Ordering new Main Sail. Couple of questions

[Ward H]

I am finally replacing my 35 yr old main sail. I got a couple of last minute questions which of course I will be also be asking the sailmaker. I just wanted to run it by the good folk here first.

The sail will be made according to O'day 25 specs but I read a lot about going with a loose foot instead of a bolt rope foot. I do have an adjustable outhaul which I believe will make good use of the loose foot.

The stock sail has four partial battens. Other options of 2 full and 2 partial and all full battens. Should I consider the 2 + 2 option?

Thanks

 

[Joe]

I am finally replacing my 35 yr old main sail. I got a couple of last minute questions which of course I will be also be asking the sailmaker. I just wanted to run it by the good folk here first.

The sail will be made according to O'day 25 specs but I read a lot about going with a loose foot instead of a bolt rope foot. I do have an adjustable outhaul which I believe will make good use of the loose foot.

The stock sail has four partial battens. Other options of 2 full and 2 partial and all full battens. Should I consider the 2 + 2 option?

Thanks

Get the loose foot option with 2 full upper and 2 partial lower battens.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Ward,

I went to a local sail loft that deals with Rolly Tasker (famous Australian sailor) sails.
The loft had a sail drawing where we added dimensions, sail cloth, roach, footshelf, reefing points, the works.

The sails are made in Singapore. I did the same for my 150. The sails are of high quality & I got them within a month. I saved money based on quotes from local & national makers. Had the local quotes been close I would surely give the work to a US sailmaker.

The sails were shipped to the loft & we inspected the sails to make sure they were right per my specs with no imperfections. I had a guarantee that if I was not satisfied, I could return it or have them re-make a sail.

You can get decent quotes if wanting to go with an "off-the-rack type design" but, I needed to customize for my type of sailing.

Some may disagree with me going to Singapore for mine but hey, my money, my choice.

US dealers: http://www.rollytasker.com/dealer-locations/

CR

 

[Brian S]

Pineapple sails has a long article on full length battens which I have not read: http://www.pineapplesails.com/articles/fullbatt.htm

I'm sure it's informative. I'll go back and read it later.

I have heard that full battens prolong the life of a cruising main, because they don't allow as much stretch. My experience with full battens is on a Hobie 16, and the batten tension is adjustable and control the amount of draft.

Other than that, that's all I know. I'll go read that article now.

Loose footed allows for easier visualization of depth of draft, and easier adjustment. Drawbacks are increased endplate turbulence, to the point that racing sails sometimes have a lenticular shelf sewed in to reduce losses of efficiency of air flowing from the high pressure side of the foot to the low. Which then makes it look like a bolt rope foot Certainly not of concern for a cruising O'day 25, or indeed any boat I'm likely to sail!

Yeah, I'm gonna go read that article now...

 

[Ward H]

Joe,
The supplier said the same thing this morning. Nice to have confirmation from you.

CR,
Yep, going with RT sails via Dirk at National Sail Supply, heard a lot of good things about him and RT sails. Working from their standard materials and OEM spec for my boat, I compared to local lofts and other online lofts. Specs were all very close. The two local lofts were $400 and $500 over NSS.
I plan to customize with the 2 + 2 battens and loose foot but for my type sailing I don't think I need to get more custom than that.

Thanks

 

[Jackdaw]

Pineapple sails has a long article on full length battens which I have not read: http://www.pineapplesails.com/articles/fullbatt.htm

That's actually a decent article. And I'd also agree with Joe, a 2+2 if a great setup for most.

The pineapple piece brings up some good points. On any batten system, the key is batten stiffness. We have multiple sets of battens for our boats (2+1 for one and full for the other), and on our full-batten sails the sets are much softer than a 2+2 set would be. TALK to your sailmaker and let them know your typical conditions! The key is to allow maximum sail shaping and still function. Also important is a good track system for the main with full battens. We use a tides track and love it.

And the effect on sail longevity cannot be understated. Our laminate full-batten F260 main has been to war for three years straight and still has great shape. And we're pretty harsh with it.

 

[Joe]

Joe,
The supplier said the same thing this morning. Nice to have confirmation from you.

CR,
Yep, going with RT sails via Dirk at National Sail Supply, heard a lot of good things about him and RT sails. Working from their standard materials and OEM spec for my boat, I compared to local lofts and other online lofts. Specs were all very close. The two local lofts were $400 and $500 over NSS.
I plan to customize with the 2 + 2 battens and loose foot but for my type sailing I don't think I need to get more custom than that.

Thanks

One other option you might find quite useful is a set of draft stripes. Whether you race or not is irrelevant.

Ward, what you will find... as the rest of us already know.. is that along with a new suit of sails comes the revelation that performance is COOL! It will give you new purpose when daysailing or cruising.

This new found craving to dial in your trim settings can be greatly appeased with those horizontal stripes on your sails. Can't wait to hear back from you afterwards.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Hi Ward,

Joe's making some good suggestions. I hope to see those new sails later this year, once we move down to Mariners. When I got new sails from North, I did the same ... loose foot, 2 full, 2 partial battens. I'd have added the draft stripes if I had seen this discussion in advance! Come to think of it, I'm guessing Sail Care can add them this winter ... I want to be better armed when you have me in your sights!

See you soon!

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Joe is correct,

Who would order a new main & not spec draft stripes???
How can you tell what your camber is like under sail?

CR

 

[wristwister]

The sail will be made according to O'day 25 specs...

I hope by this you don't mean you're not planning to take a bazillion careful measurements for the sail?

When I ordered my new main, I told the rep "it's a bone stock Tartan 30, just make it according to the Tartan 30 specs." He refused to do that, and instead insisted that I take 20 or so measurements all over the boat, mast and boom. I did, and guess what, the mast was slightly shorter than stock, the boom was slightly longer than stock, and several other measurements were off as well. The rep laughed and said this is common on volume built classic plastic boats, between substitutions at the manufacturer and ~40 years of owners fiddling with it they often aren't exactly according to spec. The new main is a perfect fit, but had I had it made to Tartan 30 specs it would have been unusable.

 

[Ward H]

Even the local sail loft that specializes in sails for racing told me that for my boat and use they would not visit the boat or need a lot of measurements. They just wanted me to double check the luff and foot length and sail slug type and size. A sail for this boat I guess is just not that complicated.

I did confirm the basic measurements with National Sail when I placed my order. I spent some time talking to Dirk about where and how I sailed and what I was looking for. He also suggested the 2+2 batten arrangement and loose foot for more performance and sail trim abilities over the stock sail.
I had already put the draft stripe and O'day emblem in my original quote request so they are included. (I'm told the O'day emblem gives you a 1/4 knot more speed)

So, the sail is ordered and due in before a sailing vacation planned in Sept. After that I have another week of vacation so I hope to do a lot of fall sailing.

Thanks all!