High Performance/Low Cost Sails for
Small Sailboats
BOATS
AND SAILS: Customer Pictures
Customers occasionally send
pictures of their project boats in various stages of completion and with and
without their completed PolySails. We’ve
received pictures and testimonials from
Here’s a beautiful little shellback dinghy
with a neat little lug PolySail constructed by Ray Hodsdon. Ray’s letter follows the pictures.
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These are pictures of the "Shellback
Dinghy" I built from plans in the spring of 2002. At
that time I had a chance to buy a complete marconi sail rig for a great price, alum mast, boom,
rudder, sail and daggerboard. The sail was
too small for the boat but it helped me meet a deadline and got me onto the
water, but I was disappointed in the boat's performance. The
"Shellback's" sailplan is 54 sq ft vs the 31 sq ft Marconi; and the mast, boom and yard
are wood vs the alum one I had bought. So, wanting to be traditional, this spring I decided that
I would handcraft new wooden spars and either build or buy a sail to
suit. Anyway, time and money being factors, I decided to build a
sail and at the last minute ordered a "PolySail"
kit from you. The best investment I ever made. I ordered it on Monday, paid for
priority shipping and received the kit on Thursday. I was just finishing the mast and spars and sat down with the kit
and my sailplan. Since this was my
first experience making a sail, I couldn't put it
together in the 3 hours an experienced person might be able to; but it was
laid out, cut, gusseted to add shape, taped and rigged by Saturday
afternoon; and the pictures taken of her sailing on Sunday. I am very happy with the materials
in the kit and the instructions I had downloaded to
study prior to receipt of the package. The sail performs well as
you can see the water rolling off the bow and the wind was light.
I sailed an 18 ft Hobie for several years, so
I know how the boat should perform. I will probably replace this sail
with a professionally made one someday. I want to add headboards
for extra strength at the stress points where the four corner grommets
attach. Comments: a large, clean, flat surface is a must. Enjoy the pics and use
them on your website if you wish. Ray Hodsdon |
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I’m indebted to the Delahunt family of
Stuart Island, WA for two pages of sailing collages of the Teal Red Devil
and the schooner Black Dog. The
boys Zephyr and Yeshe were 16 and 14 when they
constructed Black Dog and its PolySails without help. Tristan, aged 11 when he
constructed Red Devil, had a little help, but not much, according to Isa
Delahunt. One of their pictures appeared in Wooden Boat magazine.
Now for some photos from the
colder climes,courtesy of
Rolf Swanson. The iceboat, according to Rolf, is a Lockley
Skimmer, now sporting a sleeved PolySail with
battens.
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Dave, I thought I would send you a couple of photos of
the “finished product” and our first sail. Enclosed are pictures
of my brother with his new sail. He was very pleased with how it
worked! Thanks again for your help. Rolf Swanson |
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Back to warmer days with this
fine example of a Dave Carnell “$200 Sailboat” built by Jason Gilbert. This one
carries a lateen PolySail rig that probably cost
considerably less than a used Sunfish sail.
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Steve Bosquette
has built a number of boats that carry PolySails. In
fact, he made this set of three PolySails for his “ElmerD” in less than 5 hours. That has to be some kind of
record!
Chuck and Sandra Leinweber originally
built sails for their Caprice from one of our kits. Although they now carry professionally-made tanbark sails, according to a letter
they sent to one customer, they couldn’t distinguish any difference in
performance. Chuck's polytarp lug mainsail is over 200 sq. ft. and powered
a boat that weighed well over 3000 lbs.
Below is a gallery of additional PolySail Sailors.
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Andrew
Lynn built these Weekender sails from one of our Weekender Kits. |
Hvalsoe 16 with sprit rig |
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All
five boats in the 2008 Hoosier Regatta carried our PolySails. |
John
Wright is one of our customers. He built this experimental sail from polytarp
for the 2009 PDR World Championship and sailed to a 9th place finish. John
also used one of our PolySail Kits to build a
roller reefed sail to complete the 2008 |
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I
built this monster 380 sq. ft. lug as well as the jib for a customer’s
Roberts 27 pictured in the plans at the right. |
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Gale
Weekender |
A Gibbons-type PolySail. A couple of moments after this picture was taken, the proa took off
down the driveway. I remember the story, but not who sent in
the picture. |
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Steve Chambers’ small PolySail
lug. He also built a mizzen for his
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Loose footed sprit rig
Sometimes I am my own best
customer. Heres a sailboard type sail with battens
and a couple of sprits I made for my son’s Z-PDR. |
PolySail International
Email polysail@polysail.com or call Dave Gray at 317 385-3444
PolySails–Sold on the Web since 1996. Customers in all 50 states and around the globe.
This page updated on 10/19/2009