Sailrite sails?

Ken Cross · Jun 14, 2014

I'd like to know too?? I'm not really in the market for a new sail, but a die hard do it your selfer.

Stu Jackson · Jun 14, 2014

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,7110.msg48394.html#msg48394

This skipper did a Vancouver, BC to Mexico trip, 5,000 nm.

finding41 · Jun 14, 2014

Sail Right's videos are great! I've made all my cushion covers, sail cover and a wind scoop just from the information I got watching the videos and getting to it. (I hadn't sewn before.) I would love one of there machines. For now I'm still using my old Singer Stylist.
I plan to cut down a couple sails I have acquired for our Siren 17. You can bet I'll be watching a few of there videos before I do that.

Tejas · Jun 15, 2014

I'm also interested in this subject, and I'm hoping replies from folks with experience will include the size of the boat and sails, the machine and thread. Using a Bernina 217N with a four-point, three-step zig zag cam and V-92 thread, we replaced our jib UV cover and rebuilt the head of a 140 genoa sail, it was not all that easy and has made us put a DYI yankee on hold.

Doc_holiday · Jun 15, 2014

Jib cover? I haven't see none of these. I have a hank on jib and it's a time eater to put it on and take it off all the time. It would be great to bag it while hanked on. I imagine a zipper to go around the forestay but then something to keep it from laying on the deck.

shemandr · Jun 15, 2014

Doc_holiday said:
It would be great to bag it while hanked on. I imagine a zipper to go around the forestay but then something to keep it from laying on the deck.

We used to have one for our Ranger 29. My wife made it, I think from Sailrite instructions. She made it a little too small but I could launch the jib almost as fast as a furler. Zipping it up took a bit longer but was pretty quick. I liked it very much. Also, I could change jibs, if desired. The jib halyard would clip onto the aft end of the bag to lift it off the deck a little.

dscribner · Jun 15, 2014

Danny,

Good Old Boat did an article on this. The editor/owner/cheif cook and bottle washer and his bride made a spinnaker from a Sailrite kit. They had a very good experience and enjoy the sail. There was also a fellow on this forum a few years ago that was quite pleased with his Sailrite kit sail. As long as you're a careful craftsman, I'd say you'd be just as happy with the results, plus you get bragging rights. I'm hoping to do the same this winter.

Tejas · Jun 15, 2014

Getting a bit off-topic, but as for a jib cover, here is a Sailrite article and video.

https://sailrite.wordpress.com/tag/jib-sock/

However, I disagree with the statement in the article:

"They are made to fit snugly so they don’t flap in the wind but so tight that they chafe the sail."

The video shows a cover that is not snug at all and flapping in the wind would likely cause chaff. There also seems to be a spare line attached to the top of the cover that is later wrapped around the cover and sail to mitigate chafe, and that line warped around the sail is shown in the picture. We use two spinnaker halyards, one to raise the cover and the other to wrap the cover tightly around the sail, to mitigate chaff.

Jackdaw · Jun 15, 2014

Dan,

There is guy in the Twin Cities that has, he's a friend of mine. If you want I can put you in touch.

clay

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Jun 16, 2014

I've had five sails made from SailRite kits in the past. GOOD folks to deal with, and will discuss your needs and design a kit that does what YOU need. Jeff helped me a lot.

You'll love a jib bag. Just be sure it's big enough for your biggest normal sail. Don't make it JUST to fit the working jib for example.

Here's mine, from SailRite plans

FourPoints · Jun 17, 2014

TSBB 2 said:
I've had five sails made from SailRite kits in the past. GOOD folks to deal with, and will discuss your needs and design a kit that does what YOU need. Jeff helped me a lot.

You'll love a jib bag. Just be sure it's big enough for your biggest normal sail. Don't make it JUST to fit the working jib for example.

Here's mine, from SailRite plans

Put a zipper along the length of top of that and it's MUCH easier to get the sail in and out of.

BTW, 3 strand for your halyard

how do you control the sail shape with that rubber band?!?

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Jun 17, 2014

FourPoints said:
Put a zipper along the length of top of that and it's MUCH easier to get the sail in and out of.

BTW, 3 strand for your halyard how do you control the sail shape with that rubber band?!?

That's a Dacron halyard, almost zero stretch. Fits the age and style of boat

She is after all, 52 years old.

And the zipper on top is a good idea

Doc_holiday · Jun 21, 2014

I really didn't mean to change the course of this thread but the sail bag is somewhat confusing. I have questions about stowing and deploying the sail.

For instance, when you stow it, do you simply drop the sail on the deck, disconnect the sheets and stuff it in clew first and then on the forestay end, does the canvass wrap around the forestay and zip up or Velcro? Is be interested in seeing a view from the front.

You mentioned a zipper on the top, so you would unzip it, deal with whatever is going around the forestay, move your halyard and reconnect the sheets? I know how ignorant this must sound.

shemandr · Jun 21, 2014

It's not ignorant at all - just new to you.
For ours, we didn't disconnect the sheets. We would drop and flake the jib, which would almost flake itself while being dropped. Then we would flake the sail forward towards the forestay in slabs of a little bit less than the length of the bag. When it was in a pile on the foredeck we would slide the bag over it. This is when it was good to not have such a tight fitting bag which is also true for a mainsail cover. I don't remember the zipper but I think it was forward of the forestay. It would probably have been easier to wrap the bag around the forestay and zip from the aft aspect of the forestay down the top of the bag. The sheets would double back and protrude from the bag. It takes longer to describe the process than to do it.

FourPoints · Jun 21, 2014

shemandr said:
I don't remember the zipper but I think it was forward of the forestay. It would probably have been easier to wrap the bag around the forestay and zip from the aft aspect of the forestay down the top of the bag. The sheets would double back and protrude from the bag. It takes longer to describe the process than to do it.

Mine wraps around the forestay and the two flaps are secured with Curtain Fasteners. I drop the sail, flake it, then slab fold it up in a pile on the foredeck. Unzip the top of the bag (it unzips completely from the forestay to the back where the D ring is), then slide it under the flaked and folded sail, pull it up around the forestay, then coil the sheets and drop them in the bag, and zip it closed. Then I take the halyard and clip it to the D ring and hoist the back of the bag a couple inches off deck. The bottom of my bag is mesh material so any moisture can easily drain out.

You could leave the sheets out, but keeping them clean and out of the elements seems more valuable then the few seconds it takes to run them each time you go out.

Joe · Jun 21, 2014

http://www.velasailingsupply.com/Harken-Headsail-Bags-s/3018.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZTcijh-MNY

SenecaDaze · Jun 22, 2014

DannyS said:
Anyone out there bought a sail kit from Sailrite and sewn your own? I've wanted one of their machines for a long time and have sewn many of my own projects for our boats from cushions to lee cloths to a new Bimini and I'm not too intimidated by the thought of sewing a new headsail but would like to know who has done this and what were your experiences? How did the sail perform? Would you do it again? This just seems like a great way to get a nice machine and a new headsail for the same cost as having one made for me. We're not racers so if there's a small performance loss from a DIY project, I'm not too worried about it, but I do want it to perform well.

Wow you are ambitious, My wife added reef points on our potter 15 main and it was a handfull, moving that sail around through the machine was no easy task, with a larger sail I think a football field would be better than our dining room table..She is an excellent seamstress but after that experience we will leave the work to the lofts.

nolasafari · Jun 22, 2014

I have dealt with Sailrite for close to 25 years, I have one of the heavy machines with the heavy flywheel. I have never made a sail with it but have made and repaired enough sunbrella items to at least break even. You also need a large assortment of other tools to accomplish any serious work, electric knife, special foots for the machine and so on, The amount of work and time to construct a sail will far exceed the money you save, go to a loft for a sail or have Sailrite build the kit for you, if you want to do it to say you did then go for it. I suspect that a lot of sail kits are unfinished sitting in a bag in the corner of a spare room.

BTW their machines are great, and do what they say they will do, my limitations are more likely due to my skill set.

Sailrite sails?

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