Hong Kong sails - too good to be true ?

[KenF]

I am renewing the sails on my boat ( cruising & club racing ), prices quoted by various sailmakers in the far east are remarkable when compared to local ( Norway ) sailmakers - about half the price in fact.

Is this too good to be true, does anybody have experience with these sailmakers ?

 

[ParaHandy]

Get my suits made over there at fraction of UK price so don't see why any other form of cloth should be any different! Though doubt that 3 piece in Dacron would hang well but you see what I mean?

Got the address/e-mail/fax of sailmaker in Honk Kong?

 

[Mirelle]

I arranged for a Norwegian friend to get a suit (of sails!) made in Hong Kong for his boat and he was delighted with them. That was when I lived there, in the 80's.

Bear in mind that Hong Kong has a large fleet of yachts, including some very competitive racers, that the South China Sea Race is as long as the Fastnet, that HK used to challenge for the Admiral's Cup regularly before it fell into desutude and very nearly challenged for the America's Cup, and then reflect that the Hong Kong sailmaking firms are headed by keen sailors. They make most of the world's Windsurfer sails (maybe no recommendation, but the Olympic gold medallist is a Hong Konger) and huge numbers of yacht sails.

In recent times they have moved their production from Hong Kong into China to benefit from lower labour costs.

 

[southchinasea]

As a Hong Kong resident I didn't know we had fallen into 'desutude'! Sailing alive and well although non-one is immune from economics. Sails - Ensure the spec is exactly the same (material etc.) but in terms of quality okay.

 

[BrianJ]

Have a look at Rolly Tasker in Phuket... good reputation also.
BrianJ

 

[KenF]

So far I've contacted the following for quotes:

fareastsails.com
hksailmakers.com
rolly@phuket.ksc.co.th ( Rolly Tasker )
doylesea@netvigator.com
sailseast.com

It's worth trawling the sites as there is a wealth of information on some of them, and I'm sure there's even more manufacturers to be found.

 

[Mirelle]

The Admiral's Cup, not Hong Kong!

I am still employed by a Hong Kong firm, and will be there next week, as I am two or three times annually.

 

[frank65]

I 've just received a r/f genoa at a competitive price from C.J.International E-mail--ellbridge @aol.com. It's made in Hong Kong and seems as good as any more expensive make.

Good luck!