New Sails

[HomeyD]

I am ready to order new sails for my Catalina 22. A full battoned main and 135 Jib set up for a roller furling as well as the furling itself, So far I have a quote from North sails. Looking for any and all recomendations for fabric and sailmakers for best deel. I'm low budget but I want reasonable quality. All comments appreciated.

 

[dlochner]

Look no further.

Sail Loft

Sail Loft

shop.sailboatowners.com

A basic cross cut Dacron will be fine unless you are seriously racing.

 

[jssailem]

Not sure what you are seeking. North Sails are excellent. They have supplied the sails for my boat.
Are you working with one of their lofts? Winter is a good time to place orders. Sails get delivered in the spring. Ready for the new season.

 

[rgranger]

Go with a loose foot main

 

[PaulK]

. Does your sailmaker think the 135% will provide enough power to keep you moving on those light air days that are typical off Mystic in the summer? Our "new" boat came with a 135% jib. It worked fine up in Buzzards Bay, but not so much on Long Island Sound, so we got a 150% (see avatar) to keep us from having to use the engine all the time.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Precision and Rolly Tasker both have reasonably priced sails with decent feedback from customers

 

[Tally Ho]

I shopped around a bit when I bought my last set of sails…North Sails has a local lift (not that they make the sails there), Precision, a few other internet places.

I told North I needed a little discount, and they dropped the price some.

On my main, it was nice to get their advice on my plan for a full-batton main. They recommended Tides Marine Strong Track, which I added….great recommendation.

Greg

 

[stickinthemud57]

I have bought several sails through thesailwarehouse.com and have been pleased with the product and service. They are a Rolly Tasker dealer. If you are considering Lite Skin (more information here), be sure that the jib and main are made from the medium weight material. My jib was made from the lighter weight version and showed signs of deterioration in the first season of use. Ultimately the dealer and Rolly Tasker stepped up and resolved the matter to my satisfaction. Both sails perform very nicely - excellent shape and performance - and look great as well.

 

[HomeyD]

Thank you for all your tips. I have explored all of them and am coming to a comfortable decision. SInce I will at times be sailing alone I intend to install lazy Jacks. How does a sail bag work with them. Anyone have experience with them?

 

[kappykaplan]

I intend to install lazy Jacks. How does a sail bag work with them. Anyone have experience with them?

For most of us with a sail pack, Mac pack, etc., the lazy jacks are connected to the pack. After dousing the sail, zip up the pack.

 

[dlochner]

With traditional lazy jacks, i.e., not integrated into the sail cover, the sail is dropped and flaked between the lazy jacks and secured with sail ties. Then the lazy jacks are pulled forward against the mast and the sail cover installed.

For bigger heavier sails the stack pack systems are great. On a Catalina 22, the sail is smaller and more easily managed so, stack packs are bit if over kill especially on a tighter budget.

 

[rgranger]

If you go with sail-slugs (slides) instead of a bolt rope to bend the luff, you might consider a down haul that laces back and forth between the slugs on its way to the head-grommet. This will help guide the luff into a flaked pattern when you pull down the sail. It also helps to snub the out-haul and I have also found that if you have slab reefing installed, you should go ahead and pull the reefing line as you bring the sail down, this will hold the clew(s) out on the boom and make it easier to properly fold (flake) your sail on the boom. Then just put a sail cover over the sail. If you do not already have a sail cover, I recommend buying one that has the twist-lock fasteners instead of zippers. The twist-lock will outlast the canvas… zippers break and the plastic gets brittle. Also, the twist-lock leaves the bottom open so the sail can breath… and that keeps mildew at bay.

DOT® Twist-Lock Barrel Stud (Nickel-Plated Brass)

DOT Twist-Lock Barrel Studs are made of top quality nickel-plated brass and are used for cloth-to-cloth applications.

www.sailrite.com

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Catalina Direct just had discounts on sails for their boats. Not sure if it is still going on. Might want to check. Otherwise, this is the time of year to buy sails as many sail makers have fall discounts going on. North is a great product, but if you are low budget, you probably can find a sail maker that is not so upscale for a better and cheaper solution. Cross Cut sails are the cheapest as they are the easiest to make and they have fewer pieces to stitch or glue together, but they are also the simplest in design. Dacron is cheaper than a laminate sail for sure. When you buy a furling headsail, tell the sail maker what brand furler you have and they will build to suit. If they are not around to measure they might have you take some measurements based on a guideline that they will provide to assure they have the right fit. If you will consider used sails, then check out Bacon Sails in Annapolis MD. They have thousands of sails to choose from and they make them new as well.

 

[Tally Ho]

I installed a Mack Pack shortly after buying my O’Day 322 and spilled the sail all over the cockpit the first time I dropped it…huge pain in the arse.

As others have said, the Mack Pack is integral with the jacks. I can lower the sail into the bad, stuff it in in a few places, and have it zipped closed before I even get back to the dock!

Here is a little video of my installation…

At around 25:12 on this one, I show how I drop the sail, stuff it, and zip it up.

Greg