best sailmaker for laser 28
Printed From: Laser 28 International Class Association
Category: Laser 28 General
Forum Name: Sailing
Forum Description: Everything on sailing the boat
URL: http://www.laser28.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=768
Printed Date: 22 November 2024 at 9:15pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: best sailmaker for laser 28
Posted By: Virginia H.
Subject: best sailmaker for laser 28
Date Posted: 23 June 2017 at 10:55pm
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I live in Hampton, Va USA and my best local choices are North Sails, Doyle Sails and Ullman Sails. The Evolution loft locally closed down. I want the fastest best sails with local support. My area is Chesapeake Bay which make the above sailmakers my best choices. i have used North Sails for many years in other boats but with the laser 28 from sailmaker web sites Doyle looks like the best. I need a new main very soon. My North 3dl main is rapidly falling apart. I race PHRF but am still thinking a dacron cross cut main is best. What do you all think? |
Replies:
Posted By: Bill Layton
Date Posted: 24 June 2017 at 9:45am
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Evolution sails in Quebec builds more Laser 28 sails then all the other lofts combined. We ship sails all over the world and we have the largest fleet in North America (14 boats) We have been building sails for this boat for over 30 years. Most Laser 28's do not need service afterwards. It's pretty rare other than a torn chute perhaps but any sail loft will repair anyone's sails so it's never been a problem.. We have never had a warranty issue and our sails are faster because we have been tweaking our designs within our competitive fleets for years. Because we are in Canada we also have the least expensive sails around. Class Mainsail for example wit 2 reefs is $3595. Canadian dollars. Convert that and see for yourself. Feel free to call if we can help. Bill Layton 514-631-9845 |
Posted By: frfletch
Date Posted: 24 June 2017 at 9:41pm
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Virginia, i don't think you can go wrong with sails organized through Bill Layton. I are on three Lasers, two of them fitting by Evolution. A problem with other sailmakers is that each loft manager, or whoever is in charge, is at large to make his own design. North does not have a specific Laser 28 mainsail design, nor does Doyle. Both are great sailmakers, but none of them have one person who has experience of designing sails for the Laser going back to the origins of the first boat other than Bill. Any loft will service anyone's sails. That is their business. North services my sails that come from all over the place. I still race with a number 4 blade mae by Hood, probably in the 80's. My main is by Quantum during a time when Bill had a Quantum loft and North services that sail. Similarly my #1, which is cut down to a #2 with a raised tack and shortened LP allowing me to trim it in front of the spreader and pull it in tighter, but giving away several ft2 of sail. For me, the sis a faster sail that a full size genoa, but again it i horses for courses. That sail started out Quantum also (which is now Evolution) and North services that sail. The two other yachts I sail on have new mains and lappers from Bill. They are great looking sails and perform very well. One of those yachts uses the Lapper from Evolution as their largest headsail and when I race against that boat in very light airs she is very tough to beat while I'm using my cut-down genoa. I have often considered doing the same. Don't know how many sails you need, but I can testify to the performance of those two sails as being high quality, fast, and accelerate very well. I you go with another loft you will be dealing with a sail designer who is going to give you the best he's got in guessing what makes a Laser go. That is totally different than getting sails from someone who has been making sails for the same boat for nearly 35 years and who remains highly active in racing Laser 28's. To me, unless you've got someone at one of the other sail lofts who perhaps has some extra -ordinary experience such as having worked on the America's Cup program or something, I doubt they will build a better sail than Bill. |
Posted By: frfletch
Date Posted: 24 June 2017 at 9:44pm
Pardon my failure to proof-read my last post. I really am a smart guy and spent at least 4 years in the 7th grade to get my English right. Good Grief! 
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Posted By: Winner
Date Posted: 25 June 2017 at 8:32am
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I bought a new main and lapper from Bill last year and have been very happy. My only advice is to confirm with Bill whether any of the dimensional or attachment aspects of your boat may have been modified over the years. In my case, the tack for the mainsail attachment had been altered from standard which we didn't realize until after the new sail arrived. The main is very nice but I especially really love the lapper in wind ranges in the mid teens. ------------- Chris Eclipse #240 Thunder Bay, ON |