Sailrite sail kits?

[overland]

Does anyone have any experience with these? I'm thinking of making a smallish lug sail--just 52 sq. feet--and I'm wondering how long it might take me.

[Todd Bradshaw]

Most folks could do it in a weekend without a problem.

[stromborg]

I've made nine sails from Sailrite kits. Putting a 52 square foot lugsail should be pretty quick. They use spur grommets so make sure you have the right setting tool, other than that it is pretty straight forward.

[The Jeff]

I put a 23 square foot jib and 81 square foot sprit sail together from a Sailrite kit. It was my first real sewing project and it took me about 12 hours per sail.

[Toxophilite]

I made a shellback dinghy kit and contemplating one for my Gartside to replace the abomination. The instructions were good, I used my friend's sailrite though I imagine for a light sail I could've used my older pfaff. Worked out great and took a couple days.

[jonesmatt1957]

wouldn't you need a heavy duty sewing machine?

[The Jeff]

wouldn't you need a heavy duty sewing machine?

I used a regular old Janome New Home without much trouble, although getting through 10 layers in a few spots was tough. I also cleaned the needle with a cotton ball and acetone every seam because it would gum up from the basting tape. Made a noticeable difference.

[pvg]

wouldn't you need a heavy duty sewing machine?

No, any reasonably good home sewing machine will work fine. But you need to use the proper size needles for the thread they supply with the kit. The instructions that come with the kit tells what needles you need which are standard and available at any fabric/sewing store.
The folks at Sailrite answer the phone and are very helpful.

[stromborg]

This is the spritsail kit for my Flapjack Skiff. That little Necchi has been a real workhorse, I upgraded to a Sailrite LSZ-1 when I started making the sails for my Eun Mara but still use the Necchi for lighter projects. Cleaning the adhesive build up off the needle really helps with the smaller machine. The double sided tape is great but attracts detritus, I did the sewing in my living room and still have black cat hairs in the seams.

[SBrookman]

My wife has made 4 sets of Sailrite sails, she really likes the company and their helpful videos. She used her old Singer for the first 3 sets but opted for their sewing machine while making the heavier cruising sails for Sojourn.
Mainsail2.jpgSewing1.jpg

[johngsandusky]

I haven't built one from a kit. I have used an old all steel sewing machine to repair sails for 26' and 39' boats. I made covers with it too. When it was time to build all new covers for the 39', I bought the Sailrite machine.

[dalekidd]

I just built my 100 sq ft mainsail from one of their kits. My second time to to do so. Used my wife's Kenmore machine. See my build log starting with post #193: http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...ht=chattanooga

[ahp]

Sail Rite told me that for my sails, made from 4 once dacron, a domestic sewing machine would be ok, and it was. Steve Brookmans wife made the sails for my Ohio Sharpie and for Steves. The sails are a little less than 100 square feet each and used 4 once dacron. They came out fine.

[stromborg]

The power of the LSZ-1 helps get through the thicker stuff better than my Necchi does, but I also have their optional heavy flywheel which seems to help on the downstroke through multiple layers of sailcloth or Sunbrella. The walking foot I find very helpful as the sails get larger, management of the cloth can get tough and having the two jaws clamping onto the fabric helps me keep it all (more or less) straight. But a decent homemaker level machine should do 95% of the sail without blinking, the reinforcement points are "trouble" spots as the tack, clew and reef points can have a lot of layers. Keep a sharp needle in there.

I have a Sailrite quote for sails on "Next Boat" which includes a 205 square foot gaff mainsail, a project that is a few years off yet but I'm enjoying pondering how to build a temporary loft floor to facilitate sewing something that big.

[Lemsteraak]

Home sewing machines are great, one of all-time best inventions, right up there with bicycles and sailboats. If you have one with enough power to do zig-zag it will really come in handy. The stitching starts to become uneven as the machine struggles. Then it is time to go to something larger. For lighter stuff, you can't beat a home machine. Used, good machines go for a song.

[StevenBauer]

The first sailrite kit sail we sewed took about a year. My wife is an accomplished seamstress but the sail was very intimidating to her. She wasn't used to the terms and procedures. Procrastination rules. It didn’t get made until we tackled it together. Then it took a weekend.

[ShorelineJohn]

Sailrite kits are great!
And even better they have it all covered, I mean any set of plans I have ever asked about they already been there done that and have a price for you ready to go. Can not recommend them enough!
One word, don't go to fast it is a enjoyable experience that you'll kinda want to savor.

[Boatsbgood]

Agree with all of the above, and want to emphasize the pleasant, helpful support they provide, and an enormous library of free DIY vids via (I think) Youtube. I'm a recovering sailmaker (its a process, I still have two industrial machines and don't do much), and their advice, support, and responsiveness is not common in this era. I designed and made sailboard sails when that was moving very quickly ,1980's, and my starting point was Jim Grant's booklets from, I think, the '70's? I've no connection nor financial interest in their company (except as a customer-as my old wholesale suppliers require large orders), but want to support what they do-its essential, I think, in order to support the 'you can do it' ethos that sustains folks like us. To be clear, I've never yet done a kit from them, but bought supplies, a machine (Fabricator, straight stitch walking foot, to compliment my Consew 206 zigzag), a few tools, tape, fabrics, and other supplies I cant get from my old suppliers due to tiny volume.
Light machines can do a lot, it depends upon the operator to learn what the machine can, and cannot do. Needle choice, learning to re-set timing, thread tension and how to feed the fabric, keeping the fabric weight from affecting the feed and stitch symmetry , proper marking and if possible, taping sail seams, all have an impact. Its really fun, well, not fun like balloons or Champaign or confetti), but satisfying to make fabric stuff take the shape you want, and, I think, worth the learning curve.
That, at least, is my take
Brian

[Todd Bradshaw]

Plus one on Jim Grant's booklets. They're still available and are, by far, the most useful references that I ever found on the subject. They literally taught me how to design and cut sails. They will give you the basics you will need. The rest is up to you and just how far you wish to take it.

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

[Andrew2]

I picked up a 'New World' machine in around 1989; Japanese, made for the US market. Quite robust and has zig-zag. A local friend borrowed it to assemble two Sailrite kits. He was very happy with the results. (Before he used it, he tried his wife's machine. That resulted in her getting a new one...)