Sailmaker for Dinghy Sails

[Don Maurer]

I need to start thinking about ordering sails for my 13'-6" lapstrake plywood dinghy. It is an Iain Oughtred designed Tammie Norrie, essentially a stretch version of the Guillemot. I am building it as a trainer with two mast steps. One sail will be a cat rigged 64 sq. ft balanced lug, the others a jib and mains'l for a gunter rigged sloop. Can anyone recommend a sailmaker who has experience with sails for small boats and will accept a small order?

Thanks,

Don

[Don Maurer]

I need to start thinking about ordering sails for my 13'-6" lapstrake plywood dinghy. It is an Iain Oughtred designed Tammie Norrie, essentially a stretch version of the Guillemot. I am building it as a trainer with two mast steps. One sail will be a cat rigged 64 sq. ft balanced lug, the others a jib and mains'l for a gunter rigged sloop. Can anyone recommend a sailmaker who has experience with sails for small boats and will accept a small order?

Thanks,

Don

[Don Maurer]

I need to start thinking about ordering sails for my 13'-6" lapstrake plywood dinghy. It is an Iain Oughtred designed Tammie Norrie, essentially a stretch version of the Guillemot. I am building it as a trainer with two mast steps. One sail will be a cat rigged 64 sq. ft balanced lug, the others a jib and mains'l for a gunter rigged sloop. Can anyone recommend a sailmaker who has experience with sails for small boats and will accept a small order?

Thanks,

Don

[paladin]

Dabbler Sails, advertising in the back of Woodenboat, has made several sets of small boat sails for me and does d*** fine work. He's located in Virginia. Give him a try.

[paladin]

Dabbler Sails, advertising in the back of Woodenboat, has made several sets of small boat sails for me and does d*** fine work. He's located in Virginia. Give him a try.

[paladin]

Dabbler Sails, advertising in the back of Woodenboat, has made several sets of small boat sails for me and does d*** fine work. He's located in Virginia. Give him a try.

[landlocked sailor]

Nat Wilson will do it too. One of the great traditional sailmakers in Maine, he made sails for the USS Constitution. When I called the sail loft, he answered the phone & gave me an instant quote. Rick

[landlocked sailor]

Nat Wilson will do it too. One of the great traditional sailmakers in Maine, he made sails for the USS Constitution. When I called the sail loft, he answered the phone & gave me an instant quote. Rick

[landlocked sailor]

Nat Wilson will do it too. One of the great traditional sailmakers in Maine, he made sails for the USS Constitution. When I called the sail loft, he answered the phone & gave me an instant quote. Rick

[Todd Bradshaw]

Though it's not absolutely critical, it might be a good idea to build the spars before ordering your sails. Your lug will probably have a yard about eight feet long and the gunter's topmast will probably have a maximum diameter of 1.5"-2". Both these spars will flex a lot in use and your sailmaker may need to build an allowance into the sails' shapes for spar bend. Information that you can provide about the amount of flexibility exhibited by the spars may help them with the design and cut.

Small orders are not a problem for most of the people who specialize in traditional sails. It's a different sort of business from the big high-tech lofts that build mostly modern race-oriented sails or big runs of specific class or OEM sails.

[Todd Bradshaw]

Though it's not absolutely critical, it might be a good idea to build the spars before ordering your sails. Your lug will probably have a yard about eight feet long and the gunter's topmast will probably have a maximum diameter of 1.5"-2". Both these spars will flex a lot in use and your sailmaker may need to build an allowance into the sails' shapes for spar bend. Information that you can provide about the amount of flexibility exhibited by the spars may help them with the design and cut.

Small orders are not a problem for most of the people who specialize in traditional sails. It's a different sort of business from the big high-tech lofts that build mostly modern race-oriented sails or big runs of specific class or OEM sails.

[Todd Bradshaw]

Though it's not absolutely critical, it might be a good idea to build the spars before ordering your sails. Your lug will probably have a yard about eight feet long and the gunter's topmast will probably have a maximum diameter of 1.5"-2". Both these spars will flex a lot in use and your sailmaker may need to build an allowance into the sails' shapes for spar bend. Information that you can provide about the amount of flexibility exhibited by the spars may help them with the design and cut.

Small orders are not a problem for most of the people who specialize in traditional sails. It's a different sort of business from the big high-tech lofts that build mostly modern race-oriented sails or big runs of specific class or OEM sails.

[Evan Showell]

Sound like you might want to check with the previous poster, the forum's own Todd Bradshaw. By virtue of his recent book on various sail rig configurations for the canoe, he would appear to be something of an authority on sailmaking for small craft. Todd has not actually made any sails for me, but I'll bet you find someone on the forum to whom he as at least given a quote (off forum, of course). Seems like he already may be familiar with some of the unique sailmaking challenges presented by small, flexible spars. Why ignore expertise right under your nose?

Plus, Todd's out in your neck o' the woods.

[This message has been edited by Evan Showell (edited 03-31-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Evan Showell (edited 03-31-2001).]

[Evan Showell]

Sound like you might want to check with the previous poster, the forum's own Todd Bradshaw. By virtue of his recent book on various sail rig configurations for the canoe, he would appear to be something of an authority on sailmaking for small craft. Todd has not actually made any sails for me, but I'll bet you find someone on the forum to whom he as at least given a quote (off forum, of course). Seems like he already may be familiar with some of the unique sailmaking challenges presented by small, flexible spars. Why ignore expertise right under your nose?

Plus, Todd's out in your neck o' the woods.

[This message has been edited by Evan Showell (edited 03-31-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Evan Showell (edited 03-31-2001).]

[Evan Showell]

Sound like you might want to check with the previous poster, the forum's own Todd Bradshaw. By virtue of his recent book on various sail rig configurations for the canoe, he would appear to be something of an authority on sailmaking for small craft. Todd has not actually made any sails for me, but I'll bet you find someone on the forum to whom he as at least given a quote (off forum, of course). Seems like he already may be familiar with some of the unique sailmaking challenges presented by small, flexible spars. Why ignore expertise right under your nose?

Plus, Todd's out in your neck o' the woods.

[This message has been edited by Evan Showell (edited 03-31-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Evan Showell (edited 03-31-2001).]