to apply for Westerlys I would guess and although it is OK to use the sailmakers dimensions for a quote as others have said it is best to get the sailmaker to measure before making the sails.
 
duncan99210 said:
Go out and buy a 20/30 metre long measuring tape. You can then use that to measure accurately the distance from the gooseneck fitting for the mainsail to the top of the mast and all the other measurements you'll need, rather than using a rope and then measuring the rope where stretch and measurement errors will creep in.

That said, the best way of identifying the measurement for a well known boat such as the Longbow is to ask the sailmakers. They will almost certainly have made sails for Longbows before and have the measurement to hand. A local sailmaker will also come to your boat and make measurements to confirm your boat conforms to the normal sizes or not. He will also be able to advise on the specifications for the roller furler for your new genoa.

Edit:
like what he said above. Must learn to type faster...
Click to expand...

Er I did say non stretchy rope (dynema etc) but if you want to hoist a tape measure so well and good if it's not windy when you might find a rope that you can tension up tight with the halyard is better. BUT Westerlys went bust and were re-started about 6 times as I remember it and the chance of identical rigs on all Longbows is pretty slim. also the make and model of headsail reefing will affect the length so always measure first. It's easy enough to do after all and many good sailmakers will visit your boat to do it for you if you are not confident to do it yourself as you suggested. I would however advise purchasing and fitting the roller reefing first as the "theoretical" length sometimes needs to be trimmed slightly to suit on fitting.
 
Last edited:
boatmike said:
BUT Westerlys went bust and were re-started about 6 times as I remember it and the chance of identical rigs on all Longbows is pretty slim.
Click to expand...

Longbow was built from 1971 to 1980 together the other W31s by the original company, Westerly Marine construction Ltd. who remained in business until Barclays Bank pulled the plug on them in late 1981, after production of the W31's had ceased
 
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VicS said:
Longbow was built from 1971 to 1980 together the other W31s by the original company, Westerly Marine construction Ltd. who remained in business until Barclays Bank pulled the plug on them in late 1981, after production of the W31's had ceased
Click to expand...

Vic, I think Longbows were made for a few years after that. Mine dates from1985 or 1986. The engine, hull and other papers seem to match so I have no reason to doubt them.
 
Humblebee said:
Vic, I think Longbows were made for a few years after that. Mine dates from1985 or 1986. The engine, hull and other papers seem to match so I have no reason to doubt them.
Click to expand...

Those dates came from the WOA website. The new range; Griffon. Konsort and Fulmar replaced the Centaur and W31s from 1979/1980. Maybe there were some special orders for the older boats after then. Or some hulls not completed until later. I seem to remember that some demand remained for the Centaur and in fact Westerly denied that the Griffon was its replacement at first.
 
thesaintlyone said:
Thanks for all the replys
What measurements do I need???

Regards
Click to expand...

As already mentioned I, J, P and E are the basic ones. together with luff length and LP measurement for the genoa. Your sailmaker will ask for the measurements he needs , if he does not already have them,

Visit one or two sailmakers websites and you will see what dimensions and other information is required
 
Last edited:
thesaintlyone said:
Thanks for all the replys
What measurements do I need???

Regards
Click to expand...

Download the template from the Kemps Sails or Crusader Sails website. This gives instructions on how to measure for sails. both sites (and most other sailmakers sites) have masses of information on sails.

If you are thinking of used sails, once you have the measurements look at Seateach who sell used sails as well as new ones.
 
We had our Berwick (same rig as Longbow) re-rigged by Ian Cochrane at XW rigging, who had original Westery rig records for all their boats and he also produced a roller furler (Rotastay?) I think his son now runs the business so maybe worth having a word particularly if you're looking to add roller furling. http://www.xwrigging.com/
 
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