Used Sail Business Recommendations?

[Dave Hadfield]

Hi,

The working-jib on Drake is old and the stitching is wearing-out. I will order a new one, but this is the busy season, so that will have to wait for winter.

In the meantime, I'd like to have a spare, so I was considering buying a used one, as insurance, in case this one rips during this summer. Does anyone have any recommendations for a particular used-sail-business?

One in Canada would be convenient, but that's not critical.

Luff 30ft
Leach 28 ft
Foot 13 ft
Hanks, not roller-furling

Thanks,

Dave

[Garret]

I found a new to me main on eBay. Had to modify a bit, but even with paying for the loft it saved thousands.

Looking through what's available can be a bit tedious though.

ETA: They've added a separate category just for sails: https://www.ebay.com/sch/181462/i.ht...=R40&_nkw=sail

[SchoonerRat]

http://www.minneysyachtsurplus.com/

[David G]

Sadly, the local version closed... to go sailing around the world.

[Todd Bradshaw]

Be aware that there are used sails, which come in all sorts of states of deterioration, or not, and there are reconditioned sails. A theoretically "reconditioned" sail is a used sail which has had the living sh!t bleached out of it to make it pretty and white, but the process also burns off all the resin which formerly gave the cloth much of its dimensional stability. The dimensional stability is what makes the sail hold its designed airfoil shape, and after going through the "reconditioning" process, a once stiff and stable hunk of Dacron is as mushy as a T shirt. Then they hang it up by the corners and spray it with some sort of resin coating. That is simply not the way sails are shaped and calling the resulting item pretty white garbage is probably giving it more credit than it deserves.

Other than a simple cleaning to reduce the amount of dirt on a used sail and possibly some small stitching touch-ups or small patches, the seller should not have done anything drastic to a used sail.

[Don Z.]

Todd brings up a very good point, and in this case he is quite correct.

That said, as previously mentioned Minney's in California, as well as Bacon's in Annapolis MD. Both will describe the sail's size and condition.

https://baconsails.com/bacon/select_specs_API.php

[Dave Hadfield]

Thanks!

I can wash sails. I appreciate the input.

Dave

[Ben Fuller]

Glad to see that Bacon's is still in business. Yours is a big sail so the usual of checking with one design classes that are actively raced won't work. I've had good luck there as serious racers replace stuff when there is still lots of life left for us duffers.

[Bobcat]

Glad to see that Bacon's is still in business. Yours is a big sail so the usual of checking with one design classes that are actively raced won't work. I've had good luck there as serious racers replace stuff when there is still lots of life left for us duffers.

When I had a Highlander, I bought used sails that were not up to racing, but worked fine for my cruising

[Figment]

I'll vouch for Bacon. I only ever had one foresail on Figment that didn't come from Bacon's used list.