SailRite Kit and sailcoth for crusiers

[dee.yeah]

Recently I'm looking for info on replacing the sails of my Yamaha Y-25II, and came across SailRite.

Did anyone try their Sail Kit, i.e. purchasing the sail in pieces (panels?) and sewing it by yourself? Any comment?

I intend to use Dacron sailcoth, but I realized there're many specification, e.g. 4.4oz-7.4oz while I tried their online Sail Quotation interface. What specification should I use? What are the differences and how they affect the sailing performance?

Thanks!

Alex

 

[RichH]

Making your own sails from kits is a rewarding pursuit as well as saving $$$ in the process.
However, unless you have a 'robust' sewing machine capable of 'canvas work' your results 'may' be less than satisfactory. Home (plastic) sewing machines dont have the 'strength' to hold up the strain of sewing sail fabric and may become easily damaged or at the least will require constant adjustment of the 'timing' of the machine.

If you have access to a 'robust' or industrial grade machine, then by all means contact Sailrite and ask for Jeff Frank their resident 'sail designer'. Jeff will tailor/design a sail best suited to your exact needs, your sailing experience, budget and will gladly discuss the choice of materials, etc. etc. etc. .... and develop a quote to your needs and desires, etc.

 

[Steve Dion]

As Rich mentions, very rewarding but it is doubtful you will get the same quality of a sail that you would get from this website.

I just priced out a Sailrite sail for a H'31 (very popular) with 8.3 Challenger and the kit alone is about $900 without any extras (no reef points, emblems etc. If they finished this sail it would cost an additional $770.

You can get a similar sail with a single reef point from SBO for about $1450 with a guarantee that it will fit and will be excellent quality.

 

[dee.yeah]

Thanks Rich and Steve. I understand it all depends on if a robust industrial grade sewing machine is available or not. But I believe it must be a rewarding process to make a sail even from a kit.

Let me check if I can get reach of a proper sewing machine. ;-)

 

[gettinthere]

we did a LOT of heavy canvas work with a Kenmore sewing machine. It was an older model with steel gears, held up fine. We did buy a sailrite to get a good walking foot. it also does make sewing easier than the kenmore

 

[Ed Schenck]

All good advice so far. Sail kit plus good walking foot machine equals cost of new sail. But then you will have years of canvas projects plus the experience. A sail is a lot to take on as a first sewing project though. I made my own bimini from a Sailrite kit, new cockpit cushions, and minor things like winch covers. But a mainsail?

 

[Paul356]

Built a Sailrite kit for a 15-foot skiff on a Kenmore. It worked well, and the sail fit well, but I think that was about the limit of that machine. The heavier cloth for a big boat sail would definitely stretch or exceed the capacity of a home machine. But I'd definitely build another Sailrite kit for a smaller boat. Also, Sailrite is a pleasure to deal with.

 

[sailormanbigd]

Eds canvas work looks pro. go Ed

 

[Ed Schenck]

Hi Pat, but you saw the bimini after we had it repaired. Maybe I didn't tell you about the storm in the Indian River over near Cocoa Beach. Put a pretty big tear where it had weakened from the boom rubbing on it. We had it resewn in Vero Beach, guy came to boat, took it home, brought it back after dinner. He added a nice chafe guard across the top of the forward edge. But it had served six year before that.