New Mainsail Oz. Weight?

[Roach1948]

Looking to get a new mainsail to replace Roach's rather eccentric, but utterly useless original Egyptian Cotton one.

Have had wildly varying quotes, but my main question is one of material weight. The main is only 160sq feet - so not very large at all. My sailing will be on the Deben and other East Coast Rivers, with sometimes light and variable winds. Is the ubiquitous 6oz cloth too heavy for my needs? shall I consider a 4 or 5oz cloth and quite a full cut? Your thoughts very much appreciated....

 

[sailorman]

i would suggest 5oz is about right.
talk to Jim Welland ( Suffolk Sails ) he makes good sails /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifbut delivery used to be another matter /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[Roach1948]

Thanks, just wanted an opinion. It seems that all sailmakers recommend 6oz whether its a Schooner or a weekender like Roach (has somebody got a monopoly on 6oz cloth?). I will conform and go for 6oz then....

 

[Peterduck]

The cut is determined by the use to which you wish to put your boat to [whether racing or pottering] and the strength of wind that you can expect. Your local sailamaker will know all this, and will cut your sail to suit local conditions. [Probably in spite of anything you may request] A full cut sail will be OK for very light winds, but too powerful for stiffer winds, even when reefed. When the wind gets up you can have a grand sail by hauling down of the Cunningham Eye to flatten the main. If the sail is too baggy to start with [it will get baggier as it gets older] this won't be effective enough to help.
Peter.

 

[Roach1948]

The problem is that I have decided not to go local mainly for cost reasons, but also as I am restoring to the original sail plan, so in a way I they would be working off-plan anyway, meaning that I have the luxury of sending tenders out off a sailplan to any sailmaker. Ofcourse my job is to get the rig the matching the original Dallimore sailplan !