Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile

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pcatterall

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We need a new Main sail. we prefer red/tan to match the others but specifying colour limits sail cloth choice and adds cost

We have a redundant sail which is in good condition ( the original little used N1 Jib) and red

Required main is 31x12.5 feet Jib is 33x13.5 feet and around 8oz/yard

Is there any point considering getting the sail altered and can anyone suggest a firm who may do this?
 
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Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

I think you can edit the title if you go

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The 'spare' jib may not be suitable, as the main is likely to be a right angled triangle, and jibs are not. But it's worth taking the sail to any sailmaker for an Opinion.
 
Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

I would expect the seams and the bias of the cloth to be inappropriate for anything except the roughest work or anything larger than a dinghy.
 
Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

Shape of a jib is completely different from a mainsail. Neither are simple triangles but are shaped to suit the application.
 
Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

I have a spare, almost new main that I wanted to have adapted to use full length battens and cars. Called my sailmaker and even that relatively simple job he said wouldn't be worthwhile. While I had him on the phone I did ask about recutting the main for a staysail or something else and the answer was even more negative.
 
Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

Essentially the lay of the cloth (the line of the seams) in a jib run from the luff downwards to give camber front to back horizontal and often also on the square at the foot.
The lay of the mainsail is usually cut with the leach on the square so seams run down ward to the luff.
So I doubt your jib would be big enough to allow for the change of direction of the cloth.
Best then to keep searching for a sailmaker with the right red cloth for a new one. olewill
 
Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

It really depends on the cut of the jib.
The triangular shape difference will usually mean that the right angle corner at the gooseneck, will strike a different luff line and maybe fall off the top of the available cloth.
If you have the old main and lay its leech on top of the jib leech, you will see weather it's possible .
The main would normally need battens and reef patches .
It's a lot less work to install these as the sail is being made ,so this way ,you have to wrestle with the the lump of sail cloth under the machine arch .
It may not be the budget saving you imagine .
Some sailmakers don't charge extra for coloured fabric .( we don't )
 
Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

Speak to your sailmaker, I suspect that like many re-engineering jobs it will be cheaper to start from scratch.
 
Re: Cutting a used Jib to make a main - worthwhile ??????????

Just to add to the agreement, when I looked at having a dinghy main cut down to a "cruising" size, as specified in the class rules, it was pointed out to me that this would require 2 of the corners of the sail to be re-made. As most of the labour involved in making the original sail was in doing these corners the saving in labour (and cost) relative to a new sail would be minimal.
 
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