Is sail really a cheaper alternative to power ?

Iraq

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DAKA

DAKA

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Serious question please

How much does a set of sails cost for a 40ft yacht ?
How many miles will they last ?






Full reason behind the question

Having recently spent a splendid weekend at a sailing cruiser rally and got back at the helm I decided to look seriously at returning to sail.

I am now well out of date with what sails and equipment are needed so I asked at the Bar of a well reputed yacht club, within minutes a sail maker was to hand BUT /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Set of Kevlar sails quoted @ £50,000 /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
Life expectancy 1800 miles
( presume Kevlar ropes/shrouds/sheets ?????)

£28 per mile ouch


Kevlar was suggested as I expressed an interest in speed and needing to sail in sixes and sevens.

I know for the average Solent sailor a standard set of sails are cheaper.

There is no wounder top class racing is dominated by the large cooperate sponsors.

Do any leisure boats really use sails at £50,000 or was he just taking the ......

The mooring costs are also more expensive, I would need a huge boat to get close to the accommodation we get on a 36ft power boat.
If I take usable accommodation into account the berthing fees outweigh any diesel costs.
 
If you want sail and speed get a MacGregor

powering_dale_small.jpg


/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Daka,

You'd need to spend no more than £4k on a set of sails.... and they'd last at least 5 seasons, and probably more like 10... there are loads of boats out there sailing quite happily with 20 year old sails..... no cruiser would ever spend anywhere near that sum on sails....

Accomodation wise.... well... your call.... yes, less space foot for foot.... or higher mooring fees if you went for a bigger boat... but the initial purchase price would be 50% of an equivalent sized mobo to start with...

Oh... and on't forget to offest the annual servicing costs of two whacking great big engines...... thats a set of new sails paid for every 4 years.....
 
No of course leisure boats don't pay that amount for sails - that is getting close to what you would pay for an Am Cup racer.

A standard set of Dacron sails for a cruising boat are more likely to be in the £3k-£4k range (you can get them cheaper) and should last well over 20,000 miles.
 
I'm looking at getting a new main in the next year or so - the current one is original - so is 14 years old and is showing signs of being knackered....
You can't say how many miles it will last for as it depends on UV, wind, rain and how you store them when not in use.
Kevlar is a bit silly for cruising boats - £50k would buy me a new boat - sod the sails!

Judging by the genoa - which is much newer - only 8 years old and still going strong, I'd guestimate 10 years average use - so at £1k per sail you're talking £200pa for sails ... a 40'er would be a bit more, but not hugely.

If you're wanting to go out in 6's and 7's a lot then I would suggest you don't want a roller genoa as your only foresail - a special sail for the conditions you're expecting would be far more efficient and give you longer lifetime on the larger sails. - The main should reef down ok though.

You are really spoilt for space in a Mobo - but then that is at the sacrifice of having to listen to that engine for hours on end - contrary, you'll be freezing your socks off in a tippystick so you'll want less space so you're forced to cuddle up with the crew - just make sure you like the crew!! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Thankyou,
Answered in full /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Why on Earth someone would want to spin such a ridiculous line amazes me , surly he didn't really think I would order a set @£50 000 without checking /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif


I did have a look at a McGregor last SIBS.

Good value but not really for me /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

cheers
Pete
 
On the other hand my Dehler 22 appears to have smooched around the Chiemsee for two decades with her first owner before being rudely relocated to Rutland Water with me.

The sails are the original 1984 Elvstrom items. They are not that pretty any more, but they are functional, and quite evidently well made. I don't use an engine (not allowed on RW..I do have one though)

It just depends how much you want to spend, and what your sailing parameters are. I'd certainly want a newer set for regular sea work I suppose. I have known people sell sailing yachts and go back to dinghies. More fun, less worry, negligible financial impact.

I'd hope to get a suit of sails to last at least five years if properly looked after. If you regularly encounter F6 and upwards, then thats a different matter.

Tim
 
Not wanting to go out in 6/7 just know how difficult it is avoiding them when looking for 4 hour windows and I expect to be caught out more when needing 12 hour windows.

Effectively @ £50k for a set of sails that only last a season I was being told to forget second hand boats /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

He must have thought I was rich /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
He obviously took the position that anyone who can run a powerboat with the current price of fuel must be a multi-millionaire /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

If you were seriously looking at sailing, and accommodation is a big factor, then you should consider a cat - I would think that a 40' Cat is probably comparable with a 36' MOBO. For a monohull you can get very good accommodation in the 45-55' range, but they are different to MOBOs
 
50 GRAND for a suit of sails /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
unless your going to enter the volvo RTW I think the p*ss has been well and truly extracted........
ya can buy a brand spankin new bavaria 32 ......complete with a set of sails ...and have about 1500 quid change to get fish and chips with on the way home /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
"The mooring costs are also more expensive, I would need a huge boat to get close to the accommodation we get on a 36ft power boat."

Centre cockpit sailing yacht will go someway towards accomodation.

Iota
 
Thats the trouble with the south coast

always sw wind
go out in 4-5
afternoon sea breeze kicks in and it is 5-6
round a headland a 6-7 with a few gusts 8

I think this is why Kevlar was suggested as the only material, he didnt even say a standard set would last longer and cost a tenth.
 
We just paid paid under £3K for a main and genoa. Top quality cruising material, radial cut genny, from a UK loft. if we were not doing 6's and 7's, the sails would go back! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Anyway, I thought you used to be a raggie, you should know all this!
 
I have a 43 boat out on charter doing about 3000mls per year.
The standard crap sails that come with the boat lasted 3 years but latterly with a few repairs to the Genoa.

Replacement sails of a quality durable material were approx £5000.

I once spoke to someone who was refurbishuing a baltic yacht for racing and he said he had spent £55000 on the sails but in addition to being the best (carbon fibre/kevlar?) I assume that was for a full range.

The quality durable material was Bainbridge Contender cloth but even that could not survive the 1st charter that hoisted the sail having forgotten the extra (unecessary!) sail tie he had left through a reefing point. Must remind myself of the reasons why I charter again!

Personally I love sailing and I love the arriving at a new port but I can understand that if its the arriving thats more important the faster journey times of a power boat must be very attractive. Sailing is a bit like golf a few good strokes you remember and frustration with the rest (substitute "sails" for "strokes" in the last sentence just about sums it up!!)
 
If you are worried about strong wind conditions, then you would be wise to give consideration to the type of boat you buy, not so much the sails. If you need advice you need to suggest a budget and size.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sailing is a bit like golf a few good strokes you remember and frustration with the rest (substitute "sails" for "strokes" in the last sentence just about sums it up!!)

[/ QUOTE ]

The next sail will be the best one! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]


Anyway, I thought you used to be a raggie, you should know all this!

[/ QUOTE ]

It was a long while ago and I was sailing boats 20-30 years old then.

I simply dont recognise the boats I see on the South coast now.

Looks like a set of sails is more like £5,000 for 9000 nm say £1000 repairs push them to 10 000 nm.
£.50 mile realistic compared with a diesel stinker £2.50 or petrol £4.50

A good saving assuming I manage to sail without the engine on at the same time which I cant ever remember actually doing (far too competitive for that ) /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

edit

Golf /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

I always end up in the rough
 
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