Tech Sails for Non-Tech Catamarans? Here is what I did (photos / 4k video)

[alansmith]

Sailjumanji, Only 4 Condors made in the world and you know Bobby Fulmer....what a small world....Smile.

It is evident you do not want to share the price. I used to race on monohulls. My boat is strictly a performance cruiser. I honestly am just trying to get my mind around a ball park figure of what a decent mainsail and furling Genny will cost me. I know there are so many permutations of sailcloth that it just baffles the mind. I guess it is just hard for some people to come out and say what it is and i respect your wishes not to share. If someone asked me what i paid to rebuild my Sharpie so that they could get some sort of idea what it costs to sand a hull down to plywood and then to resheath it...well, even if their boat was bigger...or they chose to use 10 oz biaxial with vinyl ester versus 12 oz biaxial with West System....i would tell them because they asked...even if it was apples being compared to oranges. There is no way my figures would be reproduced on another guy’s boats. I would also tell him how many hours or weeks it took...what supplies i used and how many gallons...how many yards of XXX.

SailJ...I am an old guy and just plain simple...I understand your boat is bigger and you have more refined needs for your sailing....trying to extract from you what was paid for a product has been interesting.

Than you for sharing your build for the sails. I found it interesting and learned some things about laminates versus Dacron, mildew, and such. Also thanks for the leads for good multihull sail makers. I almost bought Dave Calvert’s boat several years ago from a gentleman who had built a hard top for it. It was in Hawaii and presented too many problems to get it back stateside. Some guy up in Seattle area bought it. The blog of them getting it back to Washington was an interesting read. Wish you well. Respectfully, alan

[sailjumanji]

Alan, Email whatever sailmakers you respect and get an actual quote for your boat. It would have taken less time than that last post.

Maybe my sailing needs are more refined because I cruise for months at a time with my wife! Who BTW, used to steer our Corsair when we raced against Bobby, Nationals events, etc. But now we are older.

[solecollector]

The main / genoa are actually GPL28 Carbon Lite. I incorrectly said Carbon Sport in the main post and CZ90 Silver for the Code 0.

Originally Posted by solecollector

I ended up going with Dimension Polyant Lite Skin / Carbon Sport sails for the main and jib with the offshore package. I also picked up a code zero (DP as well - CZ90 that we will install this week). The Lite Skin is really what pushed me over the top. From my research (and there is so little out there to read) the Lite Skin is just an incredible material. It doesn't crease and it is relatively light... and most of all... TOUGH.

Video: https://youtu.be/Q03gA4MqKBI

[mikedefieslife]

I'm been looking more into this.

GPL28 is pretty heavy weight. On the tech sheets I looked at it's recommended for boats of 55' or so. Perhaps that's monos though that have some heal to relieve pressure.

None of the sail makers I've contacted even want to quote for Lite Skin for my tiny main. I was told it was too fragile by one, the other recommended Dimension PXB. I've not come across it before and not sure how it stacks up compared to GPL.

https://www.dimension-polyant.com/po...ne-en/?lang=en

[sailjumanji]

I don't think the GPL Lite Skin on my sail is 28, but instead a mix of lighter weight, if I remember correctly. Two other Seawind 1160 cats in Australia were using it before me, one that has a lot of heavy air cruising mikes on his and said he'd absolutely do it again. It's not high on abrasion resistance though, bit neither are any of the synthetics. We are on month three of our new sails, including some reefed conditions crossing open water, one month in Florida, the last two in Bahamas thru Exumas, Eleuthera and now Abacos. They have fantastic shape, and we sail everywhere. One of the boats that recommended them to me has a successful racing career on the GPL Lite Skin, as well as Australian cruising miles - in seas not so nice. Only issue we have is that I went very large square top and high aspect main, so we have to reef a little earlier than most. Bit we also sail as fast as most people motor, in light wind. So we sail everywhere. Your sail maker will need to pay attention to chafe protection on the batten pocket.

[sailjumanji]

Some pics. Main with chute up.

Upwind. Pics for the deck are a bit deceiving. Our square top measures 6.5 ft horizontal.

[longjonsilver]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

Attachment 192851

Thats an amazingly good shape for a main upwind.

jon

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by longjonsilver

Thats an amazingly good shape for a main upwind.



jon

Downwind.

[sailjumanji]

Originally Posted by longjonsilver

Thats an amazingly good shape for a main upwind.



jon

Downwind, in very light wind. It's probably sheeted too tight, but tell tales flowing, and probably 130 deg AWA. That appears to be sweet spot downwind. That said, that was a pretty early photo and we've got a lot more time on the boat, and am running less luff tension on chute, and main a bit further out with more twist. We have a Harken Reflex 2 top down furler and that's taken some time to get riffed with balance of spinnaker fullness but tension cable tight enough to furl.

I have some great downwind pics that another boat took, but don't have the cell strength to send. We are still in Abacos.

[sailjumanji]

You know. I can't see what pic you referenced, but the one main and jib was upwind.