Sail maker

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by dskira, Oct 2, 2011.

  1. dskira

    dskira Previous Member

    I admire Tom Colvin's work.
    The price for a sail is around $10 the square feet. For a classic cut, with the cloth, normal finish.
    A classic one with all rope and hand sewn details will be a little higher.
    I thought also to make my own sail, but I went to see a friend sail maker to remind my delusional mind why I should not go there :rolleyes:
    I am not Tom, I don't have this talent to do everything. I keep my field of expertise rather narrow, it save me a lot of trouble.
    I had a lot of cotton sails in the past, and never find anything difficult as to maintain them in good shape.
    I had also very sophisticates Dacrons sail when I was racing in IOR in the seventies and finded these sails quite difficult. But necessary for the job.
    The age of cotton a evidently passed. For sail of course, not for fashion ;)
    Any way, thank you all.

    Daniel
     
    1 person likes this.
  2. TeddyDiver
    Joined: Dec 2007
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    Location: Finland/Norway

    TeddyDiver Gollywobbler

    Anyway.. I'd like to have a couple of linen sails but so far found no cloth..
     
  3. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

  4. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    This is in 2006 . . . . . . . .

    [​IMG]

    These guys are very happy with the flax sail cloth they got from the FONV. The FONV earlier bought 3 km cotton sail cloth but when it arrived they were disappointed by the quality so they discharged it. After that they bought 1 km of a batch of flax cloth. Then they were disappointed they only bought 1 km of it as 700 m of it was immediately ordered by their members and they expected to run out of it soon...

    The FONV got this flax sail cloth from J.T. Inglis in Dundee, Scotland.

    Flax vs Cotton article. (translation)

    FONV - (translation)

    J.T. Inglis & Sons Ltd.
    Riverside Works
    Dundee
    DD1 3LU

    E-mail: enquiries(at)jtinglis(dot)com
    Tel: +44 (0) 1382 462131
    Fax: +44 (0) 1382 462846

    Far as I know, if there is cotton sail cloth available it comes from Scotland too, but be aware of the 3 km experience of the FONV . . . . :rolleyes:

    Cheers,
    Angel

    P.S. - It seems Google translate has trouble with the jargon, so have fun . . . . . . . :D
     
  5. BATAAN
    Joined: Apr 2010
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    Location: USA

    BATAAN Senior Member

    "Make Your Own Sails" by R.M. Bowker and S.A. Budd, MacMillan, St Martins Press NY 1966. All about cotton sails, stretch, allowances etc. This is not the "science of the rocket" as we say, but simpler than making a tailored shirt.
     
  6. dskira

    dskira Previous Member

    Bataan you are certainly more experience than me in matter of making sails.
    As I said it is for me quite a long struggle, not having the discipline nor the patience of putting two piece of cloth together.
    My wife do beautiful quilts and I see her patiently doing this littles square together. I love them so much that she did 4 for me.
    But this work is not for me. I know my limits.
    But good for you for making them, I admire that.
    Angelique thank you so much, I will pass the names to my friend sail maker to investigate and perhaps he will agree to do a set for me.
    Your research help a lot.
    Hoyt the article is great but before tanning I need to find the cloth. You right perhaps he knows where to find it. I will investigate.
    I love your remarkable "Land House Boat" (It will be an insult to call it a trailer or RV, so I find the term Land House Boat more romantic and appropriate :)). Great design and very stylish. can't have a better one.
    Daniel
     
  7. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Land House Boat it is and will have name painted on the "transom". Thank you.
     

    Attached Files:

  8. CutOnce

    CutOnce Previous Member

    I've been to Z-Hills a few weeks to jump out of airplanes (the Muslims have Mecca, skydivers have Z-Hills). Never saw your land yacht, but would have stopped and said hi if I did!

    --
    CutOnce
     

  9. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    You may see it yet. I live just west of AP across the RR tracks and intend to wear out a lot of tires on that thing. Usually go right by the AP on the way out of town. Heck, it is even recognizable from a mile up. I watch the skydivers from my back yard. Tell me when you go sky diving and I'll drag it out from under the carport so you can see it.
     
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