Can anyone identify this sail?

[TrentePieds]

Willium:

The mainsail for an Enterprise dinghy, which is dimensionally very, very similar to the CL14, is advertised in the UK where the E-dinghy is plentiful, for £675 equating to Can$1,200.-. Expect the same for the jib. Just so you know: I've taught a goodly number of people to sail on E-dinghies.

Now, if money is tight, why not make your own sails?

4½ oz Dacron sailcloth, which is what a good sailmaker would use for these sorts of dinghy sails, costs about Can$15.- per linear yard. The cloth is 36 inches wide, so a "yard" is 3 x 3 = 9 SqFt.

Now do the math: Without actually checking the dimensions I would think the "hoist" (the length of luff) on the CL14's main is about 12 feet, and that the foot of the sail is about 6 feet. Verify by measuring the sail you have. That means that the sail has an area of (12 x 6)/2 SqFt = 36 SqFt. Expect the jib to have the same area, so about 72 SqFt would be needed for the two sails. But you will need some "overage" for waste, and for bits and bobs like reinforcement patches and "tablings", A "tabling" is what a seamstress would call a "binding", so you'll need, say, 100 SqFt or 11 yards, close enuff, as well as some grommets and hanks and cordage for luff-ropes, etc. and some other bits. So the cost of materials for your two sails would be about $300.-.

Could you make your own sails? Sure you could! I know that because I've done it :-). The techniques are quite easy, but sailcloth is difficult to sew because it's so hard. Nevertheless, for 4½ oz cloth a good domestic sewing machine with zig-zag stitching capability can do the job. Ideally you would want a "walking foot" machine, but for this weight of cloth it is not absolutely necessary provided you are careful about your "strike-up marks", and you are prepared to take you time.

Here is a link to people who have videos about how to do it, and they will even sell you all the materials:

https://www.sailrite.com

If what you are using the boat for is Sunday-sailing, rather than competitive one-design racing, "roll-yer-own" sails can be quite adequate.

All the best

TrentePieds

[Ms J-37]

Sailrite offers patterns for hundreds of sails.

[Spot]

TrentePieds, thanks for that write-up.

It will be a classic decision matrix:
1. make new from scratch
2. make new from kit
3. Buy new
4. Buy used or scrap used from another boat

5. Sail on existing

I think the 'spread' cost-wise for make versus buy on a small boat will be smaller. If you have to buy a machine then you are spending more. If sewing is an area of interest then that is probably not an issue as the machine will get used for other things.

I did one sail from scratch, a 59sqft (approx 6 sqm), Bolger 'leg-o-mutton' for the PDR using the 'Polysail' plans and methods with the optional sewing. There were no broad seams or panel seams so it went pretty quickly but as I look back it was still probably a couple hours chasing down materials and a good summer's day to sweep the driveway, check the plans, lay out the cut lines, cut, tape, rope, fold, corners, stitching, grommets. Grommets were challenging. Cheap steel DIY ones did not work, sewing store ones worked better. Since it was a one-off I did not want to buy professional dies. I want to swap that one out for a balanced lug made from sailcloth to have shorter spars and easier handling. So maybe I should have gotten the dies...?

I am looking forward to trying some self-stick basting/seam tape to help slippery fabrics stay aligned and feed through my home machine. I am wishing I would have tried that on my cushion project.

[Spot]

Got a message from Hugh at North Sails, they still make the CL14 jib and mainsails. They have a loft in Toronto.

[Wilyum]

Originally Posted by Spot

Got a message from Hugh at North Sails, they still make the CL14 jib and mainsails. They have a loft in Toronto.

Thanks Spot, depending on what a kit from Sailrite costs, I might send them an email.

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Could you make your own sails? Sure you could! I know that because I've done it :-). The techniques are quite easy, but sailcloth is difficult to sew because it's so hard. Nevertheless, for 4½ oz cloth a good domestic sewing machine with zig-zag stitching capability can do the job. Ideally you would want a "walking foot" machine, but for this weight of cloth it is not absolutely necessary provided you are careful about your "strike-up marks", and you are prepared to take you time.

Thanks Trente, I'm always interested in learning a new skill set, I have a Pfaff 130 close to me for $100 in decent shape, do you think it would do the job, even though it has no walking foot?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Wilyum

Thanks Spot, depending on what a kit from Sailrite costs, I might send them an email.



Thanks Trente, I'm always interested in learning a new skill set, I have a Pfaff 130 close to me for $100 in decent shape, do you think it would do the job, even though it has no walking foot?

g'day Wilyum

Couple of points:

ANY sailmaker will be able to make your sails. There is nothing at all unique about your boat and it will be a routine "measure and cut and stitch" job to make either sail. North is a good sailmaking firm, but they tend to be rather expensive due to their supporting a lot of advertising and research into high tech sails, neither of which will be to your advantage with a simple dinghy sail. A bit of research will likely find a much cheaper source if you have one built.

And yes, if you decide to do your own, a Pfaff 130 will be entirely adequate for your sail. I used one to do the corner patches on the first sail I built and they were heavier than anything you will do for your dinghy. The rest of the sail I did with a dilapidated Singer home machine. A kit would make it an easy job for you, but you could, if desired, start from scratch and design your own sail and do the cutting yourself. Would save considerable money, but it might be a challenge at your stage of enlightenment. Which ever way you go, be sure to buy some seam tape... a kind of special double sticky tape used to hold the panels together whilst stitching. I reckon this is the one thing that makes amateur sailmaking feasible. Sailrite (a very good firm for the amateur to source materials and advice from) will, of course, stock it in several widths, as will Bainbridge and other sailcloth/sail supply vendors.

Good luck with it, and enjoy the boat.

Jim

[Wilyum]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

g'day Wilyum

Couple of points:

ANY sailmaker will be able to make your sails. There is nothing at all unique about your boat and it will be a routine "measure and cut and stitch" job to make either sail. North is a good sailmaking firm, but they tend to be rather expensive due to their supporting a lot of advertising and research into high tech sails, neither of which will be to your advantage with a simple dinghy sail. A bit of research will likely find a much cheaper source if you have one built.

And yes, if you decide to do your own, a Pfaff 130 will be entirely adequate for your sail. I used one to do the corner patches on the first sail I built and they were heavier than anything you will do for your dinghy. The rest of the sail I did with a dilapidated Singer home machine. A kit would make it an easy job for you, but you could, if desired, start from scratch and design your own sail and do the cutting yourself. Would save considerable money, but it might be a challenge at your stage of enlightenment. Which ever way you go, be sure to buy some seam tape... a kind of special double sticky tape used to hold the panels together whilst stitching. I reckon this is the one thing that makes amateur sailmaking feasible. Sailrite (a very good firm for the amateur to source materials and advice from) will, of course, stock it in several widths, as will Bainbridge and other sailcloth/sail supply vendors.

Good luck with it, and enjoy the boat.

Jim

some good info Jim thanks, would you say a sail kit on average would be about half the cost of a new sail?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Wilyum

some good info Jim thanks, would you say a sail kit on average would be about half the cost of a new sail?

Sorry, I have no idea of current costs for the kits. You should contact Sailrite directly for their input, and the sailmaker of your choice for theirs.

Jim

[GBR134]

Originally Posted by Wilyum

Any idea what jib and main on a 14' boat would cost, from a moderately priced loft? Just a ball park figure would be great.

In round terms - too much!

[DHHerndon]

Any sailmaker should be able to make these sails for you. Sailmakers can usually find sail specifications for most boat models. For boats that do not have available sail specs, they can also make sails from your (or their) measurements), and they also can make sails from having the old sails. Just talk to local sailmakers and ask them to assist you.