The mainsail on my boat is getting pretty old and has a lot of bag in it after any attempt to flatten it(outhaul, cunningham, halyard, etc.) I don't have the money to replace it now, so is there any way to improve performance/shape until I have the funds to replace it?
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Bill O'Donovan
Idea
See my posting "Faster!" under the Midsize Forum of Hunter Owners Website. The idea is to double up on the boom vang blocks.
See my posting "Faster!" under the Midsize Forum of Hunter Owners Website. The idea is to double up on the boom vang blocks.
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Bill Weaver
mainsail improvement
I had a similar problem when I purchased my 1999 26 X. It had a tear starting at the second grommet from the bottom of the mainsail going up the mast and it had a crease like a fold running through the center of the sail even with a 10 mph wind so I felt that the sail had bagged. I took it to a sail shop and they said that the rope bolt that is sewn in the length of the sail running up the mast had shrunken and they cut it loose , pulled the sail taught and restitched the rope bolt. Now the rope bolt was 9 inches shorter at the bottom but doesent matter at all. More important the sail seems like new again. They reinforced the grommet but were surprised how much a Doyle sail could shrink in just two years.If anyone has a puckered look along their rope bolt have this $75.00 fix done and your sail can now be pulled tight along the mast again.
I had a similar problem when I purchased my 1999 26 X. It had a tear starting at the second grommet from the bottom of the mainsail going up the mast and it had a crease like a fold running through the center of the sail even with a 10 mph wind so I felt that the sail had bagged. I took it to a sail shop and they said that the rope bolt that is sewn in the length of the sail running up the mast had shrunken and they cut it loose , pulled the sail taught and restitched the rope bolt. Now the rope bolt was 9 inches shorter at the bottom but doesent matter at all. More important the sail seems like new again. They reinforced the grommet but were surprised how much a Doyle sail could shrink in just two years.If anyone has a puckered look along their rope bolt have this $75.00 fix done and your sail can now be pulled tight along the mast again.
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Paul Akers
Refurbish?
Maybe a refurbishment will help at a reasonable cost. Look at sailcare.com. I have seen what they can do for sails and amazed at the new life this can do for older sails. The come back like brand new.
Maybe a refurbishment will help at a reasonable cost. Look at sailcare.com. I have seen what they can do for sails and amazed at the new life this can do for older sails. The come back like brand new.
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Bill
Sail Care
I had them do my main several years ago and the sail really does come back looking like new. They deliver what they promise. Unfortunately, it sounds like you would be spending about a third of the cost of a new main on a great looking stretched out sail. Having the sail recut might work but only a competent sailmaker could tell you for sure. In any case, the sail material is still broken down and weak from years of use and exposure. I would consider taking the money you would spend on recutting and Sail Care and biting the bullet on a new sail. Esspecially if you are going to be keeping the boat for awhile. Hunter sails can be found relativly cheap from a variety of sources. Don't forget used sails which may be brand new.
I had them do my main several years ago and the sail really does come back looking like new. They deliver what they promise. Unfortunately, it sounds like you would be spending about a third of the cost of a new main on a great looking stretched out sail. Having the sail recut might work but only a competent sailmaker could tell you for sure. In any case, the sail material is still broken down and weak from years of use and exposure. I would consider taking the money you would spend on recutting and Sail Care and biting the bullet on a new sail. Esspecially if you are going to be keeping the boat for awhile. Hunter sails can be found relativly cheap from a variety of sources. Don't forget used sails which may be brand new.
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Bob Camarena
Full Battens
Retrofitting full battens should be relatively inexpensive and, if your sail is not too far gone will add a few years and improve performance. Talk to a local sailmaker and get a quote and opinion. I agree that SailCare does a great job but cleaning and re-resining won't eliminate the bagginess.
Retrofitting full battens should be relatively inexpensive and, if your sail is not too far gone will add a few years and improve performance. Talk to a local sailmaker and get a quote and opinion. I agree that SailCare does a great job but cleaning and re-resining won't eliminate the bagginess.
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Steve W.
I swear this is true....
I have a retired 55 year old sailing buddy, very, very rich and very cheap, too. He has an old piece of crap Chrysler 22 and every season, he takes his baggy main, rolls it out on the lawn, scrubs it clean, puts it in his swimming pool for a few hours, then dries it on the lawn. All the baggieness is gone and lasts about 6 months. He sails at least 3 times a week. I would never believe it shrinks enough to work, but it does. Just to complete the picture, he installed all his own stancions...made out of galvanized pipe and flanges, painted red, the tiller is a broken axe handle, the Chysler outboard takes about 30 pulls to start, and he painted the whole thing with a brush using Walmart paint. what a guy!
I have a retired 55 year old sailing buddy, very, very rich and very cheap, too. He has an old piece of crap Chrysler 22 and every season, he takes his baggy main, rolls it out on the lawn, scrubs it clean, puts it in his swimming pool for a few hours, then dries it on the lawn. All the baggieness is gone and lasts about 6 months. He sails at least 3 times a week. I would never believe it shrinks enough to work, but it does. Just to complete the picture, he installed all his own stancions...made out of galvanized pipe and flanges, painted red, the tiller is a broken axe handle, the Chysler outboard takes about 30 pulls to start, and he painted the whole thing with a brush using Walmart paint. what a guy!
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jim oursler
check the rope in the luff-baggy main
Sure enough, couple of years ago I had a baggy main also caused by shrinking rope in the luff. Price was around $75 to fix.
Sure enough, couple of years ago I had a baggy main also caused by shrinking rope in the luff. Price was around $75 to fix.
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