Sailmaking "kit"

I am seriously considering taking the leap and ordering a sail "kit" from Sailrite and a sewing machine. This will be my winter project <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
Anyone have any experience with these kits? They come all precut and labeled and you basically assemble it- do all the sewing, etc. Yes, doesn't require any design work so you could argue what is the point I guess but I am beginning to think of all the things I could do with the sewing machine and different sails I could make (even tramps, and certainly sails too). Maybe even do a design myself and send it to sailrite and have them cut it.

I have done a Quattro 16 main and jib kit from them. It was the beginning of my sailmaking efforts.

If you want to do it, go for it! The kit is very good and you certainly learn the basics of how sailmaking is really done. The resulting sails might not be perfect (takes time to learn skills), but you will know how to fix them and other sails later on. If you get stuck during the building, you can always get help here or on the sailrite forums. I think they will be good sails at a good price. The skills you learn are costless!

Will these be sails for your Blade?

The first sail will be a jib for my 31. Going for Dacron since it is my first try and it is a extrusionless roller furler with a zipper luff. The sails are original 1999 and the jib doesn't have much life left on it. If it works out then the screecher would be next (although I am pushing my limits on size with the jib so a screecher just may not be possible for me to do in my basement). I would do a jib for the blade before a main.
What kind of sewing machine did you use for the kit you did?

I used a regular domestic machine inherited from my grandmother. All metal Pfaff.
For a dacron jib to go on a Farrier 31, I would have spent the money for one of the sailrite machines with zig-zag and walking foot. I would have done a Blade jib first to get the experience and minimize the risk.

The way to work on large sails in a confined area is to build it in parts. Then roll/fold and assemble the sub-assemblies. We had like 3x4m of floor for our Tornado sailmaking and mains and spis were possible there.

rolf,
thanks for your replies.
I agree that perhaps a jib for the blade should be done first but I think I am going to take the big leap first <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Seems very simplistic though I think the learning curve is in how to use the machine of course. I actually live somewhat close to the Sailrite store so I am going to go there to get it and have them demonstrate the machines and pick up a bunch of scrap to practice on. What I need is my mom to come visit and have her school me on it.. although she hasn't made any sails she is very good with a standard sewing machine...
I am looking at the Sailrite LSZ-1 http://www.sailrite.com/Ultrafeed-LSZ-1-Walking-Foot-Sewing-Machine?sc=2&category=100058
the next jump up goes from 849$ to 1999.00!!!

I did not find using the sewing machine in itself to be a challenge, but basting the panels together and finishing the job properly certainly was. Stitching a spi on the other hand was a challenge for the sewing machine as it kept gumming up with the glue. Sailrite is usually very good on shipping their products with instructions. I expect their documentation on their sewing machines to be very good.
I expect your learning curve to be pretty steep all over, not just on the machine and seaming <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The LSZ1 is a machine I have drooled much over, but never had the money to buy. If you intend to build several sets of dacron sails it is a good investment. Myself I like to use the modern glues as much as possible. Stitching takes time and gluing is just as good on many laminates like the Maxx series. I am certainly not going to stitch any spinnakers again except the patches and egde tapes! I would still like a LSZ1 instead of my Pfaff 1222E which is nothing more than an advanced domestic machine <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Have a go at it, their mains and jibs are good to very good in my opinion. I would not buy beachcat spis from them as I think they have too much draft and too slack a luff.

The Glaser spin I have is not stitched except for the edges and patches. I was surprised a little to start with but then realized that with modern glue there was no real need to stitch the spin cloth all the way.

I need to be careful though... In truth, I have a bad tendency to do things "good enough" sometimes so I am going to have to pay attention and make sure everything is better than that. I imagine that screwing up by a few mm with the basting then sewing would screw up the shape pretty good? Not the whole shape, but you would be able to see it when it is loaded up.
I am due to get a quote from them on Monday and I am curious as to how much $$ it will be.
The machine can pay for itself certainly when I think of the number of times I have had sails and tramps repaired. Need to restitch my spin bag too.
When this all gets going, I will post some pics if anyone is interested... though not sure how interesting it will be to anyone but me and you <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

P.s. edit- how much of a real difference do you think there is between a radial cut jib and cross-cut in terms of performance? I figure once I get going the difference in time probably won't be crazy excessive but there is probably an increase in cost due to the more cuts for the radial cut. Will ask the price diff on Monday. The material cost of a laminate over dacron is about 50% more.

What level of sailing are we talking about here? Top level racing and I think you will notice the difference. The crosscut will wear out faster due to the threads not being aligned with the loads and draft will move about and vary more as pressure changes.
I would take a good crosscut dacron jib any day over a tired radial/tri radial jib.

Please keep us informed! Sailmaking is very interesting stuff.

The way I figure it.... I probably need that .5% performance improvement because my tacks are perfect, mainsail and jib trim is perfect all of the time and the bottom of my boat is coated with teflon, my sheets are 0% stretch so if I don't go radial then I am sure to lose....
High level racing of course <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Is that the main issue between a crosscut and radial cut dacron jib- the stresses on the stitch lines? I would assume that, but hadn't ever thought about it that way. I assume that with radial cut laminates the loads are transferred along the more load bearing aspect of the weave. Wouldn't a crosscut laminate sail be better than a radial cut then if the seams are really well done?

The threads in the dacron cloth, like you describe it, not the seam lines/stitching <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

ordered the kit. Crosscut dacron. Let the games begin!!! I am obviously getting ahead of myself, but the next project would be new trampolines. Anyone ever find this fabric anywhere? I am having a hard time finding it outside of sunrise-

Thy here,
http://www.sailrite.com/Trampoline-Mesh-...category=100262

Ugh... my consistency is lacking for sure, but so far I don't see any real deficiencies. Forgot to add one layer to one of the patches... (got halfway done) and wandered off the seam line several times- hard to get three lines of stitching in the 7/8 seam...

Pictures !! <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

soon... though I might need to post them anonymously <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

been busy with building crew, rather than sails...
Riley James Pettengill was born 2 days ago <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Congratulations !!! I guess the pics can wait then... <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

once I get going on these things I don't stop really. My mom was up to help with the new baby so we trucked through the thing. Learning curve certainly- how to sew the long stitches (luff and leach tapes, zipper), what order to do things in, etc.
Looks good, and set it up, but have not sailed it yet. This sail seems a bit longer than the Calvert jib so I might end up with a slight problem with the tack interfering/abrading on the luff tensioning blocks. Also, looking at the comparison between the cloth on the calvert jib (heavy laminate) and the new jib 8.4oz dacron.... I am a little concerned about sailing with it in heavier winds (the construction will last, but not sure about the sail "blowing out. "
sorry for the poor quality.. these are with my phone because my wife's computer had to be sent back (has the card reader for the real camera)

Congratulations on finishing your first sail Patrick! From what I can see you did a good job on it. Looking forward to more pictures from both the construction and sailing.

Next project, do it from scratch and to your own design <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

rolf,
I think my next project (other than new cushions, ugh) will be a new jib for the blade...

That will be really interesting. I will also need a design for our Blades, as will another homebuilder I know. Perhaps we should have a look at making an open source Blade jib design?

sounds good to me. I would be happy to help. There is double sided tape out there that could be used on the seams for the jib on the F16 that would require only maybe one row of straight stitching. This would enable people with small machines to sew them except for a few small spots I would guess. The spin I got from Glaser doesnt have stitching except on the tapes and patches. Somebody please correct me but I don't see these jibs taking a huge load given their size.

The glues are mostly intended for laminate sails as far as I know. For Dacron the sewing machine still will have to run over the seams.
We built a Tornado main out of Maxx Pen09 and glued the seams. We also stitched the seams, but I dont think that was neccesary.

Here is a first go at a jib, just to let you (and others who are interested) have a look at the mid section profile.



Could you measure luff, leech and foot length of your current jib? Also, could you fold the sail and measure luff curve for both position and amount? By folding I mean that you fold the luff back over the cloth once, and then fold the luff forward again so you can measure hollow against the straight fold of cloth you have got. If your jib is in a stiff laminate cloth, this might be hard and using a straightedge or a plank might be easier.

A word of warning, you would be sailing with the prototype as we are not ready to do the sails yet!! Perhaps better for you to wait until we have launched and done a couple if iterations of the design.

Software used is SailCut, which is available here: http://sourceforge.net/project/downloadi...xe&78816830

If you want to play with the datafile, I can post it as an attachment here.

would love to measure my jib. only problem is that it is 1000 miles away, I am in michigan and the sail is in Fl. I will see about having someone measure it for me....