Cost of resewing seams in main

westernman

westernman

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What would you expect to pay to redo all the seams in a 800 sq ft main?

I have quite a few seams which could do with redoing thanks to chafe over the years.
 
When Stephen's mentor, Gayle Heard, made my mainsail I asked for it to be triple stitched. Gayle said that would be a waste of money and the better thing to do would be to bring it back for the third line of stitching once it needed it, because that way the third line of stitching would be new.

It hasn't needed it yet, but it was good advice.

Incidentally, I would, if I had that sort of cash available.
 
Minn said:
When Stephen's mentor, Gayle Heard, made my mainsail I asked for it to be triple stitched. Gayle said that would be a waste of money and the better thing to do would be to bring it back for the third line of stitching once it needed it, because that way the third line of stitching would be new.

It hasn't needed it yet, but it was good advice.

Incidentally, I would, if I had that sort of cash available.
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Mine is triple stitched. However, all three rows have chafed through in an alarming number of places. We redid a triple row with a length of about 4 feet by hand - but it took all day to do. We have now realised just how much chafed stitching we have to deal with - to be expected I guess in a 15 year old gaff main.

The material of the sail is fantastic - really heavy duty and is showing no signs of wear. However, the original stitching is made with ordinary grade thread - a shame they did not use something 3x thicker.
 
Brings back memories of an awful lot of handsewing on Baroque's mainsail in 1974.

Do you take the lee topping lift forward at sea? HWT was religious about it, along with always using a vang when lowering the main at sea. Absolutely worth while - along with keeping the weather topping lift set up to take a bit of the snatch, at sea.
 
Minn said:
Brings back memories of an awful lot of handsewing on Baroque's mainsail in 1974.

Do you take the lee topping lift forward at sea?
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No - it is well fastened to the boom and not practical to take off. Also the lazy jacks are attached to the topping lift and go through fairleads screwed to the boom. They are of course very well slackened off.

HWT was religious about it, along with always using a vang when lowering the main at sea. Absolutely worth while - along with keeping the weather topping lift set up to take a bit of the snatch, at sea.
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We do keep the weather topping lift tight if the wind is light and there are waves.

We have need for the vang when lowering the main at sea - we just tighten up both topping lifts - this constrains the gaff and stops it going anywhere.
No chance for it to sweep anyone into the sea.

It is worth a thought taking off the lazy jacks and enabling the topping lift to be easily detached. Thanks for the idea.
 
The late Gayle Heard got hold of some (fabulously expensive) Dutch sailcloth which was a cotton/ Terylene mixture, with Terylene inner yarns and cotton outer, very close woven and all of course proofed in tan. There was just enough to make the three lowers and a spitfire and it disappeared from the market and never came back, but it's been quite wonderful. Totally unlike Duradon and the other "substitutes" which are affected by UV and which go baggy in no time. The flying kites are variously Terylene and Nylon of course.
 
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90 euros. restitched jib and UV strip + sail stacker (zip parted company from material) + mast cowl and a complete visual inspection of the main. two days notice,one day's work. fantastic guy in Ampolla, half way between BCN and VLC.
 
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