BYYB Forums

so just to change things up, how many use tarp sails compared to buying the real deal?

My first sail is a tarp sail and it works fine.  I will make a linen one this winter because I prefer the sound of cloth and think the tarp will only last a few seasons but will keep it for backup.  My sail is a simple lateen rig design so only took 6 stitch lines, two along each edge, so even though it was the first time I ever sewed anything I managed.  My first stitch line looks like a snake compared to the last one but it has held just fine.

I just received my tarp sail kit from Poly Sail International and will be making them soon. I decided to try the polytarp method first. I figure if it works well then I've saved some bucks and if it doesn't work I haven't spent too much. For my limited ability I think they'll be fine.
I looked up poly tarps on ebay and found some cool looking clear tarps. They have white thread running throughout in a grid pattern and they look very "racy".

The key to poly tarp is denier and thread count. You want a fairly fine denier with these made made fibers, over 1,000, preferably over 1,200. Also the thread count should be 12x12 at least, if you expect some durability. Then there's fabric weight. A good weight for poly tarp sails is in the 5 ounce range. You can go lighter, but it'll stretch out and bag in heavy winds. You can go heavier, but it'll hang limp in light air. Lastly, if you want the sails to really last, paint them. This adds some weight, but keeps UV of them longer. Use the new "Fusion" style paints, designed for plastics, as it's the only thing that'll really stick. The clear poly tarps make the worst sails, though they look cool. They have so few fibers that they'll stretch like crazy.

Linen will make a down right lousy sail material Terry. You'll also have to use "panel" construction techniques, just to control stretch and shape. The best fabrics are the ones that don't stretch much, though this does force panel construction to a degree. Stop by the local JoAnn's Fabrics store and check all the fabrics, looking for uniform thread counts (the same number in warp and weft), ones that don't stretch much when pulled between your fingers, light weight and smooth finished. Also see if you can blow through it (bleeds air pressure).

good to have some specs, thanks paul. i found this product online today seems like it meets the specs nicely: 1200 count, 14x14
http://www.tarpsplus.com/clear-poly-tarps-singles.html

i don't know if anyone has has experience with this company, but the product / price looks right.

I've used Tarps Surplus before and they have good products.

The 6 ounce 14x14, 1,200 denier is the stuff you want, though again, clear tarps will expose the fabric  (nylon) to UV much more so then pigmented tarps, in spite of the UV coating, I don't trust them. I use the same "super duty" tarp, but in white. This is because white reflects more UV and sun light than any other color, so they last longer.

I bought my white poly tarp at tarpsplus.  I bought this one, White Tarps- Super Heavy Duty White Poly Tarpaulin
6.0 oz. Per Square Yrd. - 1200 Denier - 14x14 Weave Count , and other then being hard to sew with the wifes old machine it worked well.  By cloth I ment dacron sailcloth Paul.  Is that a bad choice?  I do like the sound of cloth sails.  The poly sails have more of a "crack" type sound in the wind when they flutter.  Nothing bad just chasing old memories I guess.

Dacron is the good stuff (okay it used to be, now they have other really good stuff). Dacron is very difficult to sew with a household machine. Just not enough muscle to punch through several layers of fabric. You can make a career out of hand sewing this stuff. I've made sails once, nice 35" panels, zigzag seams, the lot and I learned just one thing, which I've always remembered. They earn every dime they charge for custom sails. Having hung out at sail lofts occasionally, I can also tell you they know more about how to make a sail set and wear properly then anyone else. I can send specs, but the wise designer lets the sail maker have a good bit of latitude in panel sizes, orientation, construction, foot, luff and roach rounding, etc. They can hoist a sail (horizontally) and tell you precisely what it will do or not do, just by looking at it. After a few years of playing with this, I've learned a thing or two, but these guys (custom sail makers) easily kick my butt in regard to shapes for different rigs, hull types, performance expectations, etc. In fact, back in my big boat racing days, I used to have a sail maker as my trimmer. His sole job was to keep the sails drawing as well as they could. We did well as a result of my instance, that he knew more then me in the area.

Poly tarp, Tyvek and rip stop sails are easy enough, if a lot of work for the limited durability and set quality. Except for rip stop (light air down, wind only sail material) these material make an awful racket underway, so I understand the desire for real sail fabrics. Installing full length battens can help a lot in this regard, but this adds a whole new set of complications (fully battened sails are shaped differently).

Build some sails if you want, but I've learned my lesson.

i just ordered the same one as terry, i tried all the normal stores, home depot, lowes, rona, nobody caries anything that good a quality and if they do, they're all black. also called a few specialty places but they only sell the large truck tarps, industrial covers etc, nothing that works for this sail. so i bit the bullet and spent 30 bucks to ship the thing, i'm sure it'll do the job, i just better not make a mistake making it! maybe we'll do a test run on a cheap home depot tarp first.

i'll need to bring the sails indoors in winter, i doubt the tape would survive outside