How to Order - simply complete the following form
Need help in measuring your sails? - see notes below
The first thing to do before ordering your sails is to find out
the correct size sails for your boat.
Your sailboat has a series of measurements on which all sail manufacture
is based :- the "J" the distance from the front
of the mast to the spot where the forestay meets the deck the "I"
the distance from deck, not the cabin top, to the top of the forestay
the "P" the distance from the top of the boom to
the main halyard sheave, or the black band if your boat has one.
Best measured by hoisting a tape to the correct height and then
reading the distance where the taut tape measure intersects the
boom.
"E" is the distance from the rear of the mast
to the clew outhaul fitting when fully extended, or the black band.Remember
the leech of the sail is always the trailing edge, the luff the
leading edge. The tack is where the sail is fixed (tacked) to the
deck or boom. The head of the sail to the highest corner when hoisted,
the clew is the loose corner on a headsail and is at the end of
the boom farthest from the mast on a main sail. The foot is the
lowest edge. Simple!
LP explained. A great deal of confusion exists as to the
meaning of the percentage number of a Genoa or smaller headsail.
For instance a sail may be described as a 150% Genoa. Your headsail
size is defined by another dimension called the LP (luff perpendicular).
Luff perpendicular is measured as the distance from the clew to
the luff at an angle of 90 deg. to the luff. This distance divided
by "J" * 100 is the percentage size. A Catalina 27 with
a standard rig has a J measurement of 11.25 ft. A 150% genoa for
this boat would have a LP measurement of 11.25 * 150/100 = 16.875
ft. A 100% sail would have an LP of 11.25 feet.
Measuring your boat
This is a fairly easy procedure, take your time and measure twice
just to make sure. You'll need a long tape, a length of fine twine,
paper and pencil.
Head Sails
Attach the tape to your jib halyard, also the end of the fine line.
If the tape should break or come unattached you have the means of
recovering your halyard. Otherwise it involves a trip up the mast!
Hoist the tape to the top of the mast, actually this will be to
the jib halyard sheave, measure the distance to the working deck
not the cabin top. This is your I dimension. Take the end of the
tape to the point where your forestay meets the deck this is the
maximum luff length of your sail. Drop the tape down and measure
the distance from the front of the base of the mast to where the
forestay meets the deck, your J size.
If you have roller furling the luff measuring is a little different.
Hoist the tape up to the top spindle of the reefing system, the
easiest way to do this is to drop your existing head sail attach
the tape to the shackle at the head of the sail and re-hoist. Measure
down to where the corner, the tack, attaches to the drum of the
furler, there is usually a gap of about 6" between the tack
and the drum. This gap is for a wire pennant or pennant lashing.
Measure down to the top of this pennant. The sail is attached to
the furling extrusion with a small cord in the luff of the sail
that slides up the groove. Measure the diameter of this cord. If
you are having a UV protective edge on your sail we need to know
which side, port or starboard to attach it, then you always roll
your sail to leave the UV protection exposed.
If your sail is not on a roller furler is it hanked on or does
your boat have a sail foil? We need to know the diameter of the
luff tape (bolt rope).
Main Sails
Using your main halyard hoist the end of the tape until it stops,
don't forget to also attach the fine twine to recover the halyard
in case of a mishap. Support the boom to the position you want it
to be while sailing. Measure the distance from the top to the point
where the sail attaches to the boom, this is the luff maximum. Leaving
the tape in the same top spot measure to where the sails clew will
be attached, this is the leech size. Please note this is a straight
line not the distance around the trailing edge of the sail. Lower
the tape and measure the distance from the tack connection point
to the longest point the clew can be, allow space for your outhaul
if you have one. How far is it from the back of the mast to the
pin or shackle that connects to the clew? How high above the boom?
One last thing, your main has to be attached to the mast, please
tell us the system in place. Internal track slides fit in a rectangular
slot in the mast, take a slide from your old sail and measure the
width. If your mast has a circular groove it takes either a bolt
rope, fitted in the sail, or slugs, barrel shaped slides, tell us
which and the diameter. If your mast has an external track, just
measure the width of the track.
Spinnakers
All we need are the I and J measurements and your choice of colours.
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