New Mainsail

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pcatterall

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Need to get a new mainsail and Hong Kong Sails are quoting by far the cheapest price. The material is standard 7 oz dacron made in Europe. The only difference seems to be that they are made in China. As they are designed and cut with CAD technology I feel that they may be every bit as well made and perform as well as more expesive products from UK. Advice very welcome especially from users of this company.
My boat is a motor sailor and the original sail had standard battens and the old fashioned round the boom reefing. I will order the new sail with reefing points (2 enough ?) but should I go for fully battened?.
I intended to run the halyard back to the wheel house (another hole!!) and install lazy jacks.
I guess that I will need those (expensive?) little wheely car things if The sail is to go up and down without sticking.
I hope that these are not too many questions from a new sprog and will be most grateful for any comments/advice

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Can't advise you on Hong Kong sails unfortunately. However, my advice would be to go for full-batten sail, with three reef points. The extra reef point gives you more flexibility in terms of sail size versus wind strength. Also I would advise to use those "wheely things" , as I have tried my sail with and without and using them is much better - for raising the sail in particular. I used Luffshuttle but there are other makes on the market (Barton, I think being one).

On the subject of sailcloth: here in Italy some friends of mine have bought new mains in these "new" laminate fabrics (e.g. Bainbridge ACL); and the cost was only slightly more than for dacron. I have had some quotes from sailmakers in the U.K. who want around 50% more for using laminates. I am unable to explain why in Italy the sailmakers are able to produce the sails for virtually the same price using Dacron or laminate, but in England they are unable. Maybe someone out there can offer an explanation ?? (More profit in England springs to mind!)
So, don't discount HK sailmakers just because they are cheaper - as you say all sails are designed/cut by computer these days and so only the finishing is dependant on the actual sailmaker.

Alan.
Nettuno, Italy.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alan Cloke
 
Sailed on one of the Challenge Business 67' steel boats across that atlantic in 2000 at that time they used Hong Kong sails for their Non race events. Seemed to be fairly well made.

I was advised a while back when buying a new main from Lucas (Good deal at southampton boat show - on Moody 376 sails) that it is probably best to stick with Dacron for the main but go for one of the laminate cloths for the Genoa - we went for a Tri radial furling Genoa with foam luff and a Fully battened main... oh and watch out those batten cars - around £100 each for the stainless ones - Had alloy ones originally but had to replace 2 which had jammed (at the articulation point between sail and car)

Regards

ML

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A friend on the next pontoon has had a dacron main made by Hong Kong Sails. He is so impressed with it's qualitity that he has just ordered a 130% genoa from them. Cost was two thirds of the price he would have paid here in Canada, and that included all taxes and duties. Another factor to consider is that Brit prices tend to be higher than Canadian ones.

<hr width=100% size=1>Alan Porter
 
I just had a great quote from a very experienced sailmaker that now runs Sails Online. <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sails-online.com>http://www.sails-online.com</A> They are in NZ.

Worth checking out

(no conection BTW)

Cheers!

Paul



<hr width=100% size=1>Paul
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.polarity2.com>http://www.polarity2.com</A>
OSTAR 2005
 
Thanks to you all for the information. There seems no reason not to go with the Hong Kong Product. I seem to recall an article in PBO about different batten cars so I will look this up.
The comment about extra cost of sails in the new laminates struck a chord, it does seem that if you want something made in leather or 'stainless' you have to pay a fortune against the same product in cloth or mild steel but the increased cost of the material is often quite small.
Thanks again to you all.

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I'm in the same boat at the moment, and about to order more sails from Rolly Tasker in Phuket. The local sail makers (here in Australia) hate him, but I've had nothing but good dealings. I'd imagine Hong Kong are the same - is that the Neil RPide co, or the FarEast sails group? Tasker for me was almost 40% cheaper than the FarEast one ...

If I had a fractional rigged boat, and I was full blown racing, I'd go with a local for after sales service, but with a masthead, I don't think much can go wrong. I'm told that the reason for price variations at present is that some fabrics (most dacron) is sourced from Europe, while laminates and spectra come from US, so the weak US dollar is making laminates and exotics much more price competitive. Dilemma is whether or not to get a Spectra main for only 105 increase on my heavy old half tonner!

As far as battens go, I'd defintely go full length - they make the sail much easier to handle and last much longer at little penalty of shape control. How tall is your mast? The roller bearing cars are nice, but only necessary on larger sails - on my boat, I give the slides a regular dose of silicon spray (the cheap cooking grade, not McLube) and have a down haul line rigged - it's 4mm VB cord that I pull on after smoking halyard, and sail neatly tucks away into the boom bag. Add a single line reefing system to complete "easy main control".

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Yup agree with the comments regarding single line reefing & the silicon on the slides.

A fully baterned main is easy to handle & keeps its shape , even reefed.
The only problem I have is with the in-boom reefing cars which tend to jam but will sort out this winter. also worth investing in roller bearing blocks on the single line reefing as I really think they make a big difference for only a little extra dosh, I also use a barton boom strut (does away with topping lift) which is a really great bit of kit.

Has anybody got the address/web site for the sail makers in Phuket & hong kong?
looking for a new Tri-radial Genoa.

poter.

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My order's with Mike Tasker at www.rollytasker.com, and rolly@phuket.ksc.co.th for email. BTW I've bought 3 sails from the Taskers, and my friend Tony has now bought 5 - we both agree the major fault with them is they put so much damn stitching in that the sails are hard to fold! ... :-)


I also got pricing from www.fareastsails.com, but they are rpricier and I don't see an advantage in going there in my case.


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New Sails - Shameless Plug for Kemps

I have just received my new main, 3 weeks early too.

Dealing with kemps for me was a very comfortable experience, you are made to feel important and Rob Kemp talked me through the whole list of options. My Genoa was ordered from them last year and I received it at the end of August.

145% Genoa and 3/4 Batten Main, brilliant sails and fantastic quality. Just before you call HK sails give Kemps a call, and have a look on the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.tele-sails.com/index1.asp>Telesails site</A> (kemps internet sails)

sails1.jpg


I am not connected to Kemps, just a happy customer...

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>
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Hi Rick,
Regarding your being in the same boat, this nearly threw me as I wondered how a colvic atlanta had got blown down under!!
The mast is 31 feet, I suppose that I could try it without cars and with plenty of silicone!
Cheers

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I had a new mainsl cut at the start of this season and considered having full length battens. I abandoned this after checking the price which I think almost doubled the cost of the sail after factoring in the mast "cars" and battons.

I suspect that my reasons were the same as yrs in so far as with a wheelhouse its very difficult to keep the sail under control when its lowered....I always ended up sitting on the W/house roof trying to get the tiers on.

I notice that you mention lazy jacks.. thats what I did... in the end cost me about £20 to make up myself and the problem is solved.

If cash was no issue I would go for the full length battens however, in 'real world' I very happy with the present set up.

RE HK Sails they have been going for a long time I first had some contact with then 20 yrs ago but have had no business dealing with 'em... I'm sure they are fine if you are quite sure of all yr measurements!!

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather>http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather</A>

All best Nick

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Re: New Sails - Shameless Plug for Kemps

Yes so was the outhaul, this was the first time I had hoisted it, I just kind of hung on the goosneck to pull it down. Was not paying too much attention to sail shape but rather get the sail set up.

But thank you for the advise.

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>
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Don't laugh too much - there are a few Colvics around.

Re 31 foot mast - my current main is 9.77 m on the luff, and no dramas with just slides on webbing sewn to batten pocket reinforcements - I use silicon once every 6 or so weeks, and sail the boat 3 times a week - I hit the slides with about a 5 second burst either side while the main is down, and a 350gm can (AUS$4.95) lasts about 12 months (gets other uses as well as the slides)

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Re: New Sails - Shameless Plug for Kemps

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.uksailmakers.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia5a.html>http://www.uksailmakers.com/encyclopedia/encyclopedia5a.html</A>

This covers most aspects of setting the main sail and moving the draft.

The basics being a loose luff will move the draft aft, and vica versa tightening the luff with the mainsail halyard will move the draft forward. If you look at my photo the draft is almost at the mast it should be approx 1/3 of the way aft. By loosening the luff either by releasing the goosneck, or halyard the draft would move aft slightly.

hope this helps

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>
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