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How to buy a sail?

1512 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  grinfax
I have had my boat for 2 years now. It was an oldish boat (1982 Tartan 3000) with old sails. I had other things to fix so I kept postponing buying new sails while fixing the other things. The jib finally blew. It was a UK sails 155% Genoa cut for racing. It must have been really nice when it was younger, but it still sailed really well even with all the mildew on it. I need to buy a new sail and don't know what to look for. I keep the sail on a roller reefer, I like to cruise but on occasions race. Sails these days are coming in different cuts and materials, many of which I don't know. I'd like something practical that sails well and fast. What should I be looking for?

My second question is about buying from small sail-makers. I live in Miami and there is a small sail-maker called Bremen Sails which people seem to recommend. Is it safe to buy a sail from them or it's better to go with Doyle, UK Sails or North Sails? Anywhere else I should look?

Thank you.

Kim
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Mack sails is another that should be reasonably close to you from a small to med loft size stand point. There is a fellow chesapeak area with a boat like mine and one of their cross cut mainsails he likes.

Otherwise as faster says, what you choose is up to you. I have pretty much all laminate sails. My main is a uk tape drive. the 155 is an Ullman Fiberpath, again a tape style laminate. I do have a 140 from Ullman, CAL, ie Cruise Axis Laminate, a laminate that is priced on par with the better to best dacron sails. Less stretch, so far lasting as long as dacron etc. I use this sail for cruising day sailing.

I also have a North soft norlam I got the same summer I bought the boat 4 yrs ago, dacron/mylar tri radial. nice sail for the cost too. but the CAL s less money, stretches less etc. making the CAL a better deal in my book. I know of one person with a 155 cal on his Irwin, rolls tighter than the 140 dacron he replaced, along with sails better, shape is better etc.

Choose your poison.........

Marty
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