David King wrote:
Ahoy Dennis and Laurie,
The following are prices that you can expect to pay for NEW Westsail 32 sails. These tend to be heavy sails built for the long haul. They are not North, Hood, or Hasse prices. You could possibly find an acceptable sail at 25% less or 100% more:
Mainsail with 2 reef rows, about 8oz material, Dacron $2700.
Staysail with 1 reef row, about 5.5oz material, Dacron $1400
Yankee for a furler (sun protection and luff bulking system), about 8oz material, Dacron $2500.
I always recommend contacting Kerns Sails first. Kern Knows sails and he knows Westsails better than any other sail maker. Both of these facts are important.
As mentioned the Alado furler is good and also a good value. I use a Pro-furl. I could also recommend Schaefer and Harken. Remember that when it comes time to size the furler that "bigger rolls easier than smaller".
Good luck, let us know what you do,
Dave
I think Dave is about right+/- (I use a Profurl 42 but it is a bit stiff and is to heavy = weight up high = it is tough, but really I would like it to be lighter in weight with the same drum)
As for the stay sail; I like a 8 or 9 oz material as this is the last sail I have up in a hard blow. It is the one that will take the most load (the way I Sail) I have done hull speed+ on just this sail alone more than once, which means there is a very very big load possible on it, even though it is small. Yes in light air my heavy staysail is not as shapely as a lighter sail, but if you do not want to replace it for heavy weather, I would go with the thicker mtl. and the price should not change much +/- 15% - 20%.
If you have not sailed on your boat with its current sails at least 5 days++. Please please! try them, they will give you some great points to talk to the sail maker about.
Weather helm
reefing < good < or bad
interactions, vang, outhaul, lose footed stay or not, etc etc.
I have a shorter foot on my main 14'-0" and love it!! I mean there is no way you could convince me to go back, ( I may give up some miles/day down wind ? 0 to 2) and gain 0 to 1 upwind? but it allows me to balance the sails most of the time which is my goal; an not to be racing as hard as possible.
I have the heavy stay sail (I may lose? 1 to 2 miles/day in light air, but I never take the sail off = no storm sail.
Dave and Kern have a great deal of knowledge! but you need to make sure when you order your sails you make YOUR wishes and sailing conditions known, and you will get a better sail for your way of sailing and for the $$$$ you spend.
FYI I have a dumpster genoa- jib 6oz 300' +/- I cut it, and added a luft tape. It is great most of the time, and has sailed many many a mile (6 to 17Kt wind) , more than the standard 8oz working jib I have from Kern sails which is a great sail! and I do use the working jib when expecting more wind (12 to 22kt wind). So please know there is no shame (I hope) in an extra old sail or two of alt sizes.
In my opinion; get new heavy (proper weight Dacron) sails (main, stay and ? jib) then use older (can blow out sails) genoa, drifter, spinnaker etc. if they blow out, the heavy sails can take there place, albeit much much reduced speed losing 10 to 20 miles a day on an undersized fore sail, but getting there. When the old ones go, you will have an excuse to buy a new sail, and meet new people = sail makers.
Finally if you are racing Talk to Dave, He seams to be pretty good at getting every extra mile/day out of the W32.
Norm
P.s. a retractable lazy jack system for the main is really really nice for single handing.
Edited
pps. a note on furling with out the bulking; it is either in or out (how I sail +/-) but if I had the chance, I would add it, as partial reduction could have its advantages. Also I like my Kern sail but for all of my sail work I have used a local guy (dead now) who did great work.
