New Mainsail - Any Experience of Jeckells?

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AlanM

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We have received a bewildering range of quotes for a new mainsail for our Maxi 1000. One of the more reasonable is from Jeckells of Wroxham but one of the owners thinks that being cheaper means poorer quality. Has anyone any experience of this sailmaker?
 
Wer had our sails valeted by Jeckells this winter - v good job.

Also bought a cruising chute from them this spring. We have yet to actually sail with it (as opposed to hoisting it in marina when delivered two weeks ago!) but v pleased with what we've seen.

God service, v fgriendly, v familiar wiuth what a cruiser actually wants (cf what they think a trendy racer should demand at 4x the price). Not quite as brilliant on the admin but v friendly and easy to deal with.

On the chute we came down to a minimal price differential between Jeckells and Kemops, and chose Jeckells for proximity. If on S coast would have chosen Kemps. i bough a new genoa from them for preevious boat and found them also v competent and attentive.

Our price comparisons were at LIBS and we went to every possible sailmaker, most of them several times!

Apols for any spelling/grammatical errors - too much whisky to console us for failure of fridge pump and emergency evacuation of a weeks worth of food to fellow liveaboards before expensive replacement tomorrow ...
 
A sail is not just a sail. It's made of fabric that can be cheap, middling or expensive (or really expensive for racing purposes). Price comparisons are totally meaningless until you know what sort of sailcloth is being used. If you are selling your boat next year, go for the cheapest sail you can find - you won't be there when it is shot. If you are going to hang on to your boat and are aware of the maxim "buy cheap, buy twice", discuss with your sailmaker what you need and how much you are prepared to spend. If they are any good they'll kick these parameters around with you and give you good advice.

Personally I'm very suspicious of sailmakers who trade on price, and of those who say, "Oh, I got a mainsail from **** for only £x00." Sails are what makes your boat go - don't buy on price but on quality.

Having said that, I bought a mainsail from Jeckells and they couldn't have been more helpful. Half an hour of 1:1 time at the boat show, probably the same again on the phone, and they came down to my boat to measure up. Sail is first-class. I'd go to Jeckells again for sure, but it won't be for a long while!

Regards, Mudhook
 
Jeckells made most of the new sails for Prout catamarans (I have a Snowgoose) and were very good value for money. I just bought a cruising chute from them and it was excellent. There are three things to consider with a sail. 1. Quality of cloth used. 2. Weight of cloth used 3. Quality of construction 4. The cut of the sail. How many panels, radial cut, cross cut etc.
Most people don't get like for like quotes because they don't understand the differences.
Jeckells will use good quality cloth and advise on a weight that is suitable. Compare the other quotes with their choice.
You need to specify triple stitched seams for a cruising sail (even to Jeckells) or you may get only double stitched.
You need to understand the cut of the sails (especially Genoas) and decide if you want radial or cross cut. Cross cut is cheaper. Radial spreads the load better. Talk to them. All sailmakers will do either but cheapies will usually be cross cut.
My belief is that Jeckells sails are very good value cruising sails. I would perhaps spend a lot more money and make different choices for a racing sail but the performance improvement would be marginal and the life much shorter.
 
Had a new genoa from Jeckells this year after a lot of time spent shopping around. I think that the sail is excellent and I am very particular - I'm very pleased. Not the cheapest quote but nearly.
 
Well I'll put a fly in the ointment.

A new main was ordered by my skipper and when it arrived it was alt least half a metre too short. Also the roach was not cut as specified.

I will point out that this sail is for a cat and one of the considerations and discussion points was that they made sails for Prout.
Basically the sail was not made to the agreed specifications.

They have since sent some one to re-measure on the boat but we still await the sail.

For info the sail was ordered and paid for at Southampton Boat show last year.

So not all good news....
 
They made my mainsail 2 yrs ago and did a very good job. I had a talk with their sail designer and he put a little kick in the clew/foot so that it just clears my head in the cockpit as opposed to sweeping the boom across my brow, meaning a standing gybe would catch me right on the temple. Probably goes a 100th of a knot slower but the improvement in safety is enormous. I'm just over 6 ft and the boat was built in the 1960s so I wonder if the original configuration was designed just to pass over the head of an average man then.
 
I have no connection with the company but obviously this was a screw up.
Questions: Did they agree that it was their fault? Are they going to re-make it at no charge?
I once had a sail made by a very well respected sailmaker (not Jeckells) and gave them precise dimensions in writing. When the sail came in wrong they denied responsibility. I had to personally take the sail back to their loft and stand there while it was measured and show them my original written order before they would accept that it was their fault and then it took 6 weeks to get a replacement.
Everyone cocks up from time to time. The important thing is what happens when they do. I would be genuinely interested to know:
1. Did Jeckells measure the boat first time, or were they the skippers dimensions?
2. Did they admit fault without argument?
3. How long have they promised it will take to replace?
4. Is it a Prout? If it is they should know better as they have all the original sail plans on file. If it isn't the question of it being a cat is not really relevant because they probably wont.
 
Don't really want to get too involved as my skipper who is a forum member is away for about a week. It would be better for him to give a full and accurate account. I'll PM you later with further details.

Howver they have admitted it was made incorrectly and have subsequently re measured it. The cat was not a Prout its a Solaris Sunstar. They were going to base the sail on the designs they have for the Prout but it came back with a smaller roach than the original and about half a metre short.

As of last weekend no date had been given for delivery of the sail and it had been re-measured by their representitive a few weeks back.
 
Just had a quote from Jeckells for a new mainsail for long distance cruising - they recommended Marblehead dacron - more expensive but apparently liable to keep its shape longer because tighter weave and less resin. Very helpful and pleasant bloke, and the quote was the same as a couple of othrs made with standard cruising dacron. Anyone any experience of Marblehead?

- Nick
 
Quick update on my post from yesterday.

With no promise of a new delivery date for the mainsail ordered back in September at SBS he has asked for his money back.

To be honest although they have admitted an error they don't seem exactly keen to make up for it and provide customer satisfaction.

Perhaps this is an isolated case but they've had 8 months to deliver and have not performed.

Price is not everything...
 
Jeckell\'s genny

Jeckells built me a x-cut genoa two years back, very good sail, well finished, in Marblehead.

They came, and measured and cut the sail differently from the old one at my request (slightly shorter in the luff, slightly longer in the foot,) to improve visibility.

Only praise for them (so far!)
 
Hi webcraft,

I can only repeat the good comments made by some members. I spoke with 6 sailmakers last year and 5 of them told me why their sails were best and /or cheapest without actually asking what I wanted.
Jeckells on the other hand asked me what I wanted to do with the sails (ie cruising, racing, where and how they would be stowed) and then told me of their range and made a recommendation. They came down to measure my boat in Gosport and delivered the sails within 3 weeks. They included a free valet within 12 months and made a good job of this.
I chose a heavy weight coated Dacron material for longevity and I have been very pleased with the sails (main and genoa)
They gave me some advice on reefing cringles and luff slides and seemed to know their stuff.
They were middling in price range.
These are my own expereinces and I have no connection with the company.
Good luck. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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