Custom sails - 36R, 36/600, US1M, M or 10R classes
Details
See the details concerning the different types of sails on the SAILS page of this section.
Choose from eyelets, slides, cord, narrow pocket, large pocket and Walicki slides for the mainsail luff. Cord luff should not be chosen for lightweight sails.
Q Can you put the forestay wire in the headsail luff pocket when you make my sails?
A This is something we do not do unless you will call to collect the sails. When we roll up sails for posting we first lay them on a sheet of Kraft paper so that each roll of the sail surface is separated by a layer of paper. This stops the hard points (battens, headboard, reinforced areas) from imprinting a mark on another part of the sail. Even so we have found that the hard line formed by a luff wire in a sail will print through onto the sail leaving a line parallel to the luff from head to clew. This is not appreciated by our customers. If the sails are sent back they usually have two lines imprinted in them.
The process of adding the luff wire to a small pocket on the luff of a sail is a simple one if the procedure is followed correctly. It is decribed in these FAQs below and also under the relevant products W045, W060 and W075.
Q How do I get the luff wire down the headsail luff pocket?
A Make sure you are using seven strand wire - W060, 0.6 mm diameter for IOM, Marblehead, Ten Rater and 6 Metre sails, W075, 0.75 mm diameter for A Class sails. Use W045, 0.45 mm diameter wire for mainsail luff jacklines/jackstays. Use seven strand wire because it lays straight and will be easy to pass down the luff pocket. Unless it is pre-straightened using single strand wire for this task will be very difficult and will cause the sail to tend to roll up when off the boat.
Place the sail on a firm flat surface and cut a length of wire about 100 mm longer than the sail luff. Check the end you will push into the pocket does not have a sharp point or chisel like edge. If it does it is best to make another cut or use a diamond file or piece of abrasive paper to remove the sharp edge. If you don't do this you run the risk of damaging the luff tape. Introduce the end into the luff pocket and, while holding the sail down with one hand, use the other hand to push the wire in 100 mm at a time until it emerges from the other end.