New Sails
All Sails
All sails are custom constructions based on the dimensions of your properly tuned rig, the displacement of your boat, and your sailing plans and experience.
- Computer aided design using Autometrix SMSW software: sails are designed in house then double checked by world-renowned sail designer Sandy Goodall.
- Entire sail construction happens in-house: nothing outsourced
- Highest quality materials available
- White Dacron— Contender Premium Low Aspect Fibercon
- Tanbark or Cream Dacron cloth: manufacturer depends on customer’s color preference (Contender or Dimension Polyant APUV)—tanbark and cream Dacron are more expensive and will be listed as an option if requested.
- Nylon sails – Contender Nylite in various weights
- All cloth inspected before being cut on our in-house plotter/cutter
- Wide seams accommodate three lines of stitch and allow for future re-stitching between original lines of stitch
- Patch edges are folded
- Leather chafe protection standard on all sails
- Designed with self-sufficiency in mind
- All hardware meets or exceeds specs for safe working load
- Jammer cleats and pockets for leech and foot lines
- Primary rings are stainless steel hydraulically pressed super rings
- Secondary rings are all hand-sewn
- All rings placed for optimal load displacement
- Nylon Sail Bag and Dacron sail ties included with each sail
Numbers, Logos, Insignias: Numbers, logos, and insignias are not required on cruising sails and are not included in the cost of our sails. Please feel free to request an estimate if you wish to add these items.
Classic Mainsails
Your mainsail is your most important sail; it will be used under most conditions during your passage. Your Port Townsend Sails main will be well cut, durable, and adaptable to a wide range of voyaging conditions. In addition to the construction details described under “All Sails”, your classic mainsail will have the following specific construction details:
- Cross cut
- 2-ply leech
- Full reef bands with hand-sewn rings and two layers of reinforcement
- Batten pockets folded with a platform the length of the batten and chafe protection at both ends
- Webbing strainers in reef clew rings
- Webbing handles at reef tacks that aid in pulling the sail down when reefing or striking sail
- Loose footed (unless otherwise determined)
- Extra chafe protection along entire length of the leech
- Tapered/rat-tailed bolt rope extends around headboard and around tack
- External rope for chafe guard on luff
- EZ Reefs at reef tacks
- Luff slides webbed on and hand stitched
- Cunningham for sail trim
- Double slides at headboard (and clew if sail is not loose footed)
- High load slides added above reefs, at head, and at tack
- Clew strop
- Full Batten pockets thru-bolted at leech
Areas of your mainsail that might get chafed by shrouds, spreaders, and other rigging cannot be precisely known until the sail is bent-on and marked. Any chafe patches must be added after their position is ascertained from onboard observation. The cost of chafe patches is not included in the bid for the sail because the size, shape, and location of chafe patches cannot be standardized.
In-Mast Furling Mainsails
Your in-mast furling mainsail will be designed and constructed to be as durable and maintainable as possible within the constraints of the furler manufacturer’s sailmaking instructions. In addition to most of the details described under “All Sails”, your classic mainsail will have the following specific construction details:
- Cross cut
- UV Dacron runner on leech and foot for strength and UV protection while sail is furled
- Spectra webbing at head and tack
- Antal clew block secured to sail with spectra webbing covered with UV protective material
- Leech line (if furling system allows)
- Leathered head and tack webbings (if furling system allows)
- Sunbrella UV cover
- Day and night (Glowfast) reef marks at 30% and 60%
- All edges are reinforced with two tapes
- Furling tape is custom measured and cut to preclude chafe
Areas of your mainsail that might get chafed by shrouds, spreaders, and other rigging cannot be precisely known until the sail is bent-on and marked. Any chafe patches must be added after their position is ascertained from onboard observation. The cost of chafe patches is not included in the bid for the sail because no size, shape, or location of chafe patches is standard. Chafe patches must be billed on a time and materials basis.
Roller Furling Headsails
Performance, versatility, durability, ease of handling, and ease of stowage are all important in the design and structure of our headsails. In addition to the construction details described under “All Sails” on the General Sail Construction Details document, your roller furling genoa will have the following specific construction details:
- Cross cut
- Spectra and Dacron webbing at head and tack
- Webbing overlaps furling tape at head and tack for load transfer
- Furling tape is custom measured and cut to preclude chafe
- Luff is reinforced with two edge tapes
- Three rows of tell-tales positioned so tell-tales are visible as sail gets furled
- Leech and foot runners for additional strength when reefed
Sunbrella UV Cover
- Wide enough to cover exposed Dacron
- Rolled leech and foot hems
- All corners covered on both sides
- No adhesive used
- Day and night (Glowfast) reef marks at 15% and 30%
Foam Luff
- Closed cell foam for better shape recovery over time
- Foam strips (not one solid piece) for more efficient furling
- Light weight Dacron over foam strips for flexibility in furling
- Foam strips are tapered into sail for optimal shape when furled
Areas of your genoa that might get chafed by shrouds, spreaders, and other rigging cannot be precisely known until the sail is bent-on and marked. Any chafe patches must be added after their position is ascertained from onboard observation. The cost of chafe patches is not included in the bid for the sail because no size, shape, or location of chafe patches is standard. Chafe patches must be billed on a time and materials basis.
Hanked-On Headsails
Performance, versatility, durability, ease of handling, and ease of stowage are all important in the design and structure of our headsails. In addition to the construction details described under “All Sails”, your hanked-on headsail will have the following specific construction details:
- Cross cut
- Reinforcement patches at hanks
- Bronze, hand-tied piston hanks with leather chafe protection
- Hand-tied hanks are optional, not standard
- Internal bolt rope served and seized at both ends
- Bolt rope tensioned to take load off sail cloth
- Cast bronze thimbles at head and tack
Areas of your headsail that might get chafed by shrouds, spreaders, and other rigging cannot be precisely known until the sail is bent-on and marked. Any chafe patches must be added after their position is ascertained from onboard observation. The cost of chafe patches is not included in the bid for the sail because no size, shape, or location of chafe patches is standard. Chafe patches must be billed on a time and materials basis.
Storm Headsails
Your storm stays’l or storm jib is designed for use in combination with a reefed mainsail or a trys’l. It is cut and constructed with a size and shape to keep your boat moving forward or assist in heaving-to under extreme conditions. In addition to the construction details described under “All Sails”, your storm headsail will have the following specific construction details:
- Scotch cut
- Reinforcement patches at hanks
- Bronze, hand-tied piston hanks with leather chafe protection
- Hand-tied hanks are optional, not standard
- Internal bolt rope served and seized at both ends
- Bolt rope tensioned to take load off sail cloth
- Cast bronze thimbles at head and tack
- Leech runner
- Webbing reinforcement at foot
Visibility patch: We offer the option of a fluorescent yellow visibility patch. It is sewn on both sides of the storm jib, storm stays’l, or trys’l near the head of the sail. The visibility patch helps make your vessel distinguishable from white caps in the ocean and clouds on the horizon. We recommend this patch rather than a solid fluorescent sail because high quality premium Dacron is not available in fluorescent colors; therefore, the body of your sail should be constructed of the high quality white Dacron we use for all our working sails.
Tack pendant: Most storm headsails will require a tack pendant. Unless otherwise requested our spectra tack pendant will be integral to the tack thimble on one end and have a stainless steel snap shackle on the other end. The spectra webbing will be wrapped in a chafe and UV resistant material.
Trys’ls
Your trys’l is cut and constructed with a size and shape to keep your boat moving forward or assist in heaving-to under extreme conditions. In addition to the construction details described under “All Sails”, your trys’l will have the following specific construction details:
- Vertical cut
- Visibility patch
- External boltrope on luff and foot
- Tapered/rat-tailed bolt rope extends around head and around clew
- Leech reinforced with webbing and a runner
- Slides doubled at head and tack
- Webbing strainers at head and tack
- Primary rings are stainless steel super rings
Light Airs
Drifter
This lightweight and manageable genoa-style headsail will add light air performance and upwind ability to your sail inventory. Whether your drifter is free flying on a light air furling system, flown with an ATN sleeve or hanked-on, your drifter is designed to carry you from a run to a close reach.
In addition to most of the details from the General Sail Construction Details document, your Drifter will have the following specific construction details:
- Tri-radial cut
- All seams stitched with triple-step/zig-zag
- If the drifter is built of .75 or 1.5 ounce nylon, the seams will be flat felled
- If the drifter is built of 2.5 ounce nylon, panel edges will be burned (heat sealed), one line of stitch in the radial panels and two lines where the sections join
- Internal luff rope is made of heat treated Dyneema and spliced around thimbles at head and tack
- Luff rope tensioned to take load off sail cloth
Custom artwork/inlay available—estimate provided on request.
If the drifter is furling:
- Furling drum and head swivel at tack and head
- Endless furling line in drum that is lead aft to cockpit with a
- Tandum block
- Torque rope pendant below furling drum
If drifter is hanked-on:
- Reinforcement patches at hanks
- Hand-tied piston hanks with leather chafe protection
(hand tied hanks are optional, not standard)
- Hand-sewn rings at head and tack with stainless steel Rutgerson rings along luff for piston hanks
Tack pendant: Most storm headsails will require a tack pendant. Unless otherwise requested, our spectra tack pendant will be integral to the tack thimble on one end and have a stainless steel snap shackle on the other end. The spectra webbing will be wrapped in a chafe and UV resistant material.
Asymmetric Cruising Spinnaker
A powerful sail that will add speed, versatility, and enjoyment to your sailing experience. The addition of an ATN Spinnaker Sleeve and ATN Tacker (if your headstay has a furling system on it) makes our SpinDrifter easy to handle.
In addition to most of the details from the General Sail Construction Details document, your SpinDrifter will have the following specific construction details:
- Tri-radial cut
- All seams flat felled
- All seams stitched with triple-step/zig-zag
- Trim lines on all three sail edges
- Double taped luff
- Comes with a 3/8” Sta-Set downhaul line—of appropriate length for the size of your vessel and rig
- Custom artwork/inlay available—estimate provided on request
Light Air Main
In addition to most of the details from the General Sail Construction Details document, your Drifter will have the following specific construction details:
Cross cut panels
- All seams stitched with triple-step/zig-zag
- If the sail is built 1.5 ounce nylon, the seams will be flat felled
- If the sail is built of 2.5 ounce nylon, panel edges will be burned (heat sealed), two lines of stitch in the seams
- Internal luff rope is served and seized around thimbles at head and tack
- Luff rope tensioned to take load off sail cloth
- Custom artwork/inlay available—estimate provided on request
Inlays
Vibrant graphics can be added to your sail through a technique that preserves the integrity of the sail. An INLAY is a graphic design set into the body of a sail. With this dynamic technique, the graphic is added to the sail in layers then the original layer of the sail is cut away to reveal a design that is integral to the sail and visible from both sides like a stained glass window. Particularly complex artwork often must be modified and simplified to create a design that lends itself to the constraints of sailmaking. We will endeavor to maintain the dynamic nature of your original artwork or ideas.
