Bay Wings 2014 Sail Upgrades

Information and posts about the rigging and sails.
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wingman71
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Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2013 1:52 am
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Bay Wings 2014 Sail Upgrades

Post by wingman71 »

You know how you start doing just one upgrade, then another, then...? Well, here is how I have spent my winter.

Last summer, doing a jibe during a race in 20+ knot winds, I ripped the original main. It was a horizontal rip below one of the upper battens. The sailmaker to whom i took it said that the leach needed reinforcements above and below the battens and showed me why. As the sail was getting old anyway, I had him just fix the rip and I used sail tape to reinforce the leach. I decided that over the winter I would buy a new main and keep the old one for cruising and winter sailing.

I went to the Annapolis Sailboat Show in October to discuss new sails with several sailmakers. One sent me an estimate without seeing the boat or the sail! Another came out with me sailing, took pictures and measurements, and then gave me a very detailed quote. The third, to whom I had taken the ripped sail, also gave me a quote based on measurement he took when the sail was repaired. The third guy was over $1000 more than the second guy! The first guy, when I told him a wanted a string sail for racing, said that I really didn't, that he knew I needed just what I already had, just with better material. He still declined to come see the boat, saying he had over 30,000 sails in his database, so one would fit. Guess which sailmaker I chose!

To relieve the suspense, it was the second, Evolution Sails in Easton, MD. The Evolution Sails website for the national company is http://www.evolutionsails.com. Scott Gibbs runs the Easton office. Besides having the best deal, he also makes all his sails onsite, even the string sails. I have pictures! He has a machine that lays down the threads based on his computer program. All the other sailmakers have their sails made in Vietnam or Thailand or elsewhere in the third world. The fourth sailmaker, when asked in January when he could provide a sail, he said maybe April. I did not even ask for a quote.

Evolution Sails made the sail in a couple weeks after I sent them a check and spent a lot of time discussing the technical details with me. While I was at their loft, I met a customer who was picking up his new sails. He has a 26' one design ( cannot remember the make) and he has won his class for the last 3 years with Scott's sails. He is one of those rich guys that trailers his boat over the eastern seaboard racing.

The main was done in January, but the weather in Annapolis and the fact that my Honda outboard was off getting repaired has delayed the initial sail. Next week does not look promising weather-wise, but maybe Friday.

In the meantime, I have found that my original jib, which I was using as a practice and cruising jib, is coming apart after 8 years of sailing, so I am now buying a new jib from Scott. The racing jib I am currently using will be come the practice/cruising jib.

The total cost of two new sails is around $6000, but remember that these are the top-of-the-line string sails. Scott also makes cruising Dacron sails, and several types in-between, so if you are interested in new sails, he now has our measurements.

I have put pictures of the main being made into the Dropbox Public Folder, so you can see the sail as it was being made. Go to:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/573 ... down_1.JPG
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/573 ... down_2.JPG.

By the way, Practical Sailor has three documents on sails and sailmakers that are very interesting. Evolution Sails is not included, but you can read about the different materials and their pros and cons.

I will add another topic on my rigging updates!
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