Mini-tweaking

surfski

New Member
Anyone either had a sunfish race sail cut down or a custom sail made to fit mini spars that possesed porportionally similar draft ? Would altering a sunfish race sail to match mini spars do something weird to the draft ? Obviously a loft could to the work and have some insight , looking for direct experience of this alteration. An intensity practice race sail is way less $ than a new mini sail. The alteration hypothetically shouldn't cost too much.....(yeah I know , perhaps a tad naive).
 
Would altering a sunfish race sail to match mini spars do something weird to the draft ?
Draft is a function of "broad seaming" ... drawing, cutting, and connecting the individual cloth panels that make up the sail. Each seam is made with a slight curve that together results in a wing shape rather than a bed sheet.

Since a finished sail has this completed already, I believe shortening the luff and foot by one or two grommets won't change the draft center too drastically, though it will shift it slightly.

Install a quick-adjust gooseneck bolt and you should be able to compensate that way, if it's needed.


Karl Deardorff owner and operator of SLO Sails
walks you through the highlights of a sail's construction.

(excerpts from a 30 part series)




 
Spoke with two lofts in Newport Beach this a.m. and both suggested that modifying a sunfish race sail was a little iffy. Both of course suggested that for around $400 they could make a mini sail with similar shape. Really glad the hole in the water in which I pour money is currently only a small one .
 
Spoke with two lofts in Newport Beach this a.m. and both suggested that modifying a sunfish race sail was a little iffy. Both of course suggested that for around $400 they could make a mini sail with similar shape. Really glad the hole in the water in which I pour money is currently only a small one .
I seem to recall last season someone got a quote from Neil Pryde Sails for a Minifish sail that was only ~$75 more than their $140 Sunfish sail price tag. Of course that's a Rec sail. Still, if they are sewing it from scratch I wonder if you could ask for a little deeper draft in the process.

Have you asked Intensity what they'd want to make up a smaller race style sail?

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Awaiting a reply from Intensity re this inquiry , good prompt Wayne. In will let the thread know the reply !
 
Intensity is a no go on minifish sails and N.Pryde is rec. sail only.No suprise but worth the inquiry. May be time to experiment with some tyvek or blue tarp. Committed to staying within basic design parameters (not looking to put a sunfish rig or a windsurf rig on). Thinking that there is a little more juice to be had with some shape and the ability to adjust it. If I was looking for all out speed I would of bought an old hobie cat. My goal is to get max outta something simple that I can load solo on my roofracks (hence the mini). Sandy
 
May be time to experiment with some tyvek or blue tarp.

My goal is to get max outta something simple that I can load solo on my roofracks (hence the mini)
Whew... :eek: , If you are thinking Tarp or Tyvek you might as well sew up real sail cloth. 3.8oz polyester sail cloth isn't any more expensive than the high grade UV resistant Tyvek used for experimental sail designs..., and sail cloth lasts 20 years longer.

You can get flimsy house construction tyvek (or blue tarp) cheap, but why put in all that effort to measure, broadseam, and sew materials what won't last two seasons before you have to do it all over again? When you cost it out, even the cheap grades of tyvek will out price sail cloth once you've replaced it a couple of times.

If you're thinking tyvek, I strongly suggest putting the money and effort into a good sail sewing book and some Dacron instead.

DuPont Tyvek Handbook . . . . . . . . . . . . Sailmakers Supply

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Cheap Tyvek does make a good practice material to loft (transfer and cut a pattern in full scale)
and sew a trial sail so you don't botch the job with the real sail cloth.



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I totally agree with Wayne. Plus, I don't think your original idea of lopping off some of a sunfish sail was as simple as you thought. All the seams toward the leech would have had to be opened up and resewn or the leech would have just flapped in the breeze. BB
 

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