Should I recut my mainsail?

[Adjusterdehart]

Recently acquired a H37c, 1980, and the mainsail appears to be blown out. I am not sure how to tell, but what leads me to think so is.....

The sail looks wallowed out when up, there is no apparent aero foil look, it just bellows out all over evenly.

The boom is too low, have to use the topping lift to keep it off the bimini when the sail is up..so the tight topping lift no doubt is leading to the bad set.

Cannot raise it hight enough no matter how hard I try to get the wrinkles out at the slides in the mast track.

The lazy jacks are tight as guitar strings, I guess because the sail has become longer.

Wondering about getting it recut.

Can anybody give any advice on what I am seeing and anybody have any experience with recuting....cost....outcome?

Besides being a bit dirty here and there, the material does not look that bad and there are no tears.

lastly, what would it cost to get a new one made? what are the measurements? And, there is a local boaters resales shop here that has tons of used ones, but I am afraid to spend money on one, not knowing what I am looking at, and end up with the same situation.

Anybody been there...where I am at?

 

[Ed Schenck]

A new North is over $2000. Offshore sails much less. You can get a quote from Doyle right here on the SBO store. Sailwarehouse and Sailrite both have good charts for sail size.

You need to get the bimini and the jacks out of the way so that you can see what you have. A beauty of the H37C is the low CE(center of effort). You can carry all the sail well past 20 knots. Don't mess with raising the boom. I built my bimini with a low front so that I could keep the boat as designed. Sailcare can clean, refurbish, and recut your sail if that is what you want.

 

[rardiH36]

Cannot raise it hight enough no matter how hard I try to get the wrinkles out at the slides in the mast track.

Hi congrats on your recent purchase of a Cherubini Hunter.

I'll let others respond on most of your questions, but re the above part of your question, unless you have a sail that was made for another boat with a higher mast, the following info may help:

1) Before raising the sail, first use the topping lift to raise the boom well above horizontal. It helps (a lot) if all of the boom weight tension is off the sail (leech) so that the luff slugs run up the track freely without friction/tension. Let down the topping lift only after the halyard is tensioned with the winch.

2) The luff bolt rope which is sewn inside the sail fabric often shrinks with moisture and age. So no matter how tight you make the halyard, the shrunken bolt rope prevents the dacron sail fabric in the luff area from getting tight as well = wrinkles at the luff. The bolt rope is usually seized to the sail material at the head and/or luff cringle with sailmakers twine. A sailmaker can cut this twine out and milk (stretch out) the sail fabric along the bolt rope.

The mainsail that came with my used boat also allows the boom to hang lower than I want. I don't have a bimini installed, but I'm 6'4". The original sail allowed the boom to swing about 6'0" over the cockpit floor level which is bit of a safety concern. I found a used Catalina 36 sail which limits the boom drop to about 6'5". The Catalina sail all-around has maybe 5% less sail area than ideal for my boat, but as a weekend sailor, any decrease in performance isn't really a concern. On SF Bay, I'm reefed most of the time anyway. When the wind is a bit lighter, the 135 genny does most of the work anyway.

 

[Adjusterdehart]

Thanks, good commetns

 

[Adjusterdehart]

I got a sailmaker that does repairs too looking at her tomorrow. He also mentioned the luff bolt rope thing. We shall see if we can tune up the sail a bit and get another year or two outa her. Thanks for the comments.

 

[Adjusterdehart]

MarineAir 16,000 btu A/C will not hold freon charge

of R-22, leaks out quickly and unit freezes up.

I hear leaks are very hard to find. I suppose the unit will have to come out of the boat an onto a bench to find and fix the leak.

Anybody have any suggestions? Other than to buy a new one?

 

[Ed Schenck]

Don't buy a new one until you an HVAC guy look at it.

 

[Blaise]

If your sail is original, it is over thirty years old. In my opinion, not worth spending a dime on. I found the commnets on using a main off of a Catalina 36 iinteresting. That sail, if made to fit, should have been a foot to long on the hoist. One of the beauties of our boats is the low aspect sail plan. It is easy to find a used sail too big and have it cut down. But it should not be shortened by taking it off the top, instead off the foot. Taking it off the foot will prevent any problems from excessive roach. If you fine a sail that has to be shortened by more that a foot, my advice is to leave it alone. As far as measurements go. Don't believe what is published. Measure it yourself. With the mast step being adjustable, the masthead can be moved two feet. You can try Atlantic Sail Traders in Sarasota Florida. That is where all my used sails go. For new sails, Knighton Sailmakers is Sarasota make all my new sails and I have been extremely happy with them. (Not just because they use my boat in their ads)

 

[rardiH36]

I found the commnets on using a main off of a Catalina 36 iinteresting. That sail, if made to fit, should have been a foot to long on the hoist.

Hi Blaise:

I didn't pick a Catalina sail because of a lot of research. Just happened. About three years ago, I was visiting a marine consignment store in Alameda CA looking for something else. While browsing I saw the full battened Catalina 36 main sail. It was in reasonable condition (a lot better than the probably original sail that was mounted on my boat when I bought it) and since it had been on consignment for quite some time, the price had dropped to only $150 with battens.

Its a standard rig sail with manufacturer's P=39 and E=12. The Catalina 36 tall rig has 41' and 13'. (Might be the sail specs you are thinking about?). The Hunter specs for my 1980 Hunter 36 are 41' and 12'9".

Been using the Catalina sail for three San Francisco Bay years and its still holding up. Good $150 depletion to my bank account.

I've made a couple of modifications to it:

- Immediately removed the Catalina logo which just wouldn't do to fly on a Cherubini Hunter.
- I know from your posts through the years, you don't reef except in pretty extreme conditions. But the 36 probably is more tender than the 37? And you push your boat harder. Catalina's OEM standard issue mainsails only have one reef point and its not a deep one at that. With winds often (most often) at +25 at several sections of the SF Bay that I need to transit every time I leave the berth, I was often overwhelmed with weather helm, even with the head sail wrapped up a bit. So I put in a second reef point (DIY but its holding for two years!). I find that the boat will do well and its a lot easier to keep the mainsail reefed and then play with the furling 135 Genoa as the conditions change from 25kts, then to 10kts and then back to 25-30kts again crossing the slot back to Sausalito. Won't do in races in know, but for a three hour day sail, a reasonable compromise.

rardi

 

[sandpiper10471]

I installed a dodger and bimini which I had scavenged from another H37C and the boom hit it. I was able to raise the gooseneck about 9 inches to clear the new gear. The original sail was cut very short on the hoist.
I have to agree with Blaise, though. If the sail is that old, buy a new one. Your boat will sail so much better, especially to windward. I recently purchased all three sails from Lee Sails for a grand total of about $6 000 Canadian. Exceptional value.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Geez Bill, prices have gone way up! My yankee is a Lee and was less than $1600. in 2000.

 

[sandpiper10471]

The Lee sails were about 33% less costly than the other quotes I was able to get in Ontario. I did get the yankee a bit bigger by 3 ft. on the foot and leech. Main is a bit bigger too with 2+2 battens. Nothing fancy. All sails are an ounce heavier than most sailmakers were recommending for the boat. Triple stitched.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Same here Bill. I had purchased a new North mainsail the prior year. I would have liked to match it with a North yankee. But the samples from Lee and the price were too good. I think almost $1000. less than North. And they paid the shipping both ways for my old one. Mine is also oversized.

 

[Blaise]

Whats a yankee?? Just kidding. Look at all the money you guys would have saved sailing the boat as a sloop. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[Ed Schenck]

We know you are kidding because two of your sails cost three times as much as three of mine. That is not an exaggeration! And I have more wires holding up my mast.

Pic: on our way to Buffalo and the Erie Canal. Love that staysail.

 

[guidera48]

My boat was purchased without a main. I am looking for a decent used main. Splashdown is not too far away in the future. Thanks
Jose

 

[CaptDanS]

Just listed a 37C mainsail in the classified. Take a look

 

[guidera48]

used main

Just listed a 37C mainsail in the classified. Take a look

I saw your listing and emailed twice with no reply.Is it still available let me know. Thanks

 

[tomgrigsby]

Cannot raise it hight enough no matter how hard I try to get the wrinkles out at the slides in the mast track.

The lazy jacks are tight as guitar strings, I guess because the sail has become longer.

I'd imagine you do need a new sail, but... If your lazy jacks are tight there's no way you'll be able to get proper sail shape. You need to ease them off so that your halyard and outhaul can do their thing. Also, are you getting the main all the way to the top of the mast? If there is stress on the boom it will hang on the track and make it difficult to raise the main all the way to the mast top. You might want to check these out and then see how the main looks. Might not be so bad.