Lee has No Clue!
No Clue as in no Idea. Lee has had a little counter top at the Seattle boat show and I've talked to him several times about various kinds of sails over the years. Their prices appear cheap, from their web site, but the last time I was very interested in an asymmetrical. I've got a North 150 tri-radial and a North symmetrical tri-radial so I was looking for an asymmetrical for doing close reaching with, to fill in the gap, so to speak. At the North web site they have a number of asymmetricals and symmetrical spinnakers available, and they are categorized by apparent wind strength and apparent wind angle. Based on the type of chute you need - low apparent wind, close reaching, for example, it's easy to select the specific chute you need for that purpose. Now try to deal with Lee and you'll find they just don't know what you're talking about. Hey, they are supposed to be a sail loft, right? Someone running a sail loft should know these things! It isn't rocket science! I couldn't believe it. Talked to several people there and the reaction went from something kinda like Duh? to, after doing a long explanation, we'll get back to you (they had to contact the loft where they are made in Asia). Long story short, they just don't know. "Hey, man, it's an asymmetrical, what more do you need?" Makes you really wonder what they know about their other sail designs. You want a main or jib with a high draft, flat draft, etc., sorry .... they probably only have I, J, L, P, and sail cloth weight. In sails, one size does NOT fit all! As you might gather by now, I'm very UN-impressed with the Lee "loft".
