Sailrite sails

[soverel28]

Has anyone ordered a sail kit and made there own sails? I am thinking of doing this, but have no experience at sewing. I wonder how hard this could be? Any comments on this?

Paul B

[miahmouse]

If you already have the proper equipment it''s fairly easy. Without the proper equipment it will be nearly impossible. Sewing is simple, mistakes are easy to fix, but I must stress that sail material is much thicker than what most home sewing machines are built to handle (you may end up killing that old singer). IMO Pay your local sailmaker to build you a new sail, support your local economy.

[soverel28]

Thanks for the info,I am still on the fence.
The price for a new sail is between $1025 to $1600 for a cruising main. A kit is $734 that is quite a difference.

[billkirk]

I just quoted a cruising main for a soveral 28 on SailNet''s AirForce Sail site and it was $808.

www.airforcesails.com

[soverel28]

Billkirk,
I just did the online quote at Airforce
sails for a soverel28 and it gave me a
price of $921. This was a Coastal Cross-cut Mainsail. I wonder why there is such a difference?
Paul B

[MaryBeth]

The difference between kits and made sails is, indeed, the equipment needed. With most sail kits, you get no seams, you have to "sew your own". Unless you have an industrial machine, you have to do this sewing by hand. While sewing by hand is fine for repairs, (while the adrenaline is flowing, no less) the elbow grease it would require to complete an entire set without that industrial machine is beyond my comprehension and makes my shoulders hurt just to think of it (having done repairs both on my own and worked for a bit to help out at a friend''s North Sails shop). Was great experience while laid up for a bit, but would not recommend it for someone who was just doing it for fun. Also got a bit of experience in a sail shop in Erie, PA.

I have to agree and say support your local sailmaker.

There is a reason for the cost difference between the made sails and the sail kit - the experience and the time involved.

Best wishes,
MaryBeth

[billkirk]

No idea why the difference in price. I just did the Coastal Cross Cut, one reef also and came up with 818.00. It may have been 818 last time and I mistakenly left out the 1.

I don''t know if this will work, but here''s the entire url:
http://www.sailnet.com/airforce/quote/index.cfm?page=quoter&id=6078&sail=5&boat=SOVERAL% 2028&LengthID=4&mailto=bkirk%40sailnet%2Ccom

[soverel28]

billkirk, I see why the difference in price.
My sail area is larger than the one in your
quote.
Thanks,
PaulB

[rehernden]

I made my sails from a sail rite kit for my 35'' sharpie. Used our old Sears Kenmore model 1240 machine. The new sail cloth is slippery and had to pull it through the machine because the presser foot and feed could not grab hold of it. You basicly tape the seams togther with double stick tape then roll up the material so it is easy to handle and sew it togther with a zig zag stich. The sails turned out pretty good but a professional job would be better I''m sure. The instructions were clear and easy to understand. If I could afford it would probably have it done by a pro.