Cotton sails

share hints, tips and experiences
Post Reply
Garry R

Cotton sails

Post by Garry R »

A guy at our club has just bought a GRP Enterprise in the 12000's and has a set of pretty crisp but original sails for her. However there is also a set of cotton sails which are from boat 94** which he won't be using but won't want to destroy the sails. The main is in pretty good nick but the luff wire is rusty in the jib. Question is - is replacement of the wire possible or is the whole thing a no no? The sails are Jeckylls.
User avatar
Ancient Geek
Posts: 1133
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:50 am
Location: Sletten,3250, Denmark and Hampshire GU33 7LR UK

Re: Cotton sails

Post by Ancient Geek »

Of course it is, Jeckylls at Worxham would almost certainly do it though what they would charge is anybody's guess, the man to speak to at Jeckylls is Graham Leech former Flying Dutchman, Enterprise and Merlin Rocket sailor. Failing that Ratseys at Cowes might be persuaded but not until the autumn! OR any one of the many small traditional sail lofts scattered arounf our shore principally on the East Coast around the Blackwater Estuary, West Mersea, Maldon, Tollesbury places like that. If Goldfich at Whitstable still exist they might do it too, no doubr others will have other names - there has tio be someone in Scotland.
Simples.
chris
Posts: 2474
Joined: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:43 pm
Location: somerset

Re: Cotton sails

Post by chris »

It's not as easy as you might think to replace the jib wire as is. you can't just open up the two ends, remove the old and thread a new one in. Certainly Ratseys bound the wire at 1" intervals before stitching it in which prevents that. Steve in our club had some cotton firefly sails with this problem and took it to a sailmaker who simply cut off the front part of the sail (with the wire), made up the new wire and stitched a new section that wrapped round the wire with an inch or two overlapping the existing fabric and finished it as per modern jibs. He had also used modern dacron for the repair. A practical and quite cheap solution but not the most elegant as the white dacron looked stark aginst the cream cotton. I expect a sailmaker who could do a 'proper job' and repeat exactly the old method would certainly cost a lot more.
Garry R

Re: Cotton sails

Post by Garry R »

Mmmm - the Ent sails are blue - very pale!!
mcyotty
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:20 pm

Re: Cotton sails

Post by mcyotty »

Gary, you could do worse than tell your clubmate to contact Jerry Newbigging of Forth Marine Textiles in Dunfermline. http://www.forthmarinetextiles.co.uk Alternatively he could try Owen Sails who have an operation at Port Edgar, S.Queensferry.
Best wishes to Gilbert Robertson and the Enterprise gang at Forfar.

ps if there is anyone interested there I have an Ovington Ent(19583) with cover and combi-trailer for sale. Just needs some of the fittings put back on after the repaint and varnish that its had. £500 delivered from here in Dollar (01259 742437)
User avatar
Ancient Geek
Posts: 1133
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:50 am
Location: Sletten,3250, Denmark and Hampshire GU33 7LR UK

Re: Cotton sails

Post by Ancient Geek »

Chris is of course correct but if unpicked in advance with a "quickunpick" and then frankly give a sailmakers palm and needles it's not beyond anyone to do a passable job of remaking it replacing the luff wire with some 1X19 rather than the galvanised - plastic covered it will almost certainly be, you can get tack bits and head bits from Holt/Allen to be made into the wire, but is it worth the effort? I ha me doots!
Simples.
alan williams
Posts: 1650
Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Devon

Re: Cotton sails

Post by alan williams »

Hi
I can highly recommend Chris Owen. He made me a fantastic suite of sails for my last Hornet. Very well finished and really fast a quality product.
Cheers Al
Post Reply