Buying Advice for the Budget-Minded Recreational Sailor
The purchase of a new sail can be a daunting task. If you are upgrading your sail inventory, breaking the situation down into smaller more manageable sections may make things easier.
Here are a few tips to get you started on the road to a gratifying sail purchase experience.
Set Goals
Before you pick up the phone or visit your local sail loft, ask yourself several questions.
» Why am I thinking about buying a new sail?
» What are my expectations from a new sail?
» What are my future sailing plans?
» Do they include a new boat?
» What effect would a new boat have on my sail purchase?
Honest answers to these simple questions are a great starting point when entering the marketplace. Having specific goals in mind, like improving performance, safety or simplicity, will be invaluable when shopping for a new sail.
Need versus Budget
Budgeting for your sailing is no easier than budgeting for your household. As with much in life, our sailing desires often outweigh our means. There are usually several large expenditures which crop up annually in one's sailing budget. Prioritize them to get the most from your money. Refer to your goals for clues on how best to spend your hard-earned money. "Will I get the GPS, a new dinghy, or that new mainsail I have been needing for years?"
Ask yourself:
» What purchase will most increase our sailing enjoyment?
» Are those old sails the reason we don't do any extended cruising?
» Are we worried about safety and reliability, or does it simply take too long to get anywhere using blown out sails?
The answers to these questions will help determine if you really need a new sail, and what will best suit your needs.
The Cloth Trap
Remember, more expensive is not necessarily better. You may find that opting for a Mylar sail instead of one made of Kevlar allows you to purchase a new set of genoa sheets. This may get you to the weather mark faster than tying your old Dacron sheets to a new Kevlar Genoa. Building a sail from lighter, stronger cloth normally saves weight and increases range and durability. However, if you are a novice racer, or plan to sell your boat in the next couple of years, you may want to opt for less expensive "lower tech" fabric. Either way, don't fall into "The Cloth Trap", assuming that the most "advanced" cloth is necessarily the right one for you.
Cost Savings
With some creative thinking, there are hundreds of ways to save money when buying sails. You may want to add a roller furling system to your boat. The cost of the system, while expensive, may be tolerable. When combined with the added cost of modifying your genoa to use on the furling gear, however, the entire package may be financially out of reach.
A possible solution? Make a minimal investment in your existing sail by adding the necessary luff tape but not the ultraviolet sun cover. Do this only if you have less than a full sailing season left, and with the knowledge that you will replace the sail that fall or winter. While a sail will take a few weeks of unprotected UV exposure it will eventually deteriorate under continued punishment. Meantime, your wallet may have recovered from the purchase of the furling system and you'll be able to purchase the sail you want rather than the sail you can afford.
The sail buying process should be fun and educational. It doesn't have to be an exercise in frustration and arm curls with your checkbook. Doing a little homework, setting goals and having realistic expectations should help you make a rewarding, economical purchase.