Making My Own Sail

[boatman61]

Might find a few pointers here....
How to Make a Sailboat Sail | eHow.com

[Spot]

...up from the depths...

I am looking to make a 100+% head sail for my 21'.
I have sewn before, including a dinghy sail:
Lofted, cut, taped, stitched, rope edges, grommets...
I would like to explore a more DIY option than a kit from Sailrite.
I have a background in CAD/CAM including basic foils.

What I lack is specific 'molding' knowledge for a fabric head sail on a smallish boat.

Is this something that can be gained from reading and research, fed into Sailcut CAD, in order to make patterns and sew a reasonable sail?

-which books or websites?
-anyone with real-life experience want to collaborate on a design?

Thanks!

[dcstrng]

https://www.amazon.com/Sail-Power-Co...gateway&sr=8-1

Have had a copy for years and years, but now only a few bucks...

[Adelie]

I got several books with good info. If I remember when I get home from work I’ll get you titles.

[Jim Cate]

Sailrite used to publish small pamphlets describing sail designing, with separate volumes for head sails, main sails and spinnakers. I used them (back in about 1981) to design and build a spinnaker and a storm jib for my Yankee 30.

Perhaps they still have such things, properly updated.

Jim

[Spot]

Thanks Everyone for digging up the old books and such!

[Spot]

The Wallace Ross book looks like a bargain either way.

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Sailrite used to publish small pamphlets describing sail designing, with separate volumes for head sails, main sails and spinnakers. I used them (back in about 1981) to design and build a spinnaker and a storm jib for my Yankee 30.

Perhaps they still have such things, properly updated.

Jim

I emailed Sailrite, the pamplets are books in the how-to section:

https://www.sailrite.com/Sailmakers-Library-5-Book-Set

How about the sail books from C. A. Marchaj?

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=C.+A.+Mar...ref=nb_sb_noss

[Adelie]

This Old Boat by Don Casey chap-16 really good description of luff-rounding and broad-seaming needed to make a good sail shape.

The Sailmaker’s Apprentice by Mariano Whatever. Lots of info but not well organized.

The Sail Power books doesn’t have anything on design as I recall but I love the photo of Wi dingo with its 250% Genoa.

[Spot]

Thanks Adelie!

I found a list started over at WoodenBoat, where the series from Sailrite also comes highly recommended:


Learning Sailmaking

Emiliano Marino: The Sailmaker's Apprentice*(for the pictures)
Tom Whidden: The Art And Science Of Sails
Jeremy Howard Williams: Sails
Dennis Conner: Sail Like A Champion
Dave Gerr: The Nature Of Boats
Imhoff/Pranger: This Is Boat Tuning For Speed
Frank Rosenow: The Ditty Bag Book
Sail Magazine: The Best Of Sail Trim
Jim Grant: The New Canvas Worker's Library **(the series from Sailrite)
Bowker & Budd: (an old sailmaking book that deals mostly with cotton sails)

[Spot]

Spoils from Amazon:
Marino, Grant (sails), Grant (canvas), and Ross.

I have flipped through everything, tried doing the math for a storm jib (thinking a small sail that I do not already have would be a good one to try) from the Sailrite pamphlets, and have settled down to reading the Ross book. I am thinking my Sailrite pamphlets are older as they do not mention Sailrite machines and do not call out double-stick seam tape.

I have been messing with Sailcut CAD too. What is apparent there is that I can make a pretty-looking sail on the screen but have little understanding what it will do in the wind. The program interests me as CAD/CAM is part of my 'day job' and the ability to cut to size and sew together versus a full pin and broad seam lofting fits better with the workspace I have. If anyone has tips and tricks related to getting good results from book learning into Sailcut CAD I am all ears/eyes, thanks!

[puffcard]

He's talking about a dingy sail. I made my first one when I was 13, for I boat that I built. It was made from an tarp, lasted a few years, till I found someone throwing away a ripped sail. Just remember to take your oars. Lol. Watch some YouTube, you can get a ton of free info. I had a sailmaker down the street from me, learn a lot from watching and helping. Now sailmakers don't even make their own sails.

[Spot]

Currently I am hoping to make a couple of optional headsails for the 21'. Originally I wanted a genoa, now I am thinking storm sail to make the project more manageable.


I did the tarp sail for my dinghy, 59 sqft Bolger leg-o-mutton spritsail, based on the plans from Dave at Polysail Constructing My Favorite PolySails: