Modify pinhead main to square-top?

I am in the process of restoring an old Prindle 19 and plan to wrap things up this fall/winter. It came with a Dacron pinhead main that is in really good condition for its age.

The boat will be a fun weekend cruiser for the in-law's cottage (i.e. no serious racing) so the project budget is limited - but it would still be cool to have a square-top main.

Has anyone had an older pinhead main like this modified into a square-top? It seems like it would only require a few new panels and some additional battens and batten pockets (though I am obviously not a sailmaker).

I am curious if anyone has had success with this modification - and maybe a picture or two they would be willing to share, and how much I should expect a sailmaker to charge.

Thanks!
Evan

Evan, You probably could get something put together in the shape of a square head, but it may not be worth the $. Square heads require a good bit more leach tension in the sail to properly hold their shape and Dacron would not hold up well for this. Additionally, it may be tough to keep the (probably decent) flying sail shape you have now with the modifications. If you want a square head, you're probably better off having a new sail made from pentex or similar (mylar film fabric).

If it was me, I would sell the nice p19 main and buy a cheap f18 main. It should break even on prices.

I modded a larger main for my 5,2 by removing a strip from a cross cut area where the leach and luff were almost parallel. Maybe that's an option for you too. I admit I only did it because a proper sail for a 5.2 is more expensive that my whole boat is worth...

That worked very well although the dacron sail (leach) is too weak for serious racing when the wind picks up.

Thicker sailcloth would have been better, but beggars can't be choosers. In general it works well and gives me more speed downwind without aggravating the handling too much. I can even use it 1-up but have to let out 2 to three feet during the tack to prevent it from going into irons.

+1
Or an old N-20 main and have it modded if need be.

I like the idea of a used F18 or N20 main. Are there any P-19 sailors who have tried fitting either of these sails to the P-19 mast?

I don't have a P19 but an owner called me once looking for a F18 sail for his. I've seen several 19's with them.

i have purchased 2 f18 sails (mkI&mkII) for my 94 mystere 5.5. they both fit and performed extremely well (the difference from my boat to a f18 is i have a center board f18 have daggers)

I have had 2 tornado mains (both cut down a bit to better fit my mast). worked well


I am not sure what size your mast is, mine is 30'

I saw a P19 main a few years ago that had been modified to a square top by Glazer, I think. Looked great. As far as Dacron not working? Not true. I had one on my H21se for a while and It was fantastic. There are a few Dacron square tops running around here in Texas that are holding up very well. One is at least 10 years old on a 5.8 and made by Calvert (the same maker of my 21se main) and is still raced quite a bit. But back to the original question about modifying, I think that's the way more than a few P19MX's were done in the first place.