New Sail Costs

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Charles
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 20, 2017 4:38 pm

New Sail Costs

Post by Charles »

Has anyone had any experience of Directsails?
Given the cost of the boat for a main sail the quote was £450-£650 a 'cruising' sail.
Another quote from the UK was almost 3 times this and one has to practical.

Many thanks in advance

Charles
Cupar O' Fife
samphire2014
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by samphire2014 »

Hi,

I replaced my genoa a couple of years ago and spoke to Kemp, Jeckells, Crusader, Hyde and Rolly Tasker. My first comments are that they will all be offering discounts at some point, especially when things start to bite just after Christmas.

The big question is what you want from your sail. If you just want a 'get you there' type of sail without to much technical or performance/life expectancy input, then you can ask any of those and Direct and pick from the cheapest.

What I did learn fairly quickly is that there are 'sails' and 'sails'. If your existing one is trashed, then you need to think what you want from a new one. In my case I wanted the best I could get from the new genoa, so I spent a lot of time looking at the quotes received. It was evident very quickly that the quotes were all different, primarily in the selection of materials (sail cloth is a subject all on it's own and here you should be prepared to ask some searching questions), sail structure, survey and advice.

I found Kemp and Rolly Tasker to be leading the field when it came to technical expertise. I would be careful not to accept what any of them tell you at face value, as many sail makers just want to sell you what they have decided is best for them to hold in stock, not what is best for you and your boat.

IMHO, I would start by asking Kemp and Tasker, think carefully on what they say and then throw the spec at Direct and see what they come up with.
Keith 66
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 7:36 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by Keith 66 »

Our sabre has a set of Jeckells sails, mainsail was nearly new when we got the boat & has served pretty well for 11 years. It is getting baggy &reaching the end of its life. We replaced the Genoa about 5 years ago & got it from Jeckells, It is now badly stretched though otherwise looks good. It is soul destroying to have a sail that whatever you do has a great deep curl in the leech, think of an aircraft coming into land & what happens when it lowers its flaps!
The boat is a fin keel & the mast is set up well, she is fast but does not point anything like she should. Im thinking that a new suit will be required.
A couple of guys (both good sailors) at the club have recomended Crusader sails & i will go down this route. I wont have crosscut dacron sailcloth, a waste of money, it isnt worth the saving when it goes out of shape too quick. Probably be vectran with a radial cut.
samphire2014
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by samphire2014 »

Speak to Kemp. I spoke to all the others and frankly they are head and shoulders above the rest. My new Genoa has given me superlative performance, with pointing on a bilge keel beyond expectations. It has taught me how badly the existing rig is tuned, so that is my next point of focus. I also worked out how little I knew about sail setting and how much I needed to learn. The pre purchase survey form makes the others look like amateurs. Refer to my earlier post on this subject or feel free to contact me direct. NO. I am not on commission, the sail is that good!
samphire2014
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by samphire2014 »

Speak to Kemp. I spoke to all the others and frankly they are head and shoulders above the rest. My new Genoa has given me superlative performance, with pointing on a bilge keel beyond expectations. It has taught me how badly the existing rig is tuned, so that is my next point of focus. I also worked out how little I knew about sail setting and how much I needed to learn. The pre purchase survey form makes the others look like amateurs. Refer to my earlier post on this subject or feel free to contact me direct. NO. I am not on commission, the sail is that good!
Chiquita
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Dec 20, 2020 6:27 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by Chiquita »

Have you tried the Sail Doctor at Port Edgar ?
Keith 66
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 7:36 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by Keith 66 »

Our last trip out was our clubs centenary race, Windy with 1 reef in the main & genoa rolled to 1st reef, going well, & just got across the shipping channel 2 miles after the start, wind dropped enough to unroll the genoa. Just started sheeting in & big bang from aloft, down comes the genoa.
Turns out the webbing loop at the top of the genoa that shackles to the top swivel had parted leaving the swivel at the top of the mast.
Took the sail off & put storm jib up on spinnaker halyard & retired from the race.
Inspection of the webbing loops reveals hairy breakup of the webbing & the foot & clew are going the same way. Looks like uv damage.
Not good on a 6 year old sail that has not seen that much use.
I will be speaking to Kemps today.
samphire2014
Posts: 65
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 12:47 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by samphire2014 »

Stupid question, but I assume you take your sails off at the end of the season? Mine is about the same age as yours and is taken off every winter. Mine does not show the issues you describe. Faulty webbing perhaps?
Keith 66
Posts: 34
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 7:36 pm

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by Keith 66 »

Sail comes off every year when we haul out. I can only think cheap webbing was used.
Just had a good chat with Kemps & have a quote & list of options. The lesson is Buy cheap buy twice!
ken endean
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed May 10, 2017 11:11 am

Re: New Sail Costs

Post by ken endean »

In 2004 I commissioned a new genoa from Crusader. It has been used intensively for 3 months of every year, including 2 round-Britains, one round-Ireland and various other trips to east Coast, La Rochelle, etc. No problems although I am fairly diligent with a needle and thread, because surface stitching does wear.

The sail is in tan canvas and is for a Mk 1 (9 metre long) mast, so would be small for later Sabres. It is roped for roller gear and has Crusader's favoured luff detail - a twin plastic tube rather than a foam filler. This works brilliantly in heavy weather. After 18 years the sail has been replaced with an identical copy but the old one still has some life in it and is FREE TO A GOOD HOME if anyone fancies it.

A few years ago I also commissioned a mainsail from Crusader. This was slightly problematic because it was for round-the-boom roller reefing and I had to play with the tack connection in order to make it set properly, but now it is OK. Also Crusader fitted a full-length top batten and I should have opted for a more expensive swivel fitting for the batten's mast slider connection, but that has now been rectified by a couple of cable clips. Not expensive!
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