SAIL MANUFACTURERS

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sidon

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I HAVE A 2001 JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 37. RECENTLY I HAVE DONE A FEW CLUB RACES AND ENJOYED THEM. THE PROBLEM IS I WOULD LIKE BETTER SAILS AND DO NOT KNOW WHICH MANUFACTURER TO GO WITH, AND WHICH TYPE.(IE DACRON, LAMINATE CROSS CUT OR RADIAL. I WILL STILL BE DOING A LOT OF CRUISING SO THEREFORE NEED TO KEEP THE FURLING GENNY & SINGLE LINE REEFING.
 
Recommend Kemp sails at Wareham in Dorset for a good sail that is not too expensive. If you can get to the Southampton boat show have a chat with Rob Kemp, who will give you good advice and makes a good sail (personal experience). Doyles at Shamrock key in Southampton are also good but more expensive. If you cannot make Southampton, wait til the London Boat show. Good idea to go round and talk to one or two others before making up you mind.

Don't mind you shouting, I am a bit deaf anyway.



Chris Stannard
 
Try North (www.north.co.uk) or Banks (www.banks.co.uk) - they'll be able to advise on both cloth & design to suit your needs. Its a good time of year to buy as well, especially with North's seasonal pricing.

Personally, I'd steer clear of Dacron these days - Pentex is a much less stretchy option whilst still being resistant to a bit of 'abuse'.
 
From my experience, if you are keeping the furling system you won't need to spend at the dear end of the market, partly because the flex in the furling system means the sail can lose it's shape when beating in a bit of wind, which means there is little point in hi-tech material. You could also consider asking them to cut it for better upwind performance and so as not to induce as much heel. Steve Goacher of Goacher Sails at Windermere will do this for you. Like North thay have a seasonal pricing policy and the dark months are quite a bit cheaper.

Glad to see you like racing in your 37. Met a Dutch chap at the week-end whilst at the Amsterdam Boat show who had managed to lay his Sun Fast 37 flat. Seems he got a spi line jammed when broaching in alot of wind and couldn't stop her going over!

Very impressed with the new SF32, accommodation is superb inside, acres of space for a 32.

Let us know how you get on.
 
Is your plan to keep the current furler effectively as a number 1 genoa, but to then get a new, smaller, sail or two for stronger winds which you would hoist using the second foil groove? If so, let me know what you conclude as I have a new Sun Odyssey 37 and am likewise thinking of better sails for the odd race.

Are there any other tips you would pass on re the SO37 as someone who now has a year under the belt with their new boat?
 
How would you use the second foil groove with the other sail still on, or would you just lay it on deck and then hoist the other? Seems a bit awkward, thats all, you'll have to take off the top swivel from one sail and put it on the other etc, why not just take one off? Or have I missed a crucial thing here? Sorry not into racin'
 
Re: Grooves

Think that twin groove forestays are not generally the furling type. Racing bods use twin luff grooves as oppose to hanks so that they can hoist and lower a sail with out having no sail up, they also give a better leading edge profile as it is one smooth piece for the wind to go round. Am not aware of this arrangement on furlers because, as you mention, it needs attaching to the wind around bit and you would then need god knows how many arrangements to get em up and down. However am no expert so there could be some fancy bit of kit that does it.
 
Whilst racing you effectively use the furling genoa as if it were an ordinary sail and the 2 grooves like you would twin forestays in a "hanked on" scenario. As there is no intention to furl you get the swivel out of the way before you start and then use 2 halyards.
 
Re: Grooves

No fancy kit. For some reason Jeanneau fit a foil with 2 grooves and Facnor furling gear on the SO37 as standard. I'd always presumed (and seen it in action) that it was so that if you don't want to use the furler at any time you can use it like a conventional foil.
 
Call me an old fuddy duddy or whatever, but one of the attractions of the boating world to me has always been the craftsmanship aspect. And whilst there is not much craftsmanship in quite a few modern mass produced "yachts", surely there could still be an element of craftsmanship and skill in cutting and sewing a good suit of sails. Can't we stick with the title "sailmaker" rather than "sail manufacturer." It's a bit like "boat builder" as opposed to "boat manufacturer." Just a thought...
 
Thankyou to everyone who replied to my questions on sailmakers. Regarding the so 37, we have really enjoyed the boat and with the exception of the hot water pressure release valve had no problems. As to sails spoken to all the names listed and was most impressed with Rob Kemp from Kemp sails who advised me to go down the radial genoa route and maybe fully battened main with frederikkson car system. Just wondered what anyone else thought. Thanks in anticipation
 
I have a Starlight 39 with Rob Kemp radial genow and fully battened main. The main is a laminate sail. I cant over emphasise how impressed I am with kemp and the sails. If you can afford the laminate it gives a great cruising / racing compromise
 
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