Tell me all about East Coast sailmakers

[Sailing steve]

Time for a new main.

I know next to nothing about sailcloth and sail design and want to talk through some modifications to the original spec to sort a couple of problems so I'm gonna need somebody who'll not just flog me a new sail in a bag but who'll hold my hand a bit through the process too.

Over to you good people.

 

[johnalison]

I got my new main from One Sails at Levington, along with a jib. The sails and service were good and I would use them again.

I’m no expert but the Hydranet main is a compromise between laminate and plain dacron suitable for cruising, and it has served us well for several years, but you need to discuss the options in detail to get what you want. Other sailmakers are available.

 

[MattS]

I use Wilkinson Sails in Faversham. My experience has been a personal service and prepared to guide you on your choices.

 

[John_Silver]

I use Wilkinson Sails in Faversham. My experience has been a personal service and prepared to guide you on your choices.

I’d second that! Friendly, knowledgable and fairly priced. Delighted with Stargazer’s new main and rigging replacement.

 

[Major_Clanger]

You're spoilt for choice. Parker and Kay (Onesail) are excellent, as is Andy McKivor of ADM. If your boat's a gaffer then look no further than James Lawrence. I've used all three over the years and always had great results.

 

[Concerto]

Chat with Cindy at Wilkinson Sails. She is sensible with her advice and will not rob you. I have known her for a number of years and my sails are due to hit her loft for some repairs in the autumn. She is based in Faversham and has an office in Burnham.

Wilkinson Sails | Faversham

 

[Kukri]

Two recommendations:

1. Cindy at Wilkinson sails, Faversham. Highly expert, anything from 9ft to 70ft.

2. If your boat is gaff rigged I certainly would look further than James Lawrence at Brightlingsea and I would go instead to Stephen at North Sea Sails, Tollesbury.

 

[Sailing steve]

You're spoilt for choice. Parker and Kay (Onesail) are excellent, as is Andy McKivor of ADM. If your boat's a gaffer then look no further than James Lawrence. I've used all three over the years and always had great results.

Spoilt for choice is exactly the problem of course.

A quick Google turned up dozens of potential sailmakers all with impressive websites telling me how wonderful they are, so first of all I need talk to some of their past clients and see if that is actually the case or not so I might whittle the choices down a little.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I had a new main, stack pack and lazy jacks made by One Sails at Suffolk Yacht Harbour. They came out and measured for the sail, made it and fitted it, only then did they measure for the stack pack, so it was tailored to fit my boom/sail very nicely. John Parker is very knowledgable, as is his team and they made a really nice job of it all.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I've been happy with Jeckells, who are based at Wroxham.

 

[nigelm]

I had Andy ( ADM) make me a new main & genoa , fully battened and tri radially cut in Defender sail cloth CDX PRO , in grey .
Quite a few of the boats at Fambridge have ADM sails and also canvas work.
Would be worth a call ..

 

[Cantata]

Another Jeckells customer here, always found them very helpful and always come and measure up and discuss. Very pleased with my current sails, reasonable price too.

 

[PeterWright]

I would not use a sail maker who doesn't visit the boat to measure up before cutting cloth and I know that this is John Parker's preferred option (Parker & Kay Onesails at Suffolk Yacht Harbour). He is also happy to give customers time to discuss their specific needs before they place an order.

Peter.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I would not use a sail maker who doesn't visit the boat to measure up before cutting cloth and I know that this is John Parker's preferred option (Parker & Kay Onesails at Suffolk Yacht Harbour). He is also happy to give customers time to discuss their specific needs before they place an order.

Peter.

Jeckells visit and measure.

 

[michael_w]

You pays your money ...
I've had a very indifferent sail from John Parker and would not go to him again. Dolphin used to be good but seem to have lost their way lately.

I've recently had a new main and jib for my big boat made in Radial Hydranet made for me by Welcome to Goacher Sails who makes my Flying Fifteen sails. Excellent personal service. OK I did the measuring and the main needed a slight tweak, but I'm delighted.

For those who don't know, Radial Hydranet is a dacron/spectra mix, Long life, Oyster Yachts reckon it's good for 50,000 miles or a circumnavigation. Allied with minimal stretch. Drawbacks? It's expensive, but quality never comes cheap.

 

[StUrrock]

2. If your boat is gaff rigged I certainly would look further than James Lawrence at Brightlingsea and I would go instead to Stephen at North Sea Sails, Tollesbury.

Another vote for Steph and North Sea Dails, who made two beautiful and great performing sails for our Yarmouth 23.


Just a visit to his sail loft is a treat in itself!

 

[Black Diamond]

I'll give a shout out for Steve Goacher, and his colleague Chris Robinson, as they made a superb sail wardrobe in carbon for Black Diamond for a surprisingly modest cost. Steve is a serial champion in Flying Fifteens and Sonatas and generously shares his experience in design and cut. They are based in Windermere, which suited me as I have business up there, and the one small post-sales tweak that was needed was done without fuss or question. The mainsail is the finest shape I have yet had for BD, after two consecutive and admittedly fine Dacron specimens from Dolphin.

 

[Yorkshire Exile]

Nice to see positive views about our local sail makers. But nobody has mentioned price. Although quality is important it is difficult to know in advance (unless one has expertise I don't have) whether higher costs indicates a better quality product. I am about to buy a new genoa and have received three quotes from three of the sail makers mentioned here for similar specifications. The highest quote is 73% above the lowest, the second highest is 42% above the lowest. Can anyone suggest why?

 

[The Q]

I've been happy with Jeckells, who are based at Wroxham.

Well they claim they are in Wroxham, but station road, NR12 8UT is actually in Hoveton the north side of the River Bure, which is Hoveton Parish council in the North Norfolk district,
Wroxham and it's parish council is the south side of the river and in Broadland district. post codes Below NR12 8T are in Wroxham. except for some 8Ds
They have different MPs as well..

 

[MikeBz]

Thumbs up to both Suffolk Sails in Woodbridge and Advantage Sails in Brightlingsea.