Sail loft recomendations

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PhillM

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I am looking for a new genoa for Swift (masthead Corribiee Mk2). Needs are fairly simple, large enough to give light wind performance, but able to perform when reefed in heavy weather. Usage likely to be channel cruising with an eye on a passage from Plymouth to Baltimore (Ireland). Any recommendations for a decent loft and or design features gratefully received.
 
My usual advice is to go local if possible: make it easy for your sail provider to visit the boat to measure and if there's any problems with it make it easy for them to come and look at it, to take the sail away and bring it back after alterations. IIRC you're Fareham? When I bought my new sails a while back both Kemp's (with an office in Gosport) and Mark Flew made it to my short list. In the end I went with Kemp based on price, proximity (I was right next to them in Gosport, and not owning a car would have made taking a sail even as far as Fareham awkward) and them making their own sails in the UK but I found Mark very convincing and knowledgeable, it was a close call and I would consider both next time round.
 
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Second the advice to go for a sail maker who will come and look at your boat, listen to what you want, give advice, and measure up. Jeckells have a rep who lives in the Solent area who does just this - or certainly they did a few years ago. We were very happy with the sails they subsequently produced. Kemp also come and measure, and give excellent service to the sail training charity I sail with.
I would happily recommend either of these sail makers.
 
I had great service, and price, from Jeckels The Sailmaker. I live in Scotland and used their self measuring advice for dimensions. They also had dimensions from other boats of the same class. The sails are fantastic. I would not hesitate to use a remote service that is reputable if the price was competitive. There are a number of very good sailmakers in Scotland, some of which I have used but the price was good, and reputation good as well, hence my decision.
 
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In 2014 I needed a new high clue reefing headsail for my custom rigged cutter. Living in Orkney it had to be done remotely.
I took my own measurements and photographs then sent the details to a number of sailmakers that were advertising at that time.
Jeckells were the only one that seemed genuinely interested and sent an intelligible response. Further email discussions followed including their sketches for different size overlaps and a choice of fabrics and prices.
I finished up with a sail that set perfectly straight out of the bag and has done all I wanted of it. I will go to them first for any further sails, provided they can get around the Brexit trade barriers.
 
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Jeckalls first choice, had both sails, dodger’s and stack pack from them in last two years, service 1st class with very competitive pricing
 
As you are located on the Hamble you have Graham Piggott at Warsash and Doyle Sails at Moodys(Premier) and another perhaps at Universal.
The former is very helpful - he builds sails for the NACRA catamarans, reasonable prices too
 
As others have said, there are lots of excellent sailmakers, and I might flippantly add that my vote goes to Peter Sanders because he is the most excellent of them. However, I would add that a less discussed aspect of sail lift choice is ongoing service, because not everybody chooses to have sails annually (or even regularly) serviced. Since I bought my sails from Sanders I have had them washed and serviced there each year (9 years so far) and the maintenance service is as good as the sailmaking service: always cost effective and returned by courier on or before a date of my choosing. If you buy a good sail you want it maintained by its maker and Sanders have always given superb ongoing service in this respect.
 
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