roller furling revisited

[mrtoad]

i have two price quotes - omar sails in beaufort, nc and jsi in Saint  Petersburg

as much as i can determine - apples to apples - but - there is a 400+ dollar price difference

has anyone worked with these two sail-makers

thanks - mr toad

[wes]

I know Omar by reputation (haven't worked with them myself) as a very high quality local shop. I have good friends (older sailors) who relied on them for years and would never buy a sail from anyone else. Such sailmakers are a joy to work with, and a fount of useful knowledge, and a great source of ongoing service and support, and they are often significantly more expensive than the high volume sail lofts, especially the ones with offshore locations.

Although I am normally a craftsmanlike kind of guy, the price difference was so extreme that I succombed and bought my sails from one of those high volume offshore lofts (National Sail/Rolly Tasker). I did not get to spend any time with a charming, friendly local craftsman who meticulously designed my sails for my boat, my sailing conditions and my skills or lack thereof. I bought BOTH a new main and a 150 genoa for my 19 for less than $1000 total, and despite being made in Thailand my sails were delivered to my doorstep 3 weeks from the day I placed the order, exactly as promised. They look good and perform well.

My rationale is that I'm still a relatively novice sailor. Next time I'm ready to buy sails, I may be at a level that would allow me to appreciate the subtle quality points of the local sailmaker. For now, National seems like the best choice for me.

For a counterpoint from a more experienced sailor - see Bob23's posts on his experience with his local sailmaker in NJ, which may convince you to go with Omar.

Wes