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North Sails Direct

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sdpinaz
Navigator

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USA
193 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/22/2014 : 13:32:39

Does anyone have experience with Northsails Direct? they seem to be a bit cheaper than Catalina Direct......

Edited by - on

BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 08/22/2014 : 17:49:38

I know I inquired last year about a new 135% and they offered a great price and Free Shipping. I think it was $725 for the roller version. Good sails from what I've read. I think CD sells Ullman.

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 08/23/2014 : 10:24:29

I have been very impressed with the quality of their bids. I came close to buying one this year but stuck with Ullman Ventura.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 08/23/2014 : 13:45:18

I was ready to replace my 135 genoa two years ago with the North Sail pret-a-porter equivalent. The sacrificial strip was shot. Then I checked with my local sail repair guy, Gene Sutton, who fixed it up better than ever. Sutton Sail Repair, works with Neils Pryde, but is independent. I recall the price from NS was about $750 while the repair was about $250. If Gene had not come to the rescue I would definitely have gone with North Sails.

Edited by - Voyager on 08/23/2014 13:48:23

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2014 : 07:48:16

I purchased a Cruising Direct/North Sails Direct 135 genoa a few years ago (maybe 5?) and I just had the cover restitched as the thread exposed to sunlight had become brittle. Overall, I have no complaints with the sail. The sail this one replaced was a vintage (over 20 yrs old) North sail.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2014 : 09:24:54

Don,
If I'm reading your post correctly, did the 5 year old N-S 135 genoa have UV damage to the stitching thread? If so, this is not really a glowing endorsement for N-S durability. Now it's not a BIG DEAL to restitch the threads but there's a cost to it, and it could cause the sails to be damaged beyond stitching in a big blow.
Please elaborate or clarify...

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/24/2014 : 16:53:49

Actually, I may have purchased the sail closer to seven years ago. I can't really remember. The sailmaker at the loft I took the sail to for the restitch said the material felt rather heavy for a 25 foot boat.

Edited by - on

Heartbeat
Navigator

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USA
161 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2014 : 11:49:06

We bought our #3 (110%) from North Direct. The sail doesn't get used much, and we specced a fairly heavy cloth. I wanted the sail to be rated high - something like 35 knots apparent. The 110 that came with the boat didn't go to the masthead, and I wanted a sail that did. I got it. I thought we paid about $700, but when the wind is howling (and you have big crew weight) it is the dogs bollocks. When that sail goes up you want your foulies on. Any waves at all gets spray in the cockpit if you are going to windward.

North Direct has an office in the Northeast and they design the sail there and then send it offshore. (Not sure where. India?) I seem to think it took about 6 weeks to get it. Shipped right to the house. I think they might have put the wrong luff tape on it and I had to take it to the local North shop and get it swapped. (They did it for free as it was their mistake.)

I would definitely consider ND for another sail as long as I could fully explain what I want. A couple of years ago we were looking at a A-sail. (DRYA here gives a +6 rating bump for the A-sail.) The local shops wanted ~$1600 or so for one, but I was not entirely clear on what I would get. I talked to ND and they could beat the price, but didn't have a plot on what the A-sail was. The best I could tell them was it was designed for 70 degrees apparent to 130 and gave me a +6 rating bonus. (Can you tell I wanted that +6?) I decided to stick with my standard spinnaker. Really, do you want to look at a race trophy (or flag) and think about how much you had to spend on the sails and beer to get it?

Matt

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3754 Posts

Response Posted - 08/25/2014 : 20:35:21

Or instead of beer.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/26/2014 : 17:07:13

quote:
Originally posted by Heartbeat

North Direct has an office in the Northeast and they design the sail there and then send it offshore. (Not sure where. India?)

I think my sail was made in Sri Lanka.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2014 : 05:33:04

I still use my main and laper (115 %) from 79. All North sails.

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2014 : 09:20:47

I've had North Sails Direct asymmetric spinnakers on two boats and have sailed on a boat that used one of their C22 mains.

They are less expensive because they can be made in large batches and are made with lower end fabrics. The prices are great as a result. The spinnakers that I've owned are cut well and fly nicely, but probably won't hold up as well as my nicer UK spinnaker that is made with high end AirX fabric.

The same would be true of their dacron sails when compared to a custom made sail with higher end materials.

Edited by - on

Heartbeat
Navigator

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USA
161 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2014 : 13:13:15

quote:
Originally posted by awetmore

lower end fabrics

In my opinion, my dail from ND does not have 'lower end' fabric. I think the savings comes from lower labor rates offshore.

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2014 : 14:33:14

"lower end" fabric doesn't mean junk, just that it is the bottom end of a nice manufacturer's line such as Challenge Performance Cruise. It's probably better than the fabric used on the original sails that came with these boats, but not as nice as the best high end dacrons.

Edited by - on

Davy J
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1511 Posts

Response Posted - 08/27/2014 : 14:53:08

I purchased a 135rf headsail from Cruising Direct back in 2004. Was made by and labeled North Sails. Made in Sri Lanka. I purchased a new loose footed mainsail and another 135 genoa in 2011. I only purchased the new headsail because I wanted the sails to be both the same vintage.

Again the sails were made in Sri Lanka. However, the date on the packaging was from 2009. My guess is that these overseas lofts just start producing common, popular sails when they run out of other work. It would keep the labor working and the sails will most likely sell at some point.

My only complaint with NSD is that they failed to add a C25 logo to the main, even though it was advertised as having it. The sails performed very well and I was happy with them. YMMV......

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.