How do I tell if my sails are any good or not?

[Tony E]

Hello all, I am potentially buying a 1998 MacGregor 26x in a week and driving out to B.C. to pick it up. I was told to make sure the sails are good because if I have to replace them that would be a few thousand dollars. I am new to sailing and wondering what do I look for? The gentleman that I am buying the sailbaot off of has offered to take me out on the pacific and show me how to sail for a couple days so thats great and I get to see the MacGregor in action. Can you please give me some advice on what to do....look at ....to see in what conditions the sails are at? I know there are a lot of variables but approx how long do sails last for if a person takes care of them, etc? Please Let me know and thanx for your help :dance:

 

[tommays]

WELL They are 15 some odd years old IF there orginal sails and they were budget priced sails

From that POV there old

The next thing to conside is how much use they really had , were they stored dry and in the sailbags a good bit of there life VS being used 3 times a week ?

 

[shemandr]

The shape is the acid test. New sails are flat and draft in the forward 40% of the sail. If the draft has blown back to the rear 40%, or worse, the sail is done. Downwind it won't matter but your upwind performance will be frustrating. And, gusts will tend to overpower the boat rather than drive it forward. By flat I mean a draft depth of 7 to 10 %. You can get an idea of how this looks by drawing curves of say 10 inches long with a depth of 1 inch. Look at sailing magazines for the shapes of sails in the racing boats advertised. You won't have that because that's a different technology than the dacron sails you'll be looking at. But you can get prospective. Also, if you feel the sailcloth in the middle areas of the sail it should have some body. If it feels soft or is easy to rub between your fingers, it is tired. The leech should be able to be adjusted so that it isn't fluttering. Excessive flutter is a sign of breakdown of the cloth. Also, look for fray along the seams, chafe, and of course, repairs.

 

[tkanzler]

Downwind it won't matter but your upwind performance will be frustrating. And, gusts will tend to overpower the boat rather than drive it forward.

The 26X is sort of upwind challenged at best, so blown out sails will be very frustrating. The originals were value-oriented (ok, cheap), and folks who've replaced them with better have reported big improvements in sailing. Mine are shot, but I haven't put the funds together yet to buy new, but that's at the top of the priority list. It'll never sail like the other boats I've had, but I'm sure I can make it better than it is right now.

 

[Tony E]

Thanx for the information. I am finding out that you just don't jump in a sailboat and "tadaaaa" you are off but you guys are helping me out lots and I appreciate it

 

[dehler25]

Given that many 26xs' spend their time with their rigs down and the boom below, sun may not be a factor, but if the boat sat in a yard or at a slip for years the sail may not be blown (draft issue) but the very top of the pile on the boom may have sun rot. If you scrape the cloth where it would be most exposed (even under the cover) with your fingernail it should not fluff the weave, if it does the draft could be like new and the top is UV damaged.

 

[Tony E]

Good one Dehler. I like that I can kind of tell just by doing a simple "scratch test." Is there anything to look at in regards to color or staining? Is a sail suppose to be "bright white" when its like brand new and just out of the box so to speak? So if its dull or plain does the mean anything or give you any clue about its condition?

 

[Squidd]

There is the "pin test" as well... poke a pin thru the field of the sail.. if it "pops" thru with some resistance that is good...

If it pokes thru smoothly like a cotton T shirt.. it's wore out...

 

[Ken Prichard]

Where in B.C ?
There's lots of sail lofts in B.C. If you want to know for sure take them into one. I doubt they would charge you to do a quick inspection.

 

[Joe]

Where in B.C ?
There's lots of sail lofts in B.C. If you want to know for sure take them into one. I doubt they would charge you to do a quick inspection.

That might be a good question to ask.... when was the last time
the sails were removed and serviced? Rolling it out on the dock or lawn will give you the opportunity to do a thorough inspection.

 

[tommays]

On my J24 i always had two sets of sails ONE for race days that was used about 15 hours a year

And the older everyday beater set that got used 3 times a week and had a patch here and there

 

[Ted]

There are lots of things that can be wrong with a sail. Poor shape, broken stitching, damaged batten pockets, shrunken bolt rope, UV damage, user damage from improper care or being used in wind ranges above their intended design, etc. if you're new to sailing, your best bet is to have a professional sailmaker evaluate them. It will give you some leverage negotiating price if they are beyond their useful life. Sometimes a few nips and tucks by the sailmaker will get you a few more seasons assuming you're not racing.

 

[Tony E]

So the MacGregor 26x is 15 years old which could or could not determive the condition of the sails but its more based on how much they were used......how much sun they got....how they were stored. Does that sound right? If I want an idea of there condition I can do the "needle" check or the hand feeling tests or better yet take them somewhere to get them checked out. I think the gentleman that I am buying it off of hardly used it and when he bought it he said the other gentleman just used it once in a while but then again who knows. Its like buying a car with a lot of miles on it and then people say " they are highway miles".....they are still miles and how they got there makes a difference yes but they are still miles. What about color? Are all sails a high and bright white? Should they be shinny? You guys are helping me out lots so thanx

 

[shemandr]

Here are some drawings I made quite some time ago. 10-35 Represents a 10% draft depth and a 35% from the front of the chord. I've drawn that a bit off. The maximum draft is actually a bit more forward. It is a reasonable representation for comparison. 15-50 is not a good shape. That would be a tired sail.
You can stretch a tired sail into a better shape if its dacron.
You also want the leech of the sail to be flat. So when you look at a real sail and not a chord drawing the exit should be flattened to encourage attached flow of air.
It's probably easier to assume that the sails on a used boat aren't very good.

 

[mark_swart]

If you are a beginning sailor, the main thing you are looking for are sails that aren't stained, mildewed or torn. Ideally, they will feel sort of stiff and crispy. I don't mean that as an insult but until you get more experience you probably won't notice much about the shape of the sails. I can tell you my first few boats, the sails were very soft and no doubt blown out, but for pleasure sailing it didn't really make a difference. Racing is a completely different story.

 

[Tony E]

Don't worry Mark I will not take anything you say as an insult. I know that I am the "newbie" as the kids say in the world of sailing and I have a lot to learn. I have not even seen this sailboat and will be driving 40 hours to go and check it out and then drive it back home so I want to know as much as I can to look for . I have the same BF honda outboard so I have that covered and I would assume that a sailboat is a sailboat....holes in the bottom are bad...lol....skunks sleeping in the washroom should never happen, etc. If it looks clean and well taken care of then it would have been. Someone told me that the sails, if needed to be replaced are $1000's and I don't want to have to shell out thousands after I just bought something so all of your ideas are very much so appreciated

 

[Dougo]

[I can tell you my first few boats, the sails were very soft and no doubt blown out, but for pleasure sailing it didn't really make a difference. Racing is a completely different story.[/quote]
In my opinion, this puts it in perspective. Don't lose sight of what type of sailing you're going to be doing. A recreational sailor's needs are much different from the serious racer's needs. That's not to say you should ignore the condition of the sails, but I wouldn't be too hasty to think older sails automatically need replacing. I think the inspection techniques given in this post are excellent and should serve you well.

My 2 cents

 

[Tony E]

Thanx Doug that makes perfect sense. See now I know that for my needs of recreational sailing they should be good as long as they are in decent shape. I don't think with my MacGregor 26x I am going to drag race for "pink slips" or anything but spend a few days out on the lake fishing and sailing. I'll be looking for tares and mends and holes of course and don't forget I'll be going out "test driving " with the guy for a couple days so if anything is going to be wrong then I should notice it...in theoryyyy Thanx again!

 

[kenn]

Our boat (1981) came with what I believe were original sails. The main is kind of baffed, but by using it footless and cranking on the outhaul tension, it's provided alot of reasonable sailing for the last 7 years. I've finally coughed up for a new mainsail for this year.

So Tony, unless the sails are visibly damaged, I second the notion that it would be worth using them for a season or two. It's alot better to make mistakes with sacrificial sails, and you'll better appreciate new sails after becoming an expert with old ones .

 

[Tony E]

Nice Kenn. I like the fact that I can/will make mistakes and I'll take it out on the old ones first I don't plan on doing any racing so what I get is all I wil have for now. Thanx for the advice