New sails are in!....

[brackish]

My new sails came yesterday, Arion no longer has to feel handicapped by having working sails only.  Bought them from JSI/Doyle Ploch.  Watched them make the asymmetrical off and on over a period of a week or so (loft web cam, that's nice), and watched them measure and inspect the 135 (that one made overseas).  Both look great on the living room floor, but the proof will come when I have time to rig and use them, hopefully next week on the 135, a couple of weeks later on the asyspin (mast will come down for a road trip, mount the halyard block at that time).

I was looking for durable coastal cruising sails and I also considered National Sails (Rolly Tasker), FX sails, North Direct, and Kelly Hanson.  I think I could have worked with any of them and the prices were close.  JSI/Doyle Ploch was the easiest to work with.  Kelly Hanson had low prices but were slow to respond to questions and they, along with North Direct, were pushing me to a stock asyspin that was really undersized for the boat.  I did buy a ChuteScoop from Kelly Hanson.  FX had the slickest web sizing and pricing site but even with a free freight special and 10% off for multiple sails, they were not low.  As it turned out, JSI/Doyle Ploch, who are the current OE provider to ComPac were the easiest to work with and had the apparent lowest price after I went through the difficult process of getting apples to apples.

Quoted lead time was 3-5 weeks, sails were shipped at the end of week six, but it's the busy season.

[Billy]

Nice!,
I got new sails last summer. At first they were ackward, like a new pair of shoes. Then after about two days, they made such a difference.

[Salty19]

Brackish--Very nice.    I'm interested to know how you feel about the quality of the sails. 

[Scott Statz]

Is Arion happy?  I'm in the market for an all new sail  inventory & would love to know if you are offering a referral.
MSS

[brackish]

Couple of weeks on a report on the sails in use.  Arion is going on a road trip.  Spending some time on the Gulf Coast, Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, then either a sail or tow over to Pensacola for B.E.E.R.  I had hoped to check them out on the lake at home, but looks like I'll run out of time to do so.

[twinswin]

How did these sails work out for you?  I have yet to lay eyes on Pearl, but may be in the market for some sails at some point.

Thanx,
Bruce

[brackish]

How did these sails work out for you?  I have yet to lay eyes on Pearl, but may be in the market for some sails at some point.

Thanx,
Bruce

The sails have met my expectations although I have not used them a lot.  After BEER, we have had an extended Bermuda high in NE Mississippi which has led to extraordinary hot temperatures and almost no wind.

The asyspin was made in the Doyle loft even though they quoted the import price.  Not sure why, maybe the import loft backed up.  That was nice, I got to watch it being built on their webcam.  The JSI 135 was made at an overseas loft.  There are two distinct pricing models.   Most sailmakers offer both an import loft or a domestic loft which will generally be about 20% higher.  Some only use import lofts now.  FX, Kelly Hansen, North Direct, Rolley Tasker, JSI, and many others are all import.

I was initially disappointed with the 135 because it came with web loops on the tack and head, although as it turns out they work better than SS grommets with the CDI furler and it seems to be the trend to go to high tech no stretch loops or straps for weight reduction and to get the halyard closer to the luff.  After using it I'm quite happy with it.  Clew is a SS grommet for ease of attaching sheets.

JSI/Doyle Ploch were right there patiently answering my many questions (I don't do this often, so not an expert).  My asyspin for instance was a custom size in that I decided I  wanted something in between the normal sail for a 23 and the larger 23/2/3/4.  I only figured that out after a number of conversations with Dan, my JSI/Doyle ploch rep.   I like the long luff, but somewhat flatter cut with the mid girth dimension being slightly smaller than the foot.  The sail works great, both reaching and down wind and it came with a tack collar, tack line, and bag with clips, something not always offered with the sail without an additional charge.  Tack collar certainly not an ATN but I'm not sure what else it would need to do.  I was planning to make my own and it was nice that it came with the sail at a better price than those that did not supply it.

to be sure these are value priced sails and I would probably go with a full domestic set of offshore sails at a premium price if I was going offshore.  But for coastal and lake cruising, I think they will more than meet my needs.