Yager Sails - experience?

[calden]

Hey all:

I found a local sailmaker to take my old sails to for inspection. Not easy when you live in the northeast corner of Washington State up by Canada and Idaho!

Don Yager seemed really straightforward and upfront, telling me that although most of the resin was gone from my original main and old jib they were still quite usable for several more years, especially with some modifications - bronze snaps instead of fabric snaps for the jib, beefing up the tack grommet, things like that. My main, apparently, has changed shape enough that the bulge of the sail, when filled, is too far aft, and it holds too much air. He does a lot of work for the local mountain lake sail folks. He quoted me a killer price for a new set, and I think I'll at least get a new main.

He also gave me some great tips for getting this old sail up the mast easier until I have time to get some slides put on:

1) using a small handheld fire-starter lighter, gently singe off the furry bits from the old bolt rope;

2) clean out the mast slot with Simple Green cleaner using a section of line as thick as you can, maybe for my mast 3/8";

3) check for any abrasions or dings on the edge of the mast slot and gently sand them off;

4) use beeswax or paraffin to really coat the upper couple of feet of the bolt rope on the sail;

5) use Sailkote as needed after the above steps.

Don has been making sails for many years, and is featured in an article in Good Old Boat (May 2004.) It was a real treat to see his loft, which was incredibly organized and neat. He was in the midst of working on a very large sail, and I got to check out his work.

Anyone have any experience with Yager Sails?

Thanks,
Carlos

[dsheer]

Carlos,

Had my sailmaker put sail slides on my main. Nothing fancy, they're attached with webbing sewn to the bolt ropes. Including a few repairs, the whole thing cost $100. Quinn Sails, Cordova, Md. Good service, reasonable price. Costs me 10 bucks each way to ship UPS. It's close, so she gets them next day. Amazing to me how small the box is, especially compared to what I would have needed for my old Pearson 30.

I tried them out on Tuesday. The effort required to put the main on and up is reduced by over half. The main flies up the mast, and sets nicely. I was going to put a pin in to block the groove in the mast, but a small bungee worked just swell. The sail also is much easier to tie to the boom with sail stops. All in all, it makes sailing solo much easier. Was out 'till 10:30 - I forgot how much I love night sailing. A buddy joined me at sunset. Sailed to the dock, picked him up and sailed off again. Didn't use the motor, or even a paddle. Didn't need to drop the sails either. Great night.

Dan