New Sails for a Ercison 27. How should I expect to pay?

[Jeff Asbury]

New Sails for a Ercison 27. How MUCH should I expect to pay?

New Sails for a Ercison 27. How much should I expect to pay?

First off, I am suffering from sticker shock! I really don't want to go with one of the mail order companies and have to do all my own measurements but some of the quotes from the companies that give you that personal attention seem really high. There of corse is also the issue of quality. At this point I am leaning towards UK Sails for Quality,Price and personal attention. Any feedback and experience with these companies is most appreciated.

The following is a list of quotes I received for new sails for my 1973 E-27 with these features:

Full Batten Main with two sets of reef points.
Genoa (135) with roller reefing pad and UV Cover.

Ullman Sails: 3,169.00
Elliot Patterson Sails: 3,067.00
Air Force Sails 2,496.00
Cruising Direct 1,828.95
Lee Sails No Quote Yet
North Sails No Quote Yet
UK Sails 2,656.00

 

[Jeff Asbury]

How MUCH should I expect to pay?

Sorry.

The heading should have read:
New Sails for a Ercison 27 How MUCH should I expect to pay?

 

[Ken Haneline]

Sail Quotes

Jeff: I received good service and price from Seth while he worked at Doyle. I would contact Seth to see if his contacts there are still good. I bought a roller furling genny for my '80 30+ and am happy with it. Ken

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Sails for 27

I have put on a new main with full length battens, a new working jib, and new 155 tri-radial and a new cruising chute in the last three years. Total is $2800. I still win races.

Morgan Stinemetz

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Who was your sail maker?

Morgan, Who was your sail maker?

 

[Loren Beach]

Sail and Batten ruminations...

Dollar-wise, I have about $3K invested in my UK main and 135% genny, give or take. Both are dacron, with two reefs in the main, loose footed with numbers, emblem and draft stripe. The furling genny has numbers, a stripe, foam fuff, and a sacrificial dacron UV panel. And, I always order sails in the fall discount season.

One thing I feel strongly about is full battens on mains. IMHO it was a racing-originated idea to gain roach area at the pain/expense of perpetual problems with hoisting and dropping. I was racing a lot when this was the "next big thing" in the early 80's.
Then, like IOR transoms, it transmorgified into a marketing tool to promote sales to newbies and family sailors. <end of rant>

What I have found is that the benefits of longer battens are 90% achieved with only the top two being full length, and the lower two being longer but not going all the way to the luff.
From my own experience, UK Northwest will sell the full battens if the customer insists, but they advise the partial-full batten concept for most of us cruisers and club racers.

I do understand sticker shock. Sometimes it is painful to remember that a new sail will cost the same whether the boat is new or old. :eek:
Next, to play "devil's advocate" for the idea of measuring the rig and boat yourself, you really will save money this way. I did this for both on my sails from UK. I used their excellent measurement chart, and provided photos of key parts, like the gooseneck and outhaul.
Whether you have a sailmaker come to your boat, or you do the legwork, it is equally true that communication is the key. Double-check all the writing in those specs.... As carpenters say: "measure twice, cut once."
My sails set beautifully and of course putting on new ones cured some helm problems caused by baggy old sails.

You WILL love how the boat sails with your new "rags!"

Best,
Loren in PDX
Olson 34 #8

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Sails for E-27

The sailmaker is now Quantum. They just took on the franchise. The sails that he built for me can be replicated, and I am happy to refer his work.
Morgan

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Thank You, Ken, Morgan, Loren & Seth for all the advice and recommendations. I will post photos when my boat gets her new "rags" as Loren said. At these prices I don't think I would refer to them as "rags" but more like a "wedding dress"!

 

[Seth]

27 sails

Loren is right about the battens. For a boat of this size there is no benefit from 4 full battens-that is a longer discussion, but on a stock 27 it may actually be harder to work with than the 2+2 Loren refers to. The top 2 full battens support the roach up high, and serve to dampen the flogging in big breeze-which in turn reduces the damage to the fabric from flogging-which improves durability. They are short enough not to be hard to work with. In the lower portion the sail does not "work" as hard, and the standard battens offer sufficient support.

2 cents!

Seth

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Might save me two cents as well!

Thank you Seth. Read you loud and clear. Might save me two cents as well!

 

[rssailor]

Sails cost

I don't know what the sail makers are quoting you for a main, but my Ericson 25+ race main cost 1800 plus tax with the winter discount from Quantum sails SF. New sails are so much better, and a good investment. You will notice that the boat sails better and also sail shape will be easier to control in different wind conditions. Good luck Ryan Ericson 25+ Moonglow

 

[raleighm]

Original Sailmaker for 1974 E27

My E27 has a 150 genoa with an italicized capital "H" but no other label. Anyone know what sailmaker used the "H" logo?

Raleigh

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Could it be a used Hunter or Hatteras sail?

Could it be a used Hunter or Hatteras sail?

 

[Seth]

H sails

Hood, Hild, and Haarstick, and Halsey used the H logo, so I bet it is one of those. I would likely recognize it if you can post a pic..
Good hunting,
S

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Jeff,
Sailmaker is Quantum. I will tell you that quality is always the issue and price is secondary. That said, using a Quantum 155 and main on Sunday, we beat an Ericson 38 and Catalina 36 boat for boat in a 10-mile race. We were ahead of both by about 10 and 5 minutes respectively when they rounded the wrong mark and headed for the finish line, DSQ-ing themsleves in the process.
Morgan

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Hatteras? Did we forget Hinkley? Seriously, I don't think an H means anything, unless it's at the sail's tack. Then I think it would be Hild. Hood has a different logo and that one is unmistakeable because it says Hood right on it.

 

[Jeff Asbury]

155, Wow that's a big sail!

Morgan,

155, Wow that's a big sail! I have a North 140 currently (18 years old) and I have been advised to get a 135 as a all purpose Genoa for Southern California sailing. I have not researched prices from Quantum yet. I am not a racer but your experiences sound pretty exciting to me. The fastest I have had The "Pride of Cucamonga" at was about 7.9 knots. My main is the original 32 year old sail.

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Oops, I posted the wrong link to my Marina in my first post.

Oops, I guess Hatteras only made power boats, right?

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Jeff,
Thirty-two year old sails just don't cut it. A dacron sail's useful life is about seven years, if you take good care of it. You have a Ferrari in an E-27 and you are powering it with the likes of a Briggs & Stratton lawnmower engine. Take the plunge. Sail fast. Kick ass! You'll never look back.
Morgan

 

[Jeff Asbury]

I know, I know. 3K is a lot to spend on a Hobby though.