I am in contact with North Sails to put in a future order for Dacron Sails for my weekender. I thought they knew the dimensions etc. already, but it looks like I have to provide them with some information. I guess the questions is....should I give them some specs from the instruction book since I built the boat to spec or (in your experience) do you think I ought to wait until the boat mast, boom, etc.. is all put together on the boat and give ACTUAL dimensions? I'm a little concerned about rake dimensions, but again, my boat (mostly put together) appears to follow specs well. Any information is helpful. Thanks in advance.
Jeff these boats are undersailed as drawn. I think I would wait for the actuals. You may wish to consider a bigger jib from the start. Others with Weekenders may have some ideas on the sail sizes. good luck.
Welcome to the BYYB Jeff!
It sounds like Craig has given you good advice. Especially since you are going with expensive dacron sails by North Sails. I just used white poly tarp for my sails... $45 for a suit of sails fits my budget easier.
Welcome aboard!!
- Steve
Before ordering, drop down into your forepeak and using your angle keeper check the angle of the front side of the mast box to the bottom of the boat. If it is out of spec then take care of that first to correct the difference in mast rake. Other than that, just go ahead and order the sails to spec. Because if your mast rake is wrong, having sails cut to fit isn't going to solve the problem. Solving the problem and then having to live with your sails cut wrong is just foolish.
That is the only really critical angle for handling on the mast. If the other actual dimensions are per the plans the sails will work fine.
Yes, the Weekender is underpowered as designed. That is a good thing if you are just starting sailing. You may want to go to a larger jib, (Lapper) if you are constantly sailing in very light to moderate winds. But you are better off sticking to the stock sizes and dimensions until you get a season or two under you belt in a lot of different conditions. You will have a lot of "tweeking" and tuning to do before you are satisfied. Don't try to do that before you get used to the boat and its handling. Cuz, you are just going to make changes anyway. So get it out, use it, then maybe make up a lapper with polytarp kit and try it. If you like it then consider having one made and by then you may want roller furling too or not. But you have a lot of more to go on at that point.
And remember, everyone has different condtions, expectations, experience and desires. So try it stock, make it as close to what it is designed to do and once you really know what changes you will want to make then do it. You will save a lot of frustration and time trying to figure out what is going wrong and what is working right. Learn what you can do and what you can not. Then try small tuning changes and ask more questions. You will be surprised at how well it will sail once you get used to what your particular boat needs from you.
I would suggest that you go with polytarp for the first season or so, then decide what you like best. A lot of people prefer going with a genoa jib to improve upwind performance, but personally I prefer the stock jib on the jib boom. For me it's less of a hassle while sailing because with the jib boom the jib is self tacking. I do most of my sailing solo or with rookie or uninterested crew. I am also sailing a vacationer so that may make a difference as well.
I spent years doing the genoa thing on my old daysailer, and find I really enjoy the self tacking element. If I need to go upwind in a hurry I just call on my buddy "Mercury" for a little push. I went for about 3 seasons with tarp before upgrading to dacron.
The point I'm getting at is it may be a good idea to just go with white polytarp (which looks very similar to dacron) for the first while until you decide if you want to go with a larger lapping jib instead.
Good luck,
Kevin
I bought a white tarp from Canadian Tire for my sails, it was cheap, and they work well. From a short distance they look great. Had to remake my mainsail that past summer, it tore at the mast/ gaff corner, my own doing. I also made a new 120% or so jib. You can experiment economically with the tarps until you find the sails you like then have a custom set made to order.
Also, If you are not interested in polytarp sails for now and feel that dacron is the only way to go, then why not just order them from the Stevesons? They are excellent sails and very affordable when compared to "custom sail loft" pricing. About the only thing that they don't have is reef points. And they aren't all that difficult to add.
But if you feel you need to go to "custom sails", have you gotten quotes from anyone else? Such as Duckworks Sails? They offer both poly and various weights of Dacron as well as colors. They too are very well made and relatively quick to get.
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/sails/custom/index.htm
My sails just arrived, and they look great.
I had them made by Douglas Fowler a sail maker referred to me by the guys a Chesapeake Light Craft.
He did a fantastic job.
They are 4oz Egyptian Cotton colored Dacron, w/1 row of reef points, and bronze quick connect thingies that connect the jib to the forestay. :lol: :lol:
His time of order to delivery was six weeks and he call to apologize for the delay. His prices are extremely reasonable.
If you plan to have sails made give him a call,(he likes to talk sail talk).
He has a classified ad in Wooden Boat Mag.
Kayakarl
Thanks for all the insight. Stevenson's makes sails? I did not know that. How do I get a cost estimate, material specs. etc. from them? Just email them I suspect?
I appreciated the information regarding making sales first to see if they work or if you need modifications prior to getting them made professionally. I can definetly see the benefit of this..but I wanted to ask...is there any reason to do this with the main? I would think that would stay the same? because your dealing with the limitations of the mast height and boom length?. As far as the jib, I can see why the different ones would need testing out. I'd like to use a clubfoot in order to single hand, but I can see getting a Genoa or something similar if it is underpowered. I'll get cost estimates I think for two different jibs (I may purchase two), then decide I guess. Any reason to think that I couldn't get Dacron for the main sail right away as I think dimensions wouldn't change based on sailing preference??? Sorry for the skattered questions...you need to read the earlier posts in this thread to understand what I wrote here..
If my memory serves me right the Stevensons Weekender and Vacationer sails are made by Rolly Tasker Sails. One of the largest sail lofts in the world. They are well made, and are on the red Weekender in the Construction video.
http://www.stevproj.com/WkndrSls.html
In my opinion, you would do well to go with the stock set as per the plans. Get used to how your boat performs and how you sail. Use the clubfoot on the standard jib. It isn't a beginner/newbie thing. Some of the finest sailing yachts in the world use clubfoots for thier jibs. It makes sailing solo or with an inexperienced crew so much easier and more enjoyable.
After you get a season or two under your belt and have wrung out the boat and made all the tuning adjustments you can to get its best performance out of it then consider adding perhaps a Lapper to your sail inventory. You can make one easily and inexpensively from a PolySail kit in less than a day. Then give it a try. It can make a big difference in how well your Weekender may perform in virtually no wind, and I do mean barely a faint ripple on the surface, o moderate winds. It will also help to balance the helm to a modest weather helm condition most likely.
By then you should be used to the boat healing and be able to feel out what is happening in most normal situations. If it all works out as you would like, then consider having a nice Lapper made up with all the bells and whistles.
You may want to read thru this thread on the other forum.
http://www.messing-about.com/forum/viewt...27df6e14f9