Used jib

[jbpollock]

Hey All,
I'm in the market for another jib and was wondering what else to be looking at or for.
I've got a 35' Irwin Citation 1986 and the old jib is giving up the ghost. I may spend time in the future trying to piece it back together. The nearest sail loft showed me the damage (sail cloth is barely holding together, past repairs have failed, etc.) and suggested an earnest repair would be expensive and not insure the rest of the sail holding together for much longer. Seeing the condition of jib that sounds reasonable and a fair assessment.

I went online to get some idea of the dimensions and really, find out what the measured dimensions are called, me being a newbie at such things. I found the leech at 46' and the foot at 14.2', which I'll double check on the old jib later today.

The boat has a roller furling.

Questions: Besides knowing that I'm going to stick with a 100% jib, what other dimensions do I need to be in know about? For a roller furling I think I need to know something about the "tape." Is that the part that fits in the track around the forestay? How would I measure that?

Would cloth weight be standard or is there a range within to stay?

I've been directed to second wind sails. I'm in the San Francisco Bay. Any places to be looking local to me?

Thanks for any help!

jb

[islandplanet]

For used sails in the bay area you could check with Marchal Sailmakers in Alameda. Dominic is an honest guy with decades of experience.

It's very challenging to find a good used sail for a boat like yours. You need a decent cruising sail and people typically don't get rid of them until they're pretty worn out. It's not just condition of the cloth but the sail shape that's a concern.

Even if you find something that fits, you won't know if the sheeting angles are proper until you try it out. If they're not, you'll need to add fairlead track or a padeye.

Luff tape is the least of your worries. Most likely it will be a #6 for a boat that size. You measure the diameter with a set of calipers or fine rule.

Most likely any used headsail will need a new suncover on the leech and foot. That will probably run close to $10/foot.

What many people learn the hard way is that a used sail can often cost 50%-80% of what a new sail that is custom made to fit the boat. In some cases I've seen people spend more than the price of a new sail by the time they're done.

Something else to keep in mind is that you're in the SF Bay Area. That means some serous wind and chop. Sails made for boats in Southern Cal or Florida don't always fare well in San Francisco Bay. Most boats in the bay will carry something like a 100%'ish jib and for a boat like yours, it will usually be a cloth close to 8oz.

[jbpollock]

Thanks Island planet for the information. I might be talking to Marchal soon about a new sale. He didn't have any used ones in stock.
Especially helpful was Don at pineapple sails.

[islandplanet]

Originally Posted by jbpollock

Thanks Island planet for the information. I might be talking to Marchal soon about a new sale. He didn't have any used ones in stock.
Especially helpful was Don at pineapple sails.

We can help with new sails so let us know if we can be assistance.