Offshore Sails - Are High-end Worth the $$

[Kestrahl]

It is quite fine to sew the entire sail with PTFE thread, but perhaps only worth the extra expense if the sail is built from a high grade daron that will outlast the poly thread (poly thread does vary a lot in quality). It is always worth the extra expense to sew the canvas sunstrip with PTFE but it is still very uncommon for sailmakers to do this.
The big brands often have representatives in different locations who are not sailmakers and when faced with a repair will take it down the road and put a margin on it.

[hellosailor]

PTFE is newer than my sewing days. The logic used to be that if you were sewing Dacron or nylon (tents, awnings, sails) you had a choice of Dacron thread, cotton thread, or "dacot" which is a Dacron core wrapped in cotton. Dacot was the best choice, because plain Dacron thread could saw through the cloth, plain cotton thread would rot out, and dacot would take longer to rot out--but not harm the cloth.

If you've ever looked up at an old sail and seen the enlarged holes around every stitch of the thread, that's what Dacron thread does to fabric. It enlarges the holes and makes a 'dotted line' encouraging failure. Where a weaker thread (cotton or dacot) would fail first, allowing the cloth to be simply restitched for a longer life.

I have no idea how PTFE fits in there but suspect a lot would depend on how much it has been stretched, etc. before being made into a finished thread. Anyone familiar with those aspects of PTFE?

[northoceanbeach]

I bought new sails this spring delivered to my boat in anacortes. I got quotes from PT, North in Seattle, Ullman, Doyle and Lee.

Hasse at the time, which was the busy time, was backed up until October and they were double the cost. I've seen them in person. They look super high quality and bombproof. But they are expensive and I think a good sail from other makers will last a long time too. From what I have heard, PT is more set in their ways. They really only make heavy cruising sails and tried to sell me some foil thing.

I went with Doyle. I liked the experience. The dude was cool, they are made in the US and not China and the price was freaking great! I mean seriously cheap for the service and sails I got.

I think north are made in some third world shithole. Unless you get lucky or one of their 3di sails. So forget that.

I've had Halsey lidgard in the past and they were OK.

I have had Lee too. If you want to save money and get Chinese stuff I would go with them. The "local" rep is in Portland. They don't come measure or anything though. But they are cheaper. But not enough cheaper than Doyle to sacrifice values.

[JazzyO]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

I think north are made in some third world shithole. Unless you get lucky or one of their 3di sails. So forget that.

My North Sails (not 3Di) were made in the UK (2013 and 2014). Quality is excellent, would go with them again.


Onno

[Kestrahl]

Most sail lofts even if they are a brand name, are free to make sails themselves or design and purchase sails from any production factories of their choosing.
Although some brands only have the option of making the sails themselves or buying from the brands own production factory, but this is only a couple.
Most are free to do as they please.

I have said this before, Lee sails and other Chinese sailmakers should not be compared to European owned manufacturing plants in China serving the big brands, totally different level of design and quality.