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Author
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Topic: Sail upgrade
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whited
unregistered
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posted May 11, 2005 04:05 PM
 
I was just talking to the Northsails people here in Halifax. I'm planning to take my mainsail to them and have the toggles sewn into my luff to make the sail easier to raise/lower.
He guesstimated about $ 100.00 as the job is labour intensive.
Do those who had it done feel it was worthwhile?IP: 156.34.82.87 |
Patrick Crooks
Member
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posted May 11, 2005 05:49 PM
 
Hello Don,If you are talking about adding sail slides instead of using the bolt rope, I would say yes, it is worth while. Especially for someone single handling. I had them on my DS16 and it made a world of difference. When I let the main halyard go the sail came down. When it was just the bolt rope we had to pull the sail down. I just had them installed on my mainsail and my sail maker charged me $65.00. He installed 13 of them. I don't understand what is labour intensive about them, unless I'm talking about something different. If I have a moment tonight I will add a photo of what I had done.
Patrick
IP: 205.200.66.40 |
CoolBreeze
Member
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posted May 11, 2005 06:27 PM
Hey Don, Give Victory Sailmakers a call, they are in Dartmouth, AWESOME sailmakers, ask for Brad, tell him I sent you. Contact me by PM for more details. They do top notch work. ------------------
Rob Belliveau
1976 Sandpiper 565
"CoolBreeze"
Halifax NS
Dartmouth Yacht Club IP: 24.215.107.164 |
whited
unregistered
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posted May 11, 2005 07:47 PM
Slides....thanks..I couldn't remember what they were called.
Last year there was a good discussion on a type of lubricant for them. I'll have to do some searching unless some kind soul could save me the misery and time...after all 'Lost' is coming on in 15 minutes. Can't miss that.
Rob..I sent you a direct e-mail.[This message has been edited by whited (edited May 11, 2005).] IP: 156.34.82.87 |
Darcy
Member
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posted May 11, 2005 09:01 PM
For cruising, the slides are excellent. If you don't have them, the sail can blow all over the place when lowering. The luff spills over the cabin top and onto the lake. With the slides the main stays neatly on top of the boom. Shop around but they're really worth the money.D'Arcy IP: 67.71.52.101 |
Richard
Member
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posted May 11, 2005 10:07 PM
I had sail slides installed recently, but can comment much as I've only been out once and have only raised and lowered the sail once.
I lubed them with bees wax as the proper lube would have been a mail order for me.
I noticed Patrick mentioned having 13 installed, I just checked and mine has 7. It has me wondering, what are the pros and cons of having fewer or more slides?
Richard.IP: 207.200.159.173 |
Patrick Crooks
Member
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posted May 11, 2005 10:37 PM
Here's the picture I was talking about. Sorry for the blurriness.All that was done is some sort of web material was slid through the base of the slide then sewn to the sail past the bolt rope. This was done buy the local sailmaker so I'm assuming this is what is normally done. As to why 13. He said they should be placed no more than 18 inches apart preferrably 12" in order to help keep the luff flat. Patrick  IP: 206.45.177.55 |
2short S565
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 12:44 AM
Slugs rock.
You will love them.
There are a few lubes. I used Fast track, then switched to a dry teflon.Fred IP: 70.48.166.186 |
Hyprstitch
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 01:28 AM
Looks like I'm going to buy some sail slugs and so them on myself. Thanks for the picture. It will be an hour or two worth of work for me. Sid IP: 207.200.116.203 |
Hyprstitch
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 01:30 AM
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hyprstitch:
[B]Looks like I'm going to buy some sail slugs and sew them on myself. Thanks for the picture. It will be an hour or two worth of work for me. Sid IP: 207.200.116.203 |
whited
unregistered
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posted May 12, 2005 10:22 AM
Maybe that's why Northsails quoted a stiff price. I'm sure he mentioned removing the bolt rope. I'll call Rob's buddy at Victory Sails today and see if he can do better.
Now I have to find that url that listed the length of our mainsail luff. I'm betting the sailmaker might ask that.IP: 156.34.82.87 |
whited
unregistered
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posted May 12, 2005 10:51 AM
Just talked to Victory Sails. Rob's buddy was on the sick list (probably out drinking with Rob last night) so I explained what I wanted. This guy said he leaves the bolt rope in, installs grommets and fastens the slides approx 18" to 20" apart. (too close and the sail bunches up, not flaking properly...too far away would cause loss of sailshape)
At first he quoted $ 5.00 per foot of luff (close to Northsails amount) but at the end said he could probably do it for $ 40.00.
They can decide on which slide to use by size of bolt rope. They're busy, of course, due to numerous opening regattas...but should have mainsail back by month end.
[This message has been edited by whited (edited May 12, 2005).] IP: 156.34.82.87 |
CoolBreeze
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 11:07 AM
Yeah, Brad has been sick, but, I am sure once you get it in there, they will be able to fit you in quicker, they are really good like that. ------------------
Rob Belliveau
1976 Sandpiper 565
"CoolBreeze"
Halifax NS
Dartmouth Yacht Club IP: 142.176.14.228 |
Eric
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 02:40 PM
Absolutely a great investment Don! The second year I owned Paradise I had a new sail made, from Genco in Toronto FWIW. First thing I requested was slugs in the luff. The second thing I requested, and you may want to consider, is a row of reef points. I regret not have a second row installed, but it can be done another time.
The old sail, with the bolt rope in the mast, relies on the rolling boom for reefing, and is a PITA! With slugs you can rig and perform a "jiffy reef" much easier.
When you're finished sailing the slugs allow you to flake the main, and make a pretty picture like this  ------>
EricIP: 130.63.85.93 |
whited
unregistered
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posted May 12, 2005 02:57 PM
Now that's what I want my main to look like when it's down. When the skipper I crewed with had his Viking 28, we'd try to do the same...but when he got the Mirage 33 with the lazyjacks...we got lazy too. You can hide a lot with a boom cover.That is a really nice picture of your 'Piper. ps: I do have one set of reef points in my mainsail.
[This message has been edited by whited (edited May 12, 2005).] IP: 156.34.82.87 |
Shortstay
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 05:40 PM
Perhaps a dumb question... Would you want sail slides along the foot of the sail too?IP: 129.170.221.37 |
2short S565
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 07:33 PM
In 2000 I had ordered a new set of sails from Kingston Sail Loft.
They recommended a lose foot on the main and I went with it. There was only one slug at the clew. The tack was cottered to the front end of the boom. The outhaul kept the foot of the sail snug and tight to the boom. I loved it. When standing you can wrap your hand around the boom, underneath the sail. The sail shape was improved.IP: 70.48.166.186 |
whited
unregistered
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posted May 12, 2005 08:36 PM
I was thinking that also...but believe I read somewhere that some wind spillage is possible with a loose footed main. I'll ask at the sailmaker.IP: 156.34.82.87 |
CoolBreeze
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 08:40 PM
No such thing as a dumb question. You should have it loose so the sail can form its shape. The whole point of an outhaul, is to flatten (tighten) or bow,curve (loosen)the main sail. If the bottom of the main is completely in the boom, it doesn't allow the bottom to curve along with the rest of the sail. As 2short says, it all comes down to sail shape. ------------------
Rob Belliveau
1976 Sandpiper 565
"CoolBreeze"
Halifax NS
Dartmouth Yacht Club IP: 24.215.107.164 |
Eric
Member
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posted May 12, 2005 10:12 PM
I have to agree on the loose footed sail topic as well. Had I known then, (when I bought the sail), what I've learned about sails now, I would go loose foot, for all the reasons mentioned. You get a much better shape.
Don, I'd be interested in knowing if your sailmaker can convert a bolt rope foot, to loose footed? $$?
The loose foot forces you to put purchase on the clew in order to work the sail, rather than using the standard horn cleat, at the end of the boom! I've rigged a nice 2:1 purchase, as shown in the Sandpiper manual. I use the outhaul alot!
Eric[This message has been edited by Eric (edited May 13, 2005).] IP: 64.228.1.159 |
Darcy
Member
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posted May 13, 2005 12:47 AM
Besides excellent sail shape, the loose foot might even give you a bit more area along the boom.Has anyone ever sailed a Sanpiper reefed to a second set of reef points? The conditions would be extreme. D'Arcy IP: 70.48.5.131 |
Richard
Member
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posted May 15, 2005 08:52 AM
I went sailing on Friday, which was my first real chance to use the mainsail with slugs.
They make raising and lowering the mainsail a quick easy task compared to what it used to be with the boltrope. 
One thing I noticed, though, is that there are creases in the sail extending out from each slug location. Is this the price you pay for the ease of use, or could this be a result of too great a spacing between slugs?[This message has been edited by Richard (edited May 15, 2005).] IP: 207.200.159.106 |
CoolBreeze
Member
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posted May 15, 2005 10:03 PM
The more you are able to increase your halyard tension, you should be able to pull some of those lines out. OR, if you have a cunningham, you may be able to get them out that way too, not as well as halyard tension though. ------------------
Rob Belliveau
1976 Sandpiper 565
"CoolBreeze"
Halifax NS
Dartmouth Yacht Club IP: 24.215.107.164 |
Richard
Member
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posted May 23, 2005 10:52 AM
Rob,
Thanks for the tip about halyard tension.
Pulling down on the boom after raising the sail helped remove the creases.
Richard.IP: 207.200.159.152 |
Shortstay
Member
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posted May 24, 2005 09:21 PM
Sid, I'm installing slugs by hand. It's taking me more than a couple of hours, but I think you'd be proud of me!  ------------------
Kevin
Shortstay III, #901 IP: 198.115.167.7 |
