How to match vintage sails to original boat

[Delphis]

Recently I acquired an old classic set of sails that were made by International Sailmakers on Rowes Wharf in Boston. However, I don't know the model of boat to which they belong. Part of the company's existence was between 1913 and 1966.

The sails are all cotton (treated with Vivatex) and many things are hand stitched; including the grommets, mast slides, manila rope along edge of the sail, etc. The luff of the mainsail is about 20'.

Does anyone know if there is a way to match the dimensions of a sail to the original boat? Some sort of online calculator maybe?

Thanks.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Call SailRite- ask for Jeff. Good luck

 

[Delphis]

Thanks

Thanks. I called Jeff. He's out for the day but should return my call tomorrow.

I appreciate your help.

 

[woodster]

take the dimensions of the sail luff...foot...and leech and do a search on used sail for sale...some of these sites have a large selection and you may match it up that way

 

[Delphis]

Thanks. I just went to BaconSails.com and entered the dimensions. It showed 1 result and in the description gave the type of boat.

I appreciate your help with this. This has really helped me get on the right track.

 

[Joe]

Do a search here for boats with mainsail luff between 19-21 feet. The only problem with this database is that it only features production boats. Your sail could have been custom made for a home built design.... It could have been purchased for one boat, then sold and recut for another... maybe there's a reference number somewhere.


http://thesailwarehouse.com/cgi-bin/web_store.cgi?page=storeframe.html&cart_id=

 

[Delphis]

Thanks Joe I'll check out the Sail Warehouse link.You made me realize there are a lot of things to consider. Hopefully I won't be on some wild goose chase

 

[Joe]

Thanks Joe I'll check out the Sail Warehouse link.You made me realize there are a lot of things to consider. Hopefully I won't be on some wild goose chase

Other than match them up to a particular boat, what exactly are you trying to do? Maybe we could help more if we knew where you were going with all this.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Other than match them up to a particular boat, what exactly are you trying to do? Maybe we could help more if we knew where you were going with all this.

You're helping to sell the sails.

 

[shemandr]

Don't know of any calculator.
This will be a detective exercise. With only the size of the sail it may not be that easy. You could investigate when cotton sails with Vivatec were made, look at common boats, in say New England, of that era and narrow by size.
Where did you acquire them? Maybe there's a clue there.
Maybe a curator of a yachting museum could offer more help. Mystic Seaport?

 

[Delphis]

Hi Joe,

As a boat owner I know how much these sails would mean to someone who owns a classic boat. If I could present them to him/her for sale that would be great. Aside from marveling over the sails I don't really have a practical use for them. Plus, a boat owner would have an opportunity to obtain some really unique and hand crafted sails.

I learned that Wooden Boat Magazine has an advertising section but I would think I would need to know the boat model before I listed it there.

Hi Chris. Yes, in a sense I am being helped to sell the sails. At the same time an owner of a classic wooden sailboat would be helped obtaining sails for his boat. I guess it's how you look at it.

Thanks Shemandr. I think I do have a certain amount of legwork in front of me. I appreciate your tips and advice. Someone parted with the sails and this is how I got them. I was impressed by the sails but also the sailbag. Below is an image the makers name on the bag.

 

[Delphis]

TSBB 2, I just heard back from Jeff at Sailrite. He directed me to Sailrite's Sailplan Database at sailritesails.com.

While I'm unable to match dimensions of a sail to a boat model I can click on a boat model/design to learn of its sail dimensions. I think this will be good if I have a hunch or idea of the type of boat I am looking for.

There are a ton of boat models to choose from.

Thanks again for your help with this.

 

[Benny17441]

Irrespective of whether they were custom made or recut the fact is that they now have a unique size so why not advertise by size and let those owners of vintage boats that could use them to contact you. The original boat may or may not be around.

 

[Delphis]

Hi Benny. Hopefully I won't need to advertise by just the size. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts I went to BaconSails.com and entered the dimensions and it retrieved one result.

In that listing it gave the model boat. It's a well-known one-design racing class. However, when I went to Sailrite's SailPlan Database and selected the model the measurements there were much bigger than the sails I have.

So now I'm looking into whether or not the sail area for this model has changed since they started being built about 105 years ago. If it hasn't then I guess there's a chance I might have to advertise just the size.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

If it is a well known one design class, it will have it's own web page - most likely with a question forum. That could be your most direct route. Good luck.

 

[Delphis]

Thanks

Thanks. That's a great idea. I'll look into this.

I'm thinking now, though, that it's not the original racing class I thought it was. Though one listing said Star the sail area doesn't match when I look at old photos. Below is a picture of the sails.

The main has a 19' luff and 11' foot. The jib as an 18' luff with a 7.5' foot. These measurements could be off a few inches because I haven't pulled the sails taut for measurement yet.