Mack or Doyle ?

[IntoMyHealth]

I have Doyle's that came with the boat. Have contacted the NY office a couple of times and it's been a very good experience. At 2015 Miami Strictly Sail Show I met some very helpful people from Mack. They agreed that I needed a part for my masthead and they could fabricate it and sell it to me. The job was for a top down furler but it was best to have the rest of the job done from a rigger in the northeast. I called Mack after the show when we got back and received a quote from the guy I met at the show. The part was like $300. When I called the next day to place the order, the owner got on the phone and scolded me for trying to get a deal on a job he wouldn't make any money on. I mean he was bad. Crazy rude like I was trying to scam him. I was just doing what his staff at the show, and later in his office advised me to do. I thought it was good advice. He cancelled the job and I'll never use Mack for anything, ever. That's my experience. Doyle seems fine to me. They're sails are great.

[roverhi]

Had Mack make a full batten main, 135 roller furling genoa, and an Asymetric spinnaker plus supply a new boom for my '69 Pearson 35. They were super easy to deal with, helped me with measurements and were got right on any issues. Somehow the boom ended up too short by a few inches for the main and they had the mfg. replace the boom with a proper length one. The Cunningham got left off the build of the main inadvertently. They just had me take it to a local sail maker and reimbursed me. Somehow lost a pin in batten hinge at the main which resulted in a slightly bent SS fitting. Could have easily straightened the bent piece and just needed a replacement pin but they sent me whole new assembly without my asking. Only contacted them for a new pin 'cause couldn't find a replacement here at the end of the world.

Best part was their pricing was way less than local sailmakers. Saved enough on the Main and Genoa to pay for the Asym.

[Beausoleil]

Kenomac, I just realized that I never followed up.

We went with Mack after talking to them at the boat show">Miami boat show in 2010. First, we replaced all our standing rigging and our main traveler. Then we replaced our main and mizzens with 10.62 oz HA full-battened large-roached sails, our working jib with a 9.77 oz HA miter-cut 115% high-clew genoa, and our staysail with a 10.62 oz HA staysail, and a 1.5 oz asymmetrical cruising chute with ATN sock.

The full battens and added sail area from the extra roach on the main/mizzen and the 115% genoa really help in low winds - we typically sail at half the apparent wind speed while broad reaching and running. And the boom-less, self-tacking staysail with a clewboard works wonders upwind.

The sails are triple-stiched, and have UHMW strips on the batten pocket ends to slip by our backstays when tacking (we have twin backstays on the main). Everything is high quality - the sails have stood up well the last 5 years, including two in the Bahamas and Caribbean. The possible exception in quality was the MackPack sailcovers; they could have used some extra reinforcements on the jackline grommets - I need to reinforce those.

Travis Blain and Colin Mack were great to work with - they split the order over a year's timeframe to help with our budget. They also took an undersized, almost new Forespar whisker pole someone gave us in trade for a new, correctly sized one, and made recommendations on rerouting all the sheets. Highly recommended!

[nautilee]

I have just had Mack replace my whole rigging and a new suit of sails - Main, Genoa, Staysail and they are not only extremely good at what they do, they are reliable and focused and a pleasure to do business with - and they will come to you, wherever you may be located. Couldn't ask for more.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by DDabs

There is a Doyle loft in St. Petersburg, FL, and they quoted me some great prices on new sails for my Caliber. I will probably end up using them because they were the OEM supplier to Caliber and are very familiar with the dimensions, etc. Mack is located in Stuart, FL, and was a bit more expensive, but no doubt has a great reputation. I don't think you can really go wrong with either.

NO! NO! N0! don't do iT! I went with them when I needed to replace my sails on my Endeavourcat 44. They made the original sails and I was happy with them. Mack and their quote was within a couple of hundred dollars so I used the same logic you did. After all they made the original sails for every Endeavourcat sold so they ought to be able to build me a good set of replacement sails, WRONG!!!!!!! The jib they built was and still is terrible. It's a camberspar jib and the top and bottom will not fly at the same time. If I have laminar flow on the bottom of the jib the top is back winding. If the top is flying well the bottom is stalled. The very first time I used the sail I got caught by an unexpected gust while the top was back winded and it snapped my camberspar and poked 3 hole though the sail. The Doyle loft in East Greenwich, RI repaired the sail, but it just wasn't cut right in the first place. When I got back to Fl they sent out Josh Willis to look at the issue. He agreed that something was wrong but he could not explain it. He said he would talk to his designer and call me. I never heard from him again. Further, he never answered his phone when I called and never returned my phone calls. This last St, Pete boat show who should be manning the Doyle booth,, Josh Willis. I stepped up and asked him if he remembered me. He said I looked familiar but he couldn't place me. I told him I was the guy who 3 years ago he said he would call about the defective jib and never did. I also pointed out he never returned my phone calls. I acted embarrassed but it was BS. He took my name and number and promised he would have the designer call me the following week. Guess what, I still have not heard from him or the so called designer. Furthermore 2 phone calls have not been answered or returned. My only satisfaction was that a couple of potential customers hearing my conversation at the boat show walked away. Don't be a fool and use these clowns. I should have gone with Mack. Since Doyle is a franchise, I'm sure there are fine Doyle shops, just not this one.

[sck5]

another vote for Mack. Got a new suit of sails for my Caliber 40 last year and they are great. Also they are good riggers if you are near Stuart.

[kellymj]

Another vote for Mack. Had them do my standing rigging a few years ago and after trip up the east coast, discovered corrosion in new rigging. On trip back down south they replaced at no cost after simple inspection.

Ordered and received a new Jib, Main (including battens) and Stack Pack while in Grenada about a year ago. I was surprised how smoothly the whole process went. Love the sails, much better fit, finish and much faster than our old Doyle sails.

Would highly recommend.

[Boatguy30]

Firstly, the doyle sail will maybe be built in Barbados but probably Asia. The Mack sail will be entirely built in Stuart, FL.

I earlier this year became a rep for Mack in NE Florida and perform the service suggested by the second poster. IE I measure the boat, take the deposit and install the sail all personally.

I really prefer to fit US sails when at all possible but so occasionally get involved with some imported racing sails since there is often no equilavent option.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Firstly, the doyle sail will maybe be built in Barbados but probably Asia. The Mack sail will be entirely built in Stuart, FL.



I earlier this year became a rep for Mack in NE Florida and perform the service suggested by the second poster. IE I measure the boat, take the deposit and install the sail all personally.



I really prefer to fit US sails when at all possible but so occasionally get involved with some imported racing sails since there is often no equilavent option.

Congrats. I need a screecher, but I'm guessing the drive to Ft Myers would be to long?:-)

[DocBrauer]

I had great ressults with their sails. Electronics,, spinnaker pole, and autopilot not so much.

[DDabs]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

NO! NO! N0! don't do iT! I went with them when I needed to replace my sails on my Endeavourcat 44. They made the original sails and I was happy with them. Mack and their quote was within a couple of hundred dollars so I used the same logic you did. After all they made the original sails for every Endeavourcat sold so they ought to be able to build me a good set of replacement sails, WRONG!!!!!!! The jib they built was and still is terrible. It's a camberspar jib and the top and bottom will not fly at the same time. If I have laminar flow on the bottom of the jib the top is back winding. If the top is flying well the bottom is stalled. The very first time I used the sail I got caught by an unexpected gust while the top was back winded and it snapped my camberspar and poked 3 hole though the sail. The Doyle loft in East Greenwich, RI repaired the sail, but it just wasn't cut right in the first place. When I got back to Fl they sent out Josh Willis to look at the issue. He agreed that something was wrong but he could not explain it. He said he would talk to his designer and call me. I never heard from him again. Further, he never answered his phone when I called and never returned my phone calls. This last St, Pete boat show who should be manning the Doyle booth,, Josh Willis. I stepped up and asked him if he remembered me. He said I looked familiar but he couldn't place me. I told him I was the guy who 3 years ago he said he would call about the defective jib and never did. I also pointed out he never returned my phone calls. I acted embarrassed but it was BS. He took my name and number and promised he would have the designer call me the following week. Guess what, I still have not heard from him or the so called designer. Furthermore 2 phone calls have not been answered or returned. My only satisfaction was that a couple of potential customers hearing my conversation at the boat show walked away. Don't be a fool and use these clowns. I should have gone with Mack. Since Doyle is a franchise, I'm sure there are fine Doyle shops, just not this one.

Sorry to hear that about Josh and your overall experience with Doyle. I actually did end up going with Doyle, because they were local (was living in St. Pete at the time) and they have been great so far, excellent quality and the cheapest set I could find. I have already put over 3000 nm on them and they are still as fresh as new! I thought I would write this because Josh has been a great guy to work with and took care of me throughout the sailmaking process.

David

[Boatguy30]

Originally Posted by smj

Congrats. I need a screecher, but I'm guessing the drive to Ft Myers would be to long?:-)

Anything to get the famous "smj" as a customer

[smj]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Anything to get the famous "smj" as a customer

And I thought I would benefit getting "the man" to measure my sail!