Thanks Jibes, I work at the Parks and Recreation and we have some 12' tables so I figured I could use them. It should be a fun project something to talk about while I'm sailing slow.
Which sail should I make first?
- Thread starter Skipperdan
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@Skipperdan
You can buy wood strips of oak and pine at Lowes or rip them yourself if you have a table saw. Here is a tiller I made a few years ago that way. I screwed blocks into the floor of my shed to make a jig... (make sure you put plastic down first)... glued the strips together.... then shaped with a planner and sander and then put 7 coats of varnish ... done.
You can buy wood strips of oak and pine at Lowes or rip them yourself if you have a table saw. Here is a tiller I made a few years ago that way. I screwed blocks into the floor of my shed to make a jig... (make sure you put plastic down first)... glued the strips together.... then shaped with a planner and sander and then put 7 coats of varnish ... done.
Nice that's how to do it. I just used the old tiller for a jig because it was not broken. Screwed it to the plywood put tape down an clamped the new strips to it. If I wanted more rise I could put a block in-between and got more. Not a hard job at all. If I do another I will use a Kevlar tube to go over it. Pull it tight and flood it with epoxy.
Like a nylon rope hollow. You pull it over the tube then pull both ends and it forms to the tube. I used them to make light strong tubing for planes. I think bikes use them also. Just cleaner than wrapping it.
My thoughts:
If you are cruising, I'd definitely go for the 110 first. For cruising, we then went with an asymmetric spinnaker for light air. If we are not close hauled, the asymmetric works much better than the 150. And, it's good up to 15 knots on a reach.
The 150 rapidly loses its shape once you are 50 degrees off the wind. I think it's only for racing hard on the wind in light winds - 0 to 10 knots. You need serious rail meat to carry it in higher winds. It's a lousy sail on a beam reach.
We use our 135 only one or two times per summer if we plan a long leg close hauled in light air.
If you are cruising, I'd definitely go for the 110 first. For cruising, we then went with an asymmetric spinnaker for light air. If we are not close hauled, the asymmetric works much better than the 150. And, it's good up to 15 knots on a reach.
The 150 rapidly loses its shape once you are 50 degrees off the wind. I think it's only for racing hard on the wind in light winds - 0 to 10 knots. You need serious rail meat to carry it in higher winds. It's a lousy sail on a beam reach.
We use our 135 only one or two times per summer if we plan a long leg close hauled in light air.
Found a nice jib on Ebay made an offer and it was accepted. $150.00 includes shipping. 6" too long but I think I can make it work. Now I can just make a nice 135.
BTY: For the tiller, use plastic wrap 5 inch wide 1000 foot role. As you wrap it, it gets tighter and tighter, and makes quick work out of those lamination projects. use Tite-bond glue.
Just curious, I've heard that anything over 120 on a jib gets diminishing returns. The drag goes up, so the efficiency goes down.
Just curious, I've heard that anything over 120 on a jib gets diminishing returns. The drag goes up, so the efficiency goes down.
Do you have a roller furling sys?
I have both 110 and 150 jib on my roller furler and mostly used my 150. I sail Mostly in light winds 10-15 on average.
My 150 I had made with heavier ounce sail cloth on the outer edge approximately 40% of the sail so that in heavy wind I can easily roll up a portion and reef. This gives me heavier ounce cloth when reefed where it is needed. Some will argue about sail shape in light winds however, I don't race anymore and for me its is more about making my life easier. Changing sails is not a hard thing to do, but I can tell you at my stage in my life I can think of better things to do with my time. I still have the 110 for heavier air if I need it but it mostly stays in my sail locker.
Hope this helps
I have both 110 and 150 jib on my roller furler and mostly used my 150. I sail Mostly in light winds 10-15 on average.
My 150 I had made with heavier ounce sail cloth on the outer edge approximately 40% of the sail so that in heavy wind I can easily roll up a portion and reef. This gives me heavier ounce cloth when reefed where it is needed. Some will argue about sail shape in light winds however, I don't race anymore and for me its is more about making my life easier. Changing sails is not a hard thing to do, but I can tell you at my stage in my life I can think of better things to do with my time. I still have the 110 for heavier air if I need it but it mostly stays in my sail locker.
Hope this helps
Well the 100 came and I cleaned it. Found a tag that said light air jib attached. I am assuming this was for a smaller sailboat and is a 135 or 150 for that boat. It also has some battons (not with it but locations for them. Needs a little sewing and all the snaps would not work so I removed them and cleaned them up. I have to sew them back on. you get what you pay for I guess.
Well my supplies from Sailrite came today. Not my sails but some projects that I would need anyway. I purchased a tiller cover kit and a sail bag. along with some patching material. I started with the tiller cover looked easy enough. Took about 1/2 hr. The hardest part was turning it inside out. The sewing machine worked great, I had taken it to work and cleaned and oiled it up before hand. I watched a lady on You tube sew 7 layers of denim with the same machine, 3 layers of leather like butter. When I was going through 4 layers of the Sunbrella material I had to help it start. Next I am going to try to repair my main until I can afford a new main. Looks easy enough just going to be more cumbersome.
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Skipper, you might use the smallest needle you can, and still get your thread through. You ought to be able to us size 69 thread, but for a tiller cover, I'd think heavy duty regular thread should work. Use two rows of stiches.
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Yep I used two rows on the Tiller cover. I am making a sail bag tonight should be about the same as the cover. I have to save up some money for a new main sail. It is going to be kind of embarrassing sailing that dirty old sail. I should have enough by June to make two sails a main and a 135.
Well I finally got to sail. The main that came with the boat was not correct. So I ordered a sail from precision sails. In the meantime I cut the foot of the one I had and made it work. The one from precision was cheaper than what I could sew a kit for. For the meantime my sail only goes 2\3 up the mast, but i can sail.