Association Forum - New Jib from Loong Sails

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

New Jib from Loong Sails

New Topic

Reply to Topic

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

JanS48
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
141 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/07/2021 : 23:02:48

Greetings everyone
My STD rig C25 with CDI furling is in need of a major jib repair. The sun protection is frayed badly. A local sail-maker is quoting a price of $700+ to replace the sun protector. The jib material is in otherwise good condition. The size of the jib is a 125.
I got a quote from Loong sails (in the UK I believe) of $ 700. for an entirely new jib. Has anyone in the group done business with Loong sails?
Recommendations?
Thanks
Jan

82 C25 SR FK
Sailing out of Newport Harbor.

Roamer
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
21 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2021 : 06:02:45

I purchased a new mainsail and genoa from Loong last spring. Went through the U.S. rep. The sails are well made, set nicely. Made from "warpdrive" by Challenge sailcloth. Would definitely buy from them again!

fadeaway: 1984 TR/FK Trad

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2021 : 14:02:22

Loong Sails- easy to find - Loong Sails (China) LTD is a Chinese company founded in 1991 according to my web search. Not sure when Loong sails USA was started. Odds are good that your new sail money is going to the communist Chinese, the folks that brought us COVID-19!! Use someone else, if your budget gives you a choice.

DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2021 : 17:54:26

If someone tried to charge me $700.00 to repair the sun protection on my sails and then offer to sell me a new sail for the same price I�d go elsewhere. Sounds like they are putting their interests ahead of yours.

You should be able to get that repair done for less than $700, especially if the rest of the sail is in good condition.

Agree with David on the China thing.

Association Member

GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 02/08/2021 17:56:43

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

Members Avatar

USA
5851 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2021 : 20:02:44

Replacing sun protection on a sail is very expensive because Sunbrella is very expensive and because the old Sunbrella must be removed, which entails ripping out a gazillion stitches and which is labor intensive. I don't know what it costs currently, but the last time I priced it, I decided to buy a new sail instead.

Sunbrella is very durable, and, if the Sunbrella has deteriorated, you can be sure that all the other stitching holding the sail together is probably UV rotted, and the sail's remaining useful life is limited unless you have the whole sail re-stitched. You can have the sail re-stitched of course, but by the time you pay for the new sun protection and the re-stitching, the cost will approach the cost of a new sail.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3367 Posts

Response Posted - 02/08/2021 : 21:51:47

In addition to the work involved to repair sails as Steve detailed, above, it is also the labor costs which are almost always higher for locally (USA) repaired/manufactured sails versus sails manufactured overseas in regions with inexpensive labor costs.

There is another consideration: What sailcloth your existing jib is made of and would be similarly utilized to repair it versus the sailcloth material of the new sail you are being quoted. For example, an above posting mentioned new sails in "warp drive" Challenge sailcloth. I did not look into it's details on the Challenge website but you could check to see the durability of the sailcloth versus one of Challenge's 4 Dacron sailcloths. I believe Warp-drive is a laminate but I have not reviewed it's performance versus reliability compared to the other sailcloths. I suspect that the laminate is lighter and possibly more stretch resistant versus the Dacrons materials. The Dacron sailcloths, especially, in the lowest grade sailcloth tends to stretch earlier in it's lifespan but Dacron sailcloths last a very, very long time. Laminates tend to be more resistant to stretch but do not last as long. Anyway, you may want to review the characteristics of the sailcloth of the new sail you are being quoted versus other sailcloth grades that jibs are generally manufactured out of and see if that has any bearing on your decision-making. Eons ago, I have posted info regarding Challenge sailcloth. Another good source of info regarding Challenge sailcloths is in the Mack Sailmaker website. I happen to come across it many years ago and it has beneficial info regarding sailcloth

Larry
'89 Robin's Nest#5820, Potomac River/Quantico, Va
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

Edited by - OLarryR on 02/08/2021 22:20:09

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4275 Posts

Response Posted - 02/10/2021 : 20:11:32

Well... I guess I�ve been enlightened. LOL

I never thought it would be so expensive for a repair but the comments sure make sense.

Association Member

GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
5231 Posts

Response Posted - 02/11/2021 : 07:04:04

About 6 years ago I asked the local Nielspryde office here in Stratford CT to replace my UV protection and repair the stitching. I also asked them to wash and make needed cosmetic repairs to both sails. I can�t recall the the exact cost but it must�ve been $8-900 all in.
They returned to me a beautiful genoa and a serviceable mainsail that were both clean. I�m still using them and the UV cover is still in perfect shape. I get them washed there just about every other year and they keep after any loose stitching for about $200. Just the cost of being a sailor.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 02/11/2021 : 09:57:07

I replaced the sun protector (not Sunbrella)on my Ullman 135 head sail last year for $462.00 at Quantum Sails in CT. As I live in an expensive area I would expect the same repair elsewhere would be @$100 less. BTW Ullman Ventura quoted about the same but I would have had shipping costs as well.

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

bigelowp
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1736 Posts

Response Posted - 02/11/2021 : 09:59:51

BTW -- a new Rolly Tasker 135 from National Sail Supply in Florida is $782.00 -- for roughly the same money you could replace

Peter Bigelow
C-25 TR/FK #2092 Limerick
Rowayton, Ct
Port Captain: Rowayton/Norwalk/Darien CT

JanS48
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
141 Posts

Response Posted - 03/16/2021 : 21:27:19

Thanks for all the replies. I ended up letting my sail-maker re-fit a new sun protection. The price was $ 600. I most likely should have purchased a new one. If I get the 5 or 6 years out of this that the sail-maker claimed I would - I'll be happy with that.
Thanks again for all the input.
Jan