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Help.. Need Sail Cover for Roller Furler Head Sail

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RedRedWhine
Navigator

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USA
167 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/20/2008 : 12:42:23

Hello,

I have not posted in a while but have been reading a lot of post. I live in Vegas and the sun and heat take a toll on the sails. I went out sailing yesterday on Lake Mead and the winds were 10-20 mph. I started out with both sails up and not reef. It was fine until the wind started to gust to 30 mph. I was in the middle of a tack when I saw the head sail had a 4" rip in it at the leech. I rolled it up and used the main for a while. That worked fine until I had a accidental jibe and when the main went around I lost 5 sail slugs. Well that ended the sailing for the day. I got back to the dock and looked at the head sail and found that I had 4 rips all at 4" long. When the sail was rolled up all the rips lined up. I figured out that the sun and heat was causing the sail to be week at the area exposed. I have already repaired one rip and I am afraid that It will not be worth it to keep fixing it.

So, I need help on a few things. First where is the best place to find and buy a new sail. Do I just take mine down and measure it? Second how to I find a sail cover for the head sail and how do I put it on and off?

Thanks for all the help. I have been reading about a lazy Jack system here on the forum and that will be my next project. Thanks again for the help.

Don Young
Red Red Whine
Las Vegas Nv.

Don and Kim Young
Las Vegas Nv
http://web.me.com/bolter303/Our_World/Welcome.html

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3442 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2008 : 14:50:32

Is it possible that the rips you are mentioning are the sail cover on the furling jib ? This was what happened on my old furling rig jib. Furling rigged sails oftentimes have the sail cover sewn into the leech (the aft edge of the headsail). It is most noticeable since it is oftentimes a blue matl (maybe sunbrella or lighter) along the leech. However, sometimes it is made out of sail cloth in same white sailcloth fabric and so it seems like the sail is ripping when it may only be the sail cover matl sewn into the aft edge. You can bring your headsail to a sailmaker and they can repair/sew in a sail cover onto your existing sail.

If you are going to buy a new head sail, well the options are many sources to buy a sail from and a search in the archives would yield those past discussions. In many cases, individuals have bought sails thru mail-order from Catalina Direct, Cruising Direct, FX Sails, etc , etc and you probably can also contact Catalina Yachts and they probably will sell you sails as well. You can also get sails custom-made where the local sailmaker will come down, take measurements and make it from scratch. If you really want to get into this and most do not, the fact is that you are buying sailcloth and then it is sewn up by a sailmaker. Depending on the quality of the sailcloth and if they are custom-made will oftentimes determine the ballpark cost of your sails. Mack sails and Quantum are two sailmakers that custom make sails and out of the high quality Challenge High Aspect sailcloth. But so many have bought sails thru other lofts (Ullman, National, etc), saved a lot of money and were completely satisfied.

Not sure what exactly are your preferences regarding a replacement sail. Some have been sailing with the originals since......the '80s. So there is obviously varied opinions out there as to when to replace a sail and with what as the replacement. I tend to replace things with higher quality than original equipment. Some would question that especially when the original equipment last for so many years. So...hard to know what is important to you in providing a proper response.

Edited by - on

bill bosworth
Navigator

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USA
172 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2008 : 17:19:55

Don; I use a "jib sock" on our c250, the origional owner had sunbrella sewn onto the head sail, I found that it ruined the sail shape, so I removed it and had a jib sock made. The jib sock that I'm now using is from Catalina Direct, they had the best price and the quality of it, and my main sail cover is super. A jib sock is just a long tube with a zipper up one side. You pull it up using a spare halyard (my roller firling system has it's own) zipping the tube closed as it goes up. The jib sock is a little more trouble than a built in sail cover, but provides great protection, and doesn't interfere with sail shape.
I understand that Catalina makes their own sails, If the sails that came with my boat are an example, I would contact them first.
Bill
C250wb #134 Serendipity
on beautiful Kerr Lake, NC

Edited by - on

Russ.Johnson
Commodore

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USA
843 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2008 : 18:16:16

Don,

I also use a Jib Sock from Catalina Direct.
With the CDI roller furler the Jib Halyard can be used to raise the jib sock.

There is a general issue with jib socks because the extra fabric flaps in the breeze.
I fixed this by attaching a 1/8" messenger line to the shackle.
Once the jib sock is raised, wrap the messenger line around the sock like a barber pole.
This fixed the problem.

Russ #793

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2008 : 19:27:23

Give [url="http://leesailcovers.com"]these guys [/url] a look.

As far as new sails, try [url="http://www.nationalsail.com/"]these guys[/url].

Edited by - on

coldducks
Captain

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USA
342 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2008 : 07:31:23

don, we had the same rips. we did repair them with sail tape, but we kept getting more rips. we knew we needed a new sail. we contacted catalina yachts. we found their price to be the best for us. we ordered the new sail and it was here in 4 weeks. our is a 135 and it cost about $839.00.

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Jarrett Anderson
1st Mate

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61 Posts

Response Posted - 04/26/2008 : 09:14:58

It is good to confirm that the sun protection sewn to the sail is exposed to the sun. It is possible to furl the sail with the sail cloth not the sun protection exposed. PO found that one out, and I got a new 135.
Don, I love your boats name. Hopefully you drink a lot of the stuff from Napa too.

Jarrett _/)

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RedRedWhine
Navigator

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USA
167 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2008 : 19:00:32

Sorry I have not been able to respond back sooner. I think that if I buy a new sail I will add the cover. But right now I can't afford the new sail. I am thinking about repairing the rips, than installing a new UV protective cover on to the trailing (leach) edge of the sail. Then when I can afford a new sail I will install a cover. Any thoughts on this and where is a good place that might be able to do this for me. I read all the post I can on the iphone just not able to respond that often.

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2008 : 22:22:08

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by RedRedWhine
 Sorry I have not been able to respond back sooner. I think that if I buy a new sail I will add the cover. But right now I can't afford the new sail. I am thinking about repairing the rips, than installing a new UV protective cover on to the trailing (leach) edge of the sail. Then when I can afford a new sail I will install a cover. Any thoughts on this and where is a good place that might be able to do this for me. I read all the post I can on the iphone just not able to respond that often.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">The sailmaker that you buy your new sail from will certainly offer this as an option.

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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.