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Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Torn sail

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michaelj
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132 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/20/2009 : 14:48:12

I have managed to get a tear in my mainsail. It is along the seam of one of the top battens. My Cat is an '81 and the boat surveyor described the sail as "vintage." The tear runs the length of the batten. Can I fix this, if so, how, or am I better off getting

a new sail? Thanks.

Edited by - on

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2009 : 15:33:48

Bite the bullet.
You won't believe the difference when you first sail with your new mainsail.
And I'm just guessing, but you might start saving for a new headsail as well.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2009 : 16:48:11

It's impossible to say how repairable it is without seeing a good photo of it, but "vintage" undoubtedly means "old," and I agree that it should probably be replaced. After sailcloth gets old, it becomes weakened from exposure to the sun, and, if you sew a patch on it, the old cloth is too weak to hold the stitches. If it's an original 1981 mainsail, it has already outlasted expectations.

Edited by - on

Peregrine
Admiral

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830 Posts

Response Posted - 04/20/2009 : 17:30:11

BTW - I am not saying a good sail should not be re-sewn.
The sail makers at Block Island Race Week are up all night repairing sails that have been abused in the races.
I once tried to raise the main with the cabin top winch from a reef but missed untying the center reef tie with the expected results, a tear at the reef tie point. Doyle did a good job of making my goof invisible giving the sail a couple of more years.
I would have a reputable sail maker repair an accident rather than trying to resew it yourself. But having said that with a heavy duty machine and good sewing skills why not try to do the repair yourself?
I have had an upholsterer resew the sunbrella on the luff of my Genoa, I gave him Dacron thread to do the job. Since I was using his shop for a big design project it was free but your local sail loft is the best choice.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 05:19:34

Boy, these guys must have deep pockets, huh?

Don't make any rash decisions, have a professional (or two)take a look at it and help you decide what should be done.

Edited by - on

Bortiquai
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 08:11:07

DaveR echos my sentiments. I also have a "vintage" main sail (gentle euphemism). A couple months ago, I was showing my girlfriend how to raise the main while we were docked. There is usually no wind in the marina, but on this day, there was just enough to push the sail and get the batten caught on the spreader bracket on the way up. I was paying more attention to her, and she gave it a good crank on the winch handle and then that distinct sound of tearing cloth.

My tear was right along the batten seam as well, though only about 8-10 inches. I took it to a local sail loft (North Sails rep) and he said no problem and had it fixed the next day for about $50, just as good as pre-tear.

I definitely need a new main eventually, and if I had the funds, that's what I would have done. In the meantime, what I've got makes my boat go forward.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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5895 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 09:03:21

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DaveR
 Boy, these guys must have deep pockets, huh?

Don't make any rash decisions, have a professional (or two)take a look at it and help you decide what should be done.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I wish!

Dave is right. Most sailmakers don't charge anything to look at a torn sail and give you an estimate of the cost of repair, so you don't have anything to lose by doing so. We can't always explain all the things that shade our thinking in these questions. My good old North mainsail became shredded beyond repair when it was about 23 years age. I was retired with a son in a very expensive college (I guess they're all expensive), but I would rather go without food than not be able to sail, so I bought a cheap sail from a discount sailmaker. It wasn't a great sail, but it kept me out there during the summer. When my old North 150 came apart at about the same time, I used a home sewing machine and was able to repair it myself, and it was still a good sail, despite it's age. If you can fix it or have it fixed for a nominal cost, that's great, but the sailmakers in my area wouldn't make the kind of repair you describe for $50.

My C25 was a 1981, like yours, and, when it was new I bought North sails instead of the Catalina sails, because the sails that Catalina was selling with their boats during that era weren't very good sails. My thinking was shaded by my opinion that you'd be spending money to repair a 28 year old sail that wasn't a very good one, even when it was new, but if you can repair it yourself, or have it repaired economically, and if your family economics dictate that you have to do that in order to keep sailing, then that's exactly what I would have done. We're all learning that it can be a tough old world, and we have to do what we have to do.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 04/21/2009 09:04:01

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 09:07:32

Yup--fix the pocket, especially if it doesn't involve damage to the cloth of the sail itself. Then make sure your battens are tucked in--no exposed ends.

Edited by - on

michaelj
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 13:24:04

Thanks for all of the (as usual) excellent advice. I'm leaning toward getting a new sail just on GP's. I was reading an old thread about sails and it seemed that a full batten loose footed sail might be good (I sail on the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound in NC and don't like to sail in much more that 15 kt winds.) Also, what's involved in replacing a main? Thanks.

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 14:04:36

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by michaelj
 ... Also, what's involved in replacing a main? Thanks.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Wow, big question.

For me, it is driven by my checkbook. For others, race performance. For still others, materials used and local service availablity.

If you're like me and look to the checkbook first, I recommend [url="http://www.nationalsail.com/"]National Sail[/url] in Florida. They sell Rolly Tasker sails made in Thailand by an Australian sail maker.

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 04/21/2009 : 14:44:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by michaelj
 [W]hat's involved in replacing a main? Thanks.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> You need to think about the options that you want to order with your new sail. The options include the number of reefs you want, a cunningham, a loose foot, a shelf foot, a big racing roach, the size and type of slugs that will fit your sail track, draft stripes, leech lines, telltales, the type of battens and the weight of sailcloth. Some sailmakers treat some of these as standard and others charge extra for any of them.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 04/22/2009 : 06:56:54

You can learn about repairing sails (and just about everything else on your boat) in Don Casey's book

.

After getting advice from a pro or two, try fixing it yourself!

Edited by - on

michaelj
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 05/13/2009 : 14:21:45

Thanks to all who responded. A little followup. I contacted a sailmaker named Wally Chapin in Oriental NC whose company is Oriental Sailmakers. He took the sail off, took it to his shop, and found that the tear was repairable and probably caused by the fact that the battens were all the wrong size. He fixed all of that and put the sail back on, and the bill was about half the price of a new sail. If you're ever around Oriental and need work done on your sail, he is the MAN!!!!

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 05/13/2009 : 15:13:06

Great find, and congratulations. It's always good to find a cost-saving solution that gets the job done.

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 05/13/2009 : 15:24:47

C'mon man! Everyone knows anyone associated with the marine industry in Oriental is a descendant of Blackbeard or one of his scurrilous crew!

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michaelj
Navigator

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132 Posts

Response Posted - 05/15/2009 : 05:00:03

Yeah, and that's why you don't give them NO trouble!!!!

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