Custom sail vs standard
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leefrankpierce
- First Officer
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
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Custom sail vs standard
Looking at buying a jib.
BWY and Rolly Tasker have sails offered that are for our boats, but start at 100%.
Considering a 90%, but that would be a custom sail.
Would the custom sail cost the same, or more?
BWY and Rolly Tasker have sails offered that are for our boats, but start at 100%.
Considering a 90%, but that would be a custom sail.
Would the custom sail cost the same, or more?
26X in Dallas Fort-Worth area Texas
Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake

Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake
- Stickinthemud57
- Captain
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
When I made the upgrade to BWY's Big Jib rig, I decided I wanted the jib a little larger than the one offered by BWY. I ordered the sail through thesailwarehouse.com and actually paid a tad less than the BWY product.
Mike Lipari has been the owner of Sail Warehouse for about a year, and worked with me to get what I wanted, and I was very pleased with the results. He is a Rolly Tasker dealer, and I'm confident he can get you taken care of for a reasonable price.
Mike Lipari has been the owner of Sail Warehouse for about a year, and worked with me to get what I wanted, and I was very pleased with the results. He is a Rolly Tasker dealer, and I'm confident he can get you taken care of for a reasonable price.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
- Stickinthemud57
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
Also, you might want to check the calculations for percentage before you order a sail.
Using the measurements from my Rolly Tasker jib (luff 22.375', leach 21.25', foot 10.0') applied to the calculator at https://sailingfortuitous.com/jib-calc/, the standard jib calculates to 97.51%. 90% may not be significantly different.
Using the measurements from my Rolly Tasker jib (luff 22.375', leach 21.25', foot 10.0') applied to the calculator at https://sailingfortuitous.com/jib-calc/, the standard jib calculates to 97.51%. 90% may not be significantly different.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
- kingtoros
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
For a previous boat, I went with Precision.
For what they wanted vs what BWY had in stock and ready to ship, BWY won. I got more features (full battons) and time with my sails.
I'm pretty satisfied, I don't know what the benefit is from a custom loft when we have something like BWY available.
For what they wanted vs what BWY had in stock and ready to ship, BWY won. I got more features (full battons) and time with my sails.
I'm pretty satisfied, I don't know what the benefit is from a custom loft when we have something like BWY available.
Last edited by kingtoros on Fri Jul 07, 2023 6:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
- 1st Sail
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
I went with the BWY Flat top main and performance jib. From that day forward the 26M is a totally different boat. Sails faster on all points. Less heel vs. wind speed. Accelerates in the puffs rather than heel. Totally worth the $ spent.
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leefrankpierce
- First Officer
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
Thanks all.
Have looked at BWY, "thesailwarehouse", and direct from "Rolly Tasker" all of which have a search function using the boat model and having sails in the catalog. Just have not contacted anyone about a smaller jib.
My reasons for a smaller jib (discussed in another thread) summarize to my lake being very "puffy", however my experiences are all with very blown out sails.
I like the powerhead concept, but owning an X, I would need to eliminate my backstay.
Have another thread where we discussed loosing the backstay, considering moving my side stays back to match the M presuming the forces would be the same.
Lee
Have looked at BWY, "thesailwarehouse", and direct from "Rolly Tasker" all of which have a search function using the boat model and having sails in the catalog. Just have not contacted anyone about a smaller jib.
My reasons for a smaller jib (discussed in another thread) summarize to my lake being very "puffy", however my experiences are all with very blown out sails.
I like the powerhead concept, but owning an X, I would need to eliminate my backstay.
Have another thread where we discussed loosing the backstay, considering moving my side stays back to match the M presuming the forces would be the same.
Lee
26X in Dallas Fort-Worth area Texas
Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake

Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake
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leefrankpierce
- First Officer
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Dallas Ft-Worth Texas
Re: Custom sail vs standard
I am interested in what you ordered.Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:00 am Also, you might want to check the calculations for percentage before you order a sail.
Using the measurements from my Rolly Tasker jib (luff 22.375', leach 21.25', foot 10.0') applied to the calculator at https://sailingfortuitous.com/jib-calc/, the standard jib calculates to 97.51%. 90% may not be significantly different.
My current sail has overlap, and the rolly site https://rollytaskerna.com/products/roll ... 5791464693
Shows more foot, so I might be looking for exactly what you have.
26X in Dallas Fort-Worth area Texas
Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake

Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake
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leefrankpierce
- First Officer
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2017 5:13 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Dallas Ft-Worth Texas
Re: Custom sail vs standard
leefrankpierce wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 6:31 amI am interested in what you ordered.Stickinthemud57 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:00 am Also, you might want to check the calculations for percentage before you order a sail.
Using the measurements from my Rolly Tasker jib (luff 22.375', leach 21.25', foot 10.0') applied to the calculator at https://sailingfortuitous.com/jib-calc/, the standard jib calculates to 97.51%. 90% may not be significantly different.
My current sail has overlap, and the rolly site https://rollytaskerna.com/products/roll ... 5791464693
Shows more foot, so I might be looking for exactly what you have.
For those watching, the size Stickinthemud57 mentioned were not for an X.
His profile = an S.
26X in Dallas Fort-Worth area Texas
Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake

Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake
- NiceAft
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
I’ve read this a few times, and I am baffled in reading a diametrically opposite experience than I have with my flathead main. I purchased the flathead because I needed more canvas, and a flathead does that, and places it up high.
At the time, I sailed the Delaware River about a hundred miles up from the Atlantic. Because of trees, buildings, and a narrow river, that usually meant low wind conditions. After getting the new sail, what I noticed, was in stronger wind, and sudden puffs, my 2005M heeled more than with the previous conventional sail. It was easy to compensate by letting out the mainsheet, but never the less, it happened.
I am not trying to be an antagonist; I just would like to understand such a different experience.
Ray ~~_/)~~
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leefrankpierce
- First Officer
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- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Dallas Ft-Worth Texas
Re: Custom sail vs standard
While I am not getting a powerhead (my X)
From what I have read, if the old sails are as blown out as mine, anything will be an improvement.
From what I have read, if the old sails are as blown out as mine, anything will be an improvement.
26X in Dallas Fort-Worth area Texas
Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake

Slip at Eagle Mountain Lake
- kingtoros
- Chief Steward
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
Time to get out the checkbook and do some comparison researchNiceAft wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:44 amI’ve read this a few times, and I am baffled in reading a diametrically opposite experience than I have with my flathead main. I purchased the flathead because I needed more canvas, and a flathead does that, and places it up high.
At the time, I sailed the Delaware River about a hundred miles up from the Atlantic. Because of trees, buildings, and a narrow river, that usually meant low wind conditions. After getting the new sail, what I noticed, was in stronger wind, and sudden puffs, my 2005M heeled more than with the previous conventional sail. It was easy to compensate by letting out the mainsheet, but never the less, it happened.
I am not trying to be an antagonist; I just would like to understand such a different experience.
I did not sail enough with the original sail before trading it in to Maine SeaBags for a very cool Sailbag duffle. But, the specifics about the flat top main confirm 1st Sail's observations.
When I was in the Elk River in 15mph winds and 30mph gusts, she never wanted to roll. I attribute that partially to the flat top.
- Be Free
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Re: Custom sail vs standard
Ray,NiceAft wrote: ↑Fri Jul 07, 2023 11:44 amI’ve read this a few times, and I am baffled in reading a diametrically opposite experience than I have with my flathead main. I purchased the flathead because I needed more canvas, and a flathead does that, and places it up high.
At the time, I sailed the Delaware River about a hundred miles up from the Atlantic. Because of trees, buildings, and a narrow river, that usually meant low wind conditions. After getting the new sail, what I noticed, was in stronger wind, and sudden puffs, my 2005M heeled more than with the previous conventional sail. It was easy to compensate by letting out the mainsheet, but never the less, it happened.
I am not trying to be an antagonist; I just would like to understand such a different experience.
The differences cited are probably due to different reasons why the boat heels in a puff. If the heel is due to the stretched out main then the new main will respond with less heel in the same circumstances. The new flathead main can cause the boat to heel more as you have noted letting out the main sheet compensates for it. The blown-out main will not respond as well to letting out the main sheet; it may not respond significantly at all if it is really stretched.
You mentioned that you replaced your sail because you wanted more sail area. I suspect that your main was not significantly "blown" so you noticed more heeling due to more sail area and specifically more sail area up high where it has a longer lever to induce heeling. You have more "horsepower" and you have learned to use it safely by letting out the main sheet in a puff when heeling is too much.
Because he saw a significant improvement with the flat top, 1st Sail (probably) had a blown out main and jib so he saw a reduced heel even though he had more sail area. The heel previously induced by the blown out sails was greater than the heel induced by the extra sail area of the new sail.
Bill
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
2001 26X Simple Interest
Honda BF40D
"If I were in a hurry I would not have bought a sailboat." Me
