New or Fix Sail

[DrB]

I have an opportunity to buy a new RF 135 Genoa (454 ft2) for a little less than $3K from a local loft of a worldwide sail manufacturer. The material is a "step up" from normal dacron. Our mainsail is made from the same material.

The other option is to wash and fix our current RF 135, which is standard dacron, is 18 years old, has a moderately blown leach, and the bottom panel of the sail is stretched. It's not too bad for 18 years old, but it needs restitching and a small tear in the foot/skirt area repaired, and is pretty well used and has no crisp to it.

I could send the current one to the makers of the sail (local loft - Not the same as the New Sail place) and have them wash and repair the sail. I think it would be around $600 or send to Sailcare and have them wash and reresinize and repair the sail for around $800.

$3K for new sail would blow a lot of the sailing budget for the year, but spending $600 to $800 on an old sail may be just throwing good money after bad and next year I may have to repair it again.

Should I just suck it up, help the failing economy, and buy the new one or stuff the bulk of the money under my mattress and just fix the current one?

DrB

[tommays]

It has given a really good lifetime BUT the real question is how weak the fabric has become from UV and will it rip easy even if reworked

[sailingdog]

I'd recommend going with the new sail. It is a long-term investment, and should be viewed as such.

[WouldaShoulda]

At 18 years it doesn't owe you anything!!

I'd get a new one.

[121Guy]

Dr B,

I would not stick any more dough into an 18 year old headsail.....unless it sat in a bag most of those years and it sounds like that is not the case.

I would however shop around a lot in this market before settling on $3K as a good deal on a high quality dacron headsail. Even the firmer finish dacron or a square weave dacron is perhaps half the material cost of this one:

eBay Motors: Large Pentax Genoa for C&C 35-, Mylar racing sail. NEW! (item 150311321050 end time Dec-21-08 05:24:50 PST)

The labor in the sail above is also quite a bit more as there are many more panels. I'm not saying that this type of sail would be a replacement choice for a 135% roller furling sail....just that in this market, that is what $2K will buy.

I'd check out some smaller lofts as well as shop around the big guys and ebay some before making a choice.

Good luck,

121Guy

[killarney_sailor]

For the cost of 'fixing' up your old sail you could buy a used sail in very good shape from one of the used sail places. From buying and selling through Bacon Associates in Annapolis I would suggest that any sails in the 'Very good" or better categories are in quite good shape and would provide quite a few years' use.

[Sailormann]

Buy the new sail. After 18 years it is likely that the one you have is a little (more likely a lot) blown out.

[paulk]

You can repair a sail until there's no more of the original sail left, but the shape is what drives your boat. Figure that $3k, spread over a five-year life expectancy (??) is $600/yr. Less than the cost of your first year of many likely repairs to the old sail. Add into the bargain the idea that your boat will perform better (heel less, move faster, and be more comfortable because of this) and you win in many more ways with the new sail.

Before you buy the "big guy's" sail, though, have you talked to the old sail's maker for a quote on a new one too? What about here on Sailnet? Don't they have a loft?
One caveat: some (read: many!) of the modern "miracle fibers" won't last as long as your 18 year-old dacron did.

[petmac]

18 year old sail. No question. Buy a new one.

[camaraderie]

DRB....FX sails on this site shows a 135 genny for your pearson at about 2k with
Cloth: Challenge 7.3 oz. Premium High Modulus Dacron
and UV cover.
With a 33% savings...you may want to check them out. You can add different options or change construction or materials right on line.