Hi.. I am in Toronto Ontario and we have a 35 ' older sailboat. I have contacted sailmakers and I have been led to believe that this is not impossible, but not recommended. I have heard that sailmakers can have sails that are rejected by racers, and surely there must be people who are fussy ( like car owners) who replace their sails regularly leaving a pretty good sail for someone like myself. Any advice, information Thus far I keep getting a price of about $3000.00 Canadian and we would like to find a sail if possible for half this price. Where to look, what to ask, what to keep an eye out for. Open to hear advice! Thanks
Advice on buying a used genoa for my boat
- Thread starter Midgeey
- Start date
You could always try Ebay lots for sale there just have know the measurements you are looking for.
HI.. other than the size of the sail needed , what materials are best to look for and what to watch out for. Thank you for your help
Well is your rig roller furling or are you looking for sail which is hanked on?
Dacron sails are typical on cruisers but my brief look on ebay had quite the variety of materials, I would avoid any that have stated rips and tears, I did see a few which were like new, "Only used 1 season" kinda stuff. You could call Boston sail loft in Port Edward Ontario, talk to Spike (519-344-5236) I am sure he can do much better that the number you mentioned.
You say older 35' sailboat year of manufacture and model would be good to know.
Dacron sails are typical on cruisers but my brief look on ebay had quite the variety of materials, I would avoid any that have stated rips and tears, I did see a few which were like new, "Only used 1 season" kinda stuff. You could call Boston sail loft in Port Edward Ontario, talk to Spike (519-344-5236) I am sure he can do much better that the number you mentioned.
You say older 35' sailboat year of manufacture and model would be good to know.
Thank you very much. Its a furling genoa! I just tried to call Spike he has gone home for the day. I will try him again tomorrow. You nailed it for exactly what I am looking for, something used for only 1 season type of thing! 
You want Dacron as a fabric. Bacon Sails is a reputable used sail dealer in Annapolis. http://baconsails.com/
Being on a roller furling system you will want the sunbrella cover on the leach edge to protect against UV deteriorationThank you very much. Its a furling genoa! I just tried to call Spike he has gone home for the day. I will try him again tomorrow. You nailed it for exactly what I am looking for, something used for only 1 season type of thing!
Thank you I will check this out! As a Canadian sometimes the exchange spoils it for the deals that the US has, however I will be checking this place out!
Used racing sails. Racers replace their sails often so to a non racer the sail will seem like new.
Don't buy a used racing sail for cruising....why? because racing sails are made sandwiching a layer of strong, lightweight fibers, such as pentex, Kevlar, carbon fiber, etc, between two plastic layers... mylar for example.
The sails are designed to hold their shape and resist stretching. When they break down they are not repairable. Many racing sailors will have a set of practice sails and save the good ones for race day... so by the time you may get them... they're useful life is limited. Especially if you plan to leave them on the boat and sail every day with them.
Dacron(polyester) sails are the choice for cruisers and day sailors because they have a much longer useful life..... and.... this is important... they can be repaired or refurbished inexpensively,
Since you're trying to save a buck.... look at offshore outlets such as www.thesailwarehouse.com On this site you will learn how to measure sails.... then you can shop for NEW sails by boat type or dimensions if your boat isn't in their database. You should be able to find a NEW suitable furling genoa in the $1600 - $2200 range.
The sails are designed to hold their shape and resist stretching. When they break down they are not repairable. Many racing sailors will have a set of practice sails and save the good ones for race day... so by the time you may get them... they're useful life is limited. Especially if you plan to leave them on the boat and sail every day with them.
Dacron(polyester) sails are the choice for cruisers and day sailors because they have a much longer useful life..... and.... this is important... they can be repaired or refurbished inexpensively,
Since you're trying to save a buck.... look at offshore outlets such as www.thesailwarehouse.com On this site you will learn how to measure sails.... then you can shop for NEW sails by boat type or dimensions if your boat isn't in their database. You should be able to find a NEW suitable furling genoa in the $1600 - $2200 range.
Hi .. thank you for this very informative post. I am learning a great deal today about a sail I will take you advice thank you for being so generous with your knowledge.
After considerable searching on the web, I found a suitable used RF main for my boat in a Texas used chandlery. It sounded way too good to be true, but realistically, how many boats could use that particular sail without an expensive recut?
Not being an idiot (that time) I hired a local sailmaker (not the guy right across the street from the chandlery) to go survey the sail. He responded that it looked OK, but I got the impression he had not unfolded it completely for inspection and I asked him to go back and do so. He mumbled a bit about finding a place to unfold a sail that big, but in the end he managed to find a place. His next email was an apology and his opinion that though the cloth and stitching were in excellent shape, the sail itself was blown out (very baggy in the middle) and he could not recommend buying it.
A hundred bucks or so saved me about a thousand.
Not being an idiot (that time) I hired a local sailmaker (not the guy right across the street from the chandlery) to go survey the sail. He responded that it looked OK, but I got the impression he had not unfolded it completely for inspection and I asked him to go back and do so. He mumbled a bit about finding a place to unfold a sail that big, but in the end he managed to find a place. His next email was an apology and his opinion that though the cloth and stitching were in excellent shape, the sail itself was blown out (very baggy in the middle) and he could not recommend buying it.
A hundred bucks or so saved me about a thousand.
Have you tried Asian lofts?? I got a new cruising spinnaker and sick for 1/3 what a local loft (but built in Asia) were quoting. I am very happy with the quality. Hksailmakers.com.
Bacon and Associates is a great place to buy used sails. Located on Legion in Annapolis Md. They have used sails from Optimus dinghies to Whitbread boats and anywhere in between. Impressive selection. You can check their inventory on line. There are many classes that use dacron sails and don't allow the fancy laminates. And some classes only allow new sails to be purchased once a year for the guy with all the dough that can afford new rags every year. If you get a good price on a racing sail that fits your boat, it will last a good long time if you take care of it. They hold their shape much longer than dacron. The old mylars used to come a part or separate, but new sail materials are much better today. An old car will get you around the block ok, but not as zippy as the new car. An old sail will make your boat go, but not as zippy as a new sail. If you find a near new sail at an affordable price, that is a good thing. The other thing is racing sailors have different abilities and race on different levels. If they are a high level racer, then their sails have to be top notch to be competitive. Not so if you are in some local sailing club that is not so competitive. There is a difference in quality with cheaper sails vs more expensive ones, however. It has to do with the sail weight and material, (denier count), if it's a simple cross cut dacron vs a radial paneled sail which has more pieces, is more involved to build, etc. it will cost more. Often the corners of a sail might be better made and same for high load areas. There may be more slugs or hanks, etc.
A quick look at NationalSail.com shows wide range of headsails for way less than 3k, (and yes, that's USd, and yes the loonie is at a pretty low number so factor 25% at least)
You need to know what you're looking for before you start looking.
You need to know what you're looking for before you start looking.
What luff length do you need? We have a brand new Doyle headsail here for about that price, 45ft luff.