Mainsail Question

[vwjim70]

Hi all! I am just wondering if a Hunter 23 mainsail will work on an O'Day 25.?.? I know the size is different, but I found a sail for a great price and wondering if it is worth buying. I mainly sail lakes here in Mid Missouri, so I am not racing around the world or anything. Thanks!!

 

[Timm R Oday25]

How much differant ? The foot being too long would be my biggest concern .

 

[FastOlson]

You cannot know without knowing the hoist and foot measurements of your boat and the sail you are considering. As pointed out, being a few inches too short on the foot might not be a deal killer, tho.
And, also, be careful about "getting what you pay for"........

 

[PaulK]

The Hunter sail is too big for the O'Day. The O'Day luff is 24.5'. The Hunter luff is 25.67' - more than a foot longer. The O'Day foot is 9', and the Hunter foot is 9.75' - eight inches too long. It won't fit and will not be worth recutting.
The Sailboatdata website has the P (luff) and E (foot) dimensions for these and many other craft.

 

[vwjim70]

Ok, thank u all for the input. I will just get the right sail for my boat. I just thought it might be a less expensive alternative.

 

[Foswick]

I hate to be a nay-sayer, but I have come to the position that there is no such thing as a good deal on a sail. You CAN overpay, but in general, you get exactly what you pay for. Used sails are always priced as pretty much an exact percentage of their remaining useful life. And, new sails are pretty much priced according to materials and features. Well-made sails tend to be priced accordingly, and sails with manufacturing shortcuts also seem to be priced accordingly.

I am all set up to make my own sails, and can muddle my way through that process, and even that doesn't save me any money - in particular when I estimate that a sail that I make will last about a season or two less than a sail made by someone who knows what they are doing. And, certainly not if my time is worth anything.

 

[jssailem]

Will this sail be good for my boat?

It is a good question that can get a yes/maybe answer. Unless the sail is designed to your boat’s measurements, it will always function like a suit you pickup off the Goodwill rack. It will never be a tailored fit off the rack.

If all you want is to make the boat go then almost any sail cloth hoisted will work.

If you want to go fast and sail safely in all wind and sea conditions, then it is time to tailor the sail to your boat.

 

[vwjim70]

Thanks again for all the replies. I am searching for a new one.

 

[FastOlson]

When you need a new dacron sail for a production boat with a lot of sister ships, most regional and national lofts will have the data on hand to build one. You will still need the exact rig measurements for your boat, but that's just an hour with a tape. They will want a picture of the gooseneck and boom attachments to be sure. As you say, time to do some searching.

 

[dLj]

Ok, thank u all for the input. I will just get the right sail for my boat. I just thought it might be a less expensive alternative.

Have you looked at Bacon Sails? they may have a used sail for your boat.

dj

 

[SailingLoto]

Hi all! I am just wondering if a Hunter 23 mainsail will work on an O'Day 25.?.? I know the size is different, but I found a sail for a great price and wondering if it is worth buying. I mainly sail lakes here in Mid Missouri, so I am not racing around the world or anything. Thanks!!

Where are you sailing out of? I'm guessing it's the sail for 250 on cl? I have a catalina 25 or s2 8.0 main that may fit better. I'm located on lake of the ozarks

 

[shemandr]

I've posted before and others have posted that having quality sails is not just for racing. It is a genuine pleasure to sail a boat that is performing as it should. I think sailing is a kinetic sport and is best enjoyed while moving. You can't learn the nuances of sail trim with poorly shaped sails. So I encourage sailers to buy the best sails they can afford.

 

[kappykaplan]

I encourage sailors to buy the best sails they can afford.

 

[dLj]

I've posted before and others have posted that having quality sails is not just for racing. It is a genuine pleasure to sail a boat that is performing as it should. I think sailing is a kinetic sport and is best enjoyed while moving. You can't learn the nuances of sail trim with poorly shaped sails. So I encourage sailers to buy the best sails they can afford.

I have to agree with this. The problem for me, lies in the term "best". What does that mean? How does one determine "best" for their specific boat?

The answer lies in a lot of variables that I'm still trying to wrap my head around. I've listened to numerous threads on sails, the different materials now available, the different ways sails can be cut, where and how to put battens or not, and I'm still not sure how to make that "best" selection.

This is a subject that is coming to a head for me as I'm facing replacing - or fixing - my main sail and to do an assessment of all my sails to determine if I also need to change my fore sails also.

It's a darned complicated subject!

dj

 

[dlochner]

I have to agree with this. The problem for me, lies in the term "best". What does that mean? How does one determine "best" for their specific boat?

The answer lies in a lot of variables that I'm still trying to wrap my head around. I've listened to numerous threads on sails, the different materials now available, the different ways sails can be cut, where and how to put battens or not, and I'm still not sure how to make that "best" selection.

This is a subject that is coming to a head for me as I'm facing replacing - or fixing - my main sail and to do an assessment of all my sails to determine if I also need to change my fore sails also.

It's a darned complicated subject!

dj

Like everything else on a boat, sails are a compromise. Start with the intended use, ocean crossing, coastal cruising, racing, etc.

When we made those decisions we downsized the genoa from 150 to 135 and went with a triradial cut in a low end laminate to offset the performance loss and to increase longevity. Also went with at triradial main for improved performance. We've been pleased with the performance of the sails.

We also went with a medium weight sail in anticipation of sailing in higher winds. This resulted in a very heavy sail. The sail will probably last longer, but it is a bear to flake and bend on. We have mixed feelings about that decision.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The Hunter 23 wing keel was the last trailerable sailboat with a backstay as the ones following after the B&R rig without a backstay. The forum store is manned and owned by former Hunter employees who have a built list of parts for your boat. Size and shape values are important when selecting a mainsail for your boat. The store does sell a mainsail for your boat. I was a hunter dealer who sold that boat

 

[Joe]

Hi all! I am just wondering if a Hunter 23 mainsail will work on an O'Day 25.?.? I know the size is different, but I found a sail for a great price and wondering if it is worth buying. I mainly sail lakes here in Mid Missouri, so I am not racing around the world or anything. Thanks!!

Go to this site and it'll teach you a lot about how sails are measured, what fabrics are used and added features that may interest you. If you look up your boat in their database... it's easy, just type in your boat Oday 25 in the search box.... there you'll find its factory dimensions and a list of sails offered and their respective prices. You'll learn a lot.
You may also want to take the time to explore the difference between a local and an offshore (or online) sail loft.

 

[dLj]

Like everything else on a boat, sails are a compromise. Start with the intended use, ocean crossing, coastal cruising, racing, etc.

When we made those decisions we downsized the genoa from 150 to 135 and went with a triradial cut in a low end laminate to offset the performance loss and to increase longevity. Also went with at triradial main for improved performance. We've been pleased with the performance of the sails.

We also went with a medium weight sail in anticipation of sailing in higher winds. This resulted in a very heavy sail. The sail will probably last longer, but it is a bear to flake and bend on. We have mixed feelings about that decision.

I think I should start a new thread. I don't want to hijack this thread.

dj

 

[PaulK]

I hate to be a nay-sayer, but I have come to the position that there is no such thing as a good deal on a sail. You CAN overpay, but in general, you get exactly what you pay for. Used sails are always priced as pretty much an exact percentage of their remaining useful life. And, new sails are pretty much priced according to materials and features. Well-made sails tend to be priced accordingly, and sails with manufacturing shortcuts also seem to be priced accordingly.

I am all set up to make my own sails, and can muddle my way through that process, and even that doesn't save me any money - in particular when I estimate that a sail that I make will last about a season or two less than a sail made by someone who knows what they are doing. And, certainly not if my time is worth anything.

Beg to differ. We got a suit (main, 150% Genoa, and two spinnakers) from a sistership that had been destroyed in a hurricane. They were practically new and about 75% less than they would have been from the sailmaker. We used them to win our club championship that year and when the main and jib wore out (about five years later) we got new ones (at full price) from the same sailmaker and won it again.

 

[shemandr]

Going back to the OP we are talking about an ODay 25 on a lake. So that narrows the discussion quite a bit. I could argue that on a lake, with their reported fickle winds, a well shaped suit of sails is way more important than a cruising boat crossing oceans.
When sailing in lightish lake winds keeping the boat moving and having that apparent wind working for you is paramount. If you are moving the sails, hull and keel are producing lift. Stopping forward motion is deadly and causes frustration. In ocean sailing hopefully you are sailing downwind and there is wind. Durability of sails is paramount. You don’t want rags because it’s not always downwind. I still Rx for the vast numbers of sailers to have the best shaped sails possible.