Sew your own Laser sail!

Merrily

Merrily

Administrator
I was googling upholstery fabric today and came across a website that has kits for building sails. It's $271 for the Standard Laser kit, but I think you need some specialized tools, so if you only wanted one for non-legal sailing, it wouldn't be economical. Put Laser or Laser Radial in the first box at the website below, and you will see. No kidding!

http://quotesys.sailrite.com/boatdata/sailkitpricing.cfm

Merrily
 
You are probably right about the special equipment. I think you might need a way to put in the clew and cunningham groument.
 
If you really want a non class legal sail, htere are local sailmakers who will make one for less than your kit.

If you like building stuff... The kit might be fun.

If you intend to improve your competitive skills, I believe sailing with non standard equipment does many negative things to your game.
Examples> if the stuff is easier to use...real sailing feels harder and less fun.
If the stuff is just different..you develop different habits.

On the othe hand..any sailing seems to help all your other sailing. So what the heck do I know??
 
gouvernail said:
...If you really want a non class legal sail, htere are local sailmakers who will make one for less than your kit...
Click to expand...
This is maybe true for your area/planet there, gouvernail. But here where I live (west Europe) no sailmaker sew you a Laser-sail for less than 350-400 Euro. This is where you live 400-460 US-Dollar. Which non-racing - in winds under Bft 6 - recreational sailing Laserite can be so stupid, to buy a new sail? Also, I can imagine the different design-styles of colours (Hawaian style, African style, South-American style, Asian style, Gothic style, Rolling-Stone style....) that are possilbe and would bring some indiviuality. Sorry, must go now downstairs and look for my mum's sewing-machine... Thanks Merrily great idea.

Ciao
LooserLu
 
Great idea, LaserLu! I'd use this fabric. It would go well with the light blue stripe on my hull. I would be on the cutting edge of Laser fashion!

Merrily
 

Attachments

  • 3463 Palm fabric.jpg
    3463 Palm fabric.jpg
    24.1 KB · Views: 35
There are a couple of options as far as cunn/outhaul rings. The current rings on the class sail are pressed in with a hydr press and dies.
You could:
1. Bring the sail the a sailmaker once the corners are complete and have them press in a couple of rings - it's 15 min of time and parts..
2. You could also use regular spur grommets, a size 3 or 4 would be do. Again a sailmaker would do this (I would pay a little more to get the pressed rings though) or you can also buy the tools to set them yourself. They are pounded on via hammer with the tools
3. You could sew on webbing straps. No rings needed.

Before you go to far with this, the first thing I would do would be to make sure my sewing machine can work with the V69 thread. While that's on the light side as far as sailmaking goes, it's still thicker then most thread used in home machines and you need to make sure you can set the tensions correctly and end up with a good stitch. The other issue is the presser foot - the commercial machines use much more pressure on the foot which helps to pull the material thru (they usually also have an additional puller behind the presser foot). Most home machines don't do a good job of pulling more then a pound of material through, so you end up with either very uneven stitches or really working hard at feeding the material thru to keep the stitch length even. I would get myself a couple of feet of the actual material and the thread and create some seams and some bulked up areas and make sure my machine is going to do the job before going for the full package..
 
Murphs said:
just started working at a sailmaker: www.doylefraser.com

imagine a d4 laser sail, no stitching, no stretch, beautiful shape
Click to expand...

Wow! Laser sailing would never be the same after that. How much would something like that cost? More importantly, are ya gonna do it, just for grins?

Merrily
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top