More main sail info needed

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1

Posted by Max Lent (maxlent@…>)

Hi All,

I’m still in the process of ordering a new main sail. When I
purchased “Top Cat” the main sail was not included. When I talk
with sail makers they ask me for information that I cannot provide
because I do not have the sail. That’s where I need your help.

Here is today’s questions

What does the luff attach with? A slug, flat slide, or external?

What does the foot attach with? A rope, slide, round, flat,
external or loose foot.

I don’t want to modify the boat so I need to know what it came with
as stock equipment.

Thank you,

Max

http://www.maxlent.com

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Posted by j32080@…> (j32080@…>)
Max, As I had the original (1984) main I can answer. The luff attaches with a flat internal slide in the external track. No other choice. I believe 5/8" but check. Available at West Marine (http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/72096/10001/272/11208/2). The original main had a string of grommets (one for each slide) at the luff. Plastic shackles (again, check size) fastened the sail to the flat slide. Available at West (http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/10001/-1/10001/72098/10001/272/11208/2). The foot on the original sail was a bolt rope. You could
possibly use a slide (round) but I wouldn’t know the size. Loose-footed sails were not common back in 1983. However, they are nice (I have one on my J/32). You just need a mechanism to hold the clew tight to the boom. -John Max Lent <maxlent@…> wrote: Hi All,I’m still in the process of ordering a new main sail. When I purchased “Top Cat” the main sail was not included. When I talk with sail makers they ask me for information that I cannot provide because
I do not have the sail. That’s where I need your help.Here is today’s questionsWhat does the luff attach with? A slug, flat slide, or external?What does the foot attach with? A rope, slide, round, flat, external or loose foot.I don’t want to modify the boat so I need to know what it came with as stock equipment.Thank you,Maxhttp://www.maxlent.com
Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta.

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Posted by Max Lent (maxlent@…>)

John,

Thank you. I will take your excellent description to my sailmaker.

Max

http://www.maxlent.com

4

Posted by Nick Marino (blueraven1@…>)

Hi Max,

First I want to thank you for hosting the F-21 info site. I enjoy
hearing from all the F-21 owners about mutual problems and
solutions. I plan on putting up photos of “Blue Raven” in the very
near future.

I have had three sailboats: Ranger 20 (WA), Ranger 26 (CA) and
Freedom 21 (RI). For my Ranger 20, I had my sails made by a local
sail maker that had made more than 20 sets of Ranger 20 sails (main,
jibs and spinnaker) used for fleet racing and cruising… He knew by
experience what worked and what did not. For my Ranger 26, I went to
North Sails who were familiar with the high ratio rig and they also
came out and did some fine tuning of the sails. For my Freedom 21,
I have a relatively new jib and a new spinnaker made by Haarstick. I
still have my original main which will be replaced next year from
Haarstick.

In every case my criteria for buying sails has been to go to the most
qualified sail maker. There is no sail maker in the Pacific Northwest
that is familiar with Freedom 21s so I go to Haarstick.

However, in your area there are other sail makers in addition to
Haarstick that may have made many Freedom 21 sails which you should
consider. Maybe you could ask all those Freedom21 owners in Maine,
Road Island and New York City areas to tell you where they got their
original/replacement sails from and get their rating.

Basically, if you want to buy from a sail maker that does not have
Freedom 21 experience, you should have the sail maker go and look at
(and sail if possible) a Freedom 21 main and tell you what he
recommends. You should not have to specify anything except options
(like number of reef points, rope or loose footed, etc). If you do,
you become responsible for the sail design. The sail design is what
you are paying for.

I think I paid more for my sails (maybe as much as 15% more?) but I
know I have sails that work and are efficient for my Freedom 21.

I know we all try to be cost conscientious regarding outfitting our
boats but my advice is that “you get what you pay for” when it comes
to your sails. So be careful – bite the bullet – you will be happy
in the end. Get your sails and enjoy the summer on Lake Ontario.

Respectfully,
Nick
F-21, #295
“Blue Raven”
— In freedom21@yahoogroups.com, “Max Lent” <maxlent@…> wrote:

John,

Thank you. I will take your excellent description to my sailmaker.

Max

http://www.maxlent.com

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Posted by Max Lent (maxlent@…>)

Nick,

Thank you for the great advice and for participating in the
discussion. Although I would like to accept your thanks, I don’t
deserve it. What makes this group successful is people like you
offering advice to those who ask questions and to those who ask
questions.

Buying a sail was much more of a problem than I expected. It seemed
to me that if I had the sail specifications, which are published at
http://www.freedom21.info, the only additional item I would need is
a credit card number. This was not the case.

One sail maker kept asking me for information about the sails that
were not included in the specifications and even though they had
shipped numerous Freedom 21 sails would not use the information from
those purchases to manufacture a sail for me.

Another sail maker, the most expensive available, could easily make
me a sail, but I heard conflicting reports on their value and
quality.

The sail maker that I selected was Somerset Sails in Barker, NY.
http://www.somersetsails.com/. One call to Martin and I knew I had
found the sail maker that I was looking for. His estimate was
reasonable and he offered me the option of two sail construction
types. He also knew the answer to the questions that were a mystery
to one of the other sail makers. I was able to visit his factory
and observe how he makes sails.

My sail is on order and I will report more on the purchase after I
pick up the sail and use it on “Top Cat.”

Sincerely,

Max Lent

http://www.maxlent.com