We hope you had a great sailing season, and we are looking forward to next season. It’s coming up soon and UK Sailmakers Ireland want you to get the most of your 2023 season. So get in early and get out early!

The Winter period is the best time for getting your sails serviced. Whether it’s your car, your own health, or your sails, it is no secret that an annual check-up and service is the best way to protect your investment and avoid trouble down the line.

Our sail loft in Crosshaven, Co. Cork, has been a sail service centre for over fifty years. Thousands of sails have been on our floor and it’s not often we see something we haven’t encountered before. We can spot issues before they emerge as serious problems. This will not only save you money – but also time.

No one wants their sails on our floor when they should be on your boat out sailing!

Depending on the type of sailing you are doing an ‘annual service’ can consist of many different things. Some of you may even ask “do I really need to?” The short answer is –yes you do – let me explain why.

Club Racer

If you’re a club racer then you’re the most likely to be asking the “do I really need to?” question. In fact, your sails will likely benefit more than anyone else from a good annual service.

When we receive your sails in our loft we give them a full check over. We check all luff tapes for tears, check common wear spots such as where it interacts with spreaders and stanchions, check for missing tell tails, and identify if there are any unknown causes for the problem which is presenting itself on the floor.

"While we have your sails we can re-measure them for IRC. This can lead to a nice reduction in your IRC handicap upon your revalidation for the 2023 season"

For example; we see many luff tape repairs throughout the season and during winter service. Luff tapes don’t just tear. If they tear then there is a reason why. Sometimes it can be a simple mistake of sheeting on too early or skipping the feeder – but often there is a problem that can be solved on the boat. We discuss potential issues with our customers and present solutions to avoid damage occurring in the future.

While we have your sails we can re-measure them for IRC. This can lead to a nice reduction in your IRC handicap upon your revalidation for the 2023 season.

Our expert staff pick up details which the untrained eye would overlook. Leverage this experience to protect your investment and maximize your time on the water come next spring.

Coastal Cruiser

If cruising or day sailing is your thing then you likely have a UV strip on your headsail and plenty of covers, spray hoods, dodgers etc.

One of the worst things you can do for your sails is leaving them on your boat for a prolonged period of time – even during the sailing season. If you are not going to be using your boat for a month or more then take down the sails and store them aboard.

"Exposure to the sun degrades your sails and covers – this is simply a fact of life. The UV light breaks down the fabric and especially the stitching"

If you only wear your good flamingo shirt to weddings, and you don’t have one for two months, you aren’t going to leave it hanging on the line!

Exposure to the sun degrades your sails and covers – this is simply a fact of life. The UV light breaks down the fabric and especially the stitching.

During an annual check-up, we inspect your entire UV cover and its stitching. A quick run through a sewing machine now is much more cost-effective than having to replace an entire torn UV strip after an Irish winter storm. The same goes for your covers. Deliver them all to us together for a full assessment.

Storage

When you are packing your boat up for the season you should also be thinking about where you are going to store your sails. Definitely take them down, we’ve all seen furled headsails ragged by a winter storm, and take them off the boat and have them stored properly in a cool, dry, rodent-free place – our sail loft for example!

Even if you have your own space to store your sails; get them to the loft first. We see if every spring – ‘best intentions’ of getting your sails to us during the winter were packed away with them. Out of sight out of mind. You then have to join the long line to get your small issue fixed when you could be out enjoying your sailing.

We have a purpose-built storage area in our loft where we can keep your sails comfortable until you need them. We can also store your racing sails rolled – extending their life and keeping them nice and crisp.

Laundry & Re-Proofing

When we have your sails and covers for service we also consider whether they are due a wash. Every year we are asked to replace boom covers and sprayhood when really all that is needed is a good wash, reproofing, and a few stitches here and there.

Sails and covers are washed to remove and green mildew and general grime from the fabric. Covers are then re-waterproofed to give them an entirely new lease of life.

Now is the time!

Our schedule is filling up fast after a busy season on the water. Now is the time to get in contact and arrange your winter service. Let us ensure your sails are in top health and ready for your 2023 sailing season. Contact Cleo at ireland@uksailmakers.

Download the UK Sails Winter Sail Servicing flyer below

Sure, your sailmaker may know how to use a computer to design a sail, but does your sailmaker know how to make that design software perform at a level comparable with winning that F-1 race, making a living playing backgammon, or being the foiling Moth World Champ? Probably not.

Pat Considine has been working for UK Sailmakers leading its Chicago loft for 30 years. Over the past decade, his design work has blended his intuitive artistry as a traditionally trained sailmaker with BSG Developments’ leading edge sail design software applications.

BSG Developments is the leader in sail design software providing a suite of related products. Perhaps their most widely used product is SailPack, the core design software that allows the sailmaker to configure a “mould” on which to “attach” the sail panel layouts after which reinforcements and other finishings are added. The SailPack output is a three-dimensional model of the boat and its sail plan that can be viewed from any perspective. This allows the sailmaker – and the customer – to visualise the sail before the first panel is cut. When loading in the SailPack data, a vast range of data points are input ranging from sailcloth being used, mast/spreader/shroud specifications for optimised rig setup to yarn thread paths, deck layouts indicating where sails will be trimmed to hull, batten specifications, and hull/ballast characteristics.

SailPack is an excellent platform for primary sail assessments, but if the designer wants to further ensure performance levels, a fluid structure interaction (FSI) is required. BSG’s SailPack FSI is made in collaboration with K-Epsilon. This is BSG’s most advanced and accurate solution for FSI calculations, adding layers and layers of detail and understanding well beyond what the core SailPack delivers. 

Ideally, UK’s SailPack and eventual FSI modeling starts by importing the boat designer’s 3D composite images of the boat, including the range of rigging, systems and nautical specifications that went into creating the yacht. Sometimes, the designers don’t like giving up those files, so UK have to create the boat/rig model themselves from the sailplan and line drawing of the rig. Then they need to define everything they’re going to study, including the characteristics of the mast so we know what to expect when we put on more backstay in different amounts of breeze. They go on to define the angle of the spreaders, the composition of the shrouds, the kinds of battens being used, etc. Polars of speed and angles also come into play. They designate where the jib tracks, inhaulers and travellers are, too.

The SailPack design starts with a standard sail configuration. UK Sailmakers creates the “design shape” of the sail vs the “flying shape” of the sail – when flying, a sail can be trimmed in an infinite number of combinations that can’t always be anticipated by the designer. Trim, leads, inhaulers, halyard tension are all variables. By starting with the design shape, adjustments can be made to approximate various flying shapes using FSI. An example of flawed logic is that many people have tried to design a sail’s design shape that will twist around the spreaders but can never achieve that in the flying shape.

FSI modeling starts with the detailed data originally input for SailPack: models of sails and rigs, mechanical properties, rig trimming conditions and navigational parameters (wind, boatspeed and attitude, and so on). Most types of boats can be modelled using FSI, ranging from monohulls to multihulls, sloops to ketches, boats with rotating masts, boats with deflectors, barber-haulers and inhaulers, etc. Loads on each component are calculated in the modelling, allowing keenly precise presentations informing, among other things, optimal sail design shape, load strain mapping and sail material selection.

"Pat Considine is one of the few who really know how to make our FSI product sing"

UK Sailmakers International, with its worldwide network of over 50 lofts and service centres, is a heavy user of BSG’s FSI software. ‘Many sailmakers use our SailPack program pretty effectively,’ says BSG’s software development manager Laurent Guillaume, ‘but UK’s lead designer Pat Considine is one of the few who really know how to make our FSI product sing. I’ve seen many of the analyses he’s conducted over the years and it’s truly impressive to see how he blends the art of sailmaking with today’s sailmaking technology.’

Considine has been using FSI to lead UK Sailmakers’ design team for 12 years and has performed countless analyses for customers around the world. ‘The beauty of FSI is that it allows the designer to move beyond “designed shape” and see a sail’s “flying shape”. The difference being that regardless of the sail design, its flying shape is determined by the combination of all the trimming variables applied to it (halyard tension, sheeting position and tightness, inhauling, mast rake, headstay sag, etc),’ says Considine. ‘Achieving the designer’s optimal design shape while underway is virtually impossible. FSI, however, allows me to play with all those variables and replicate a flying shape on my computer screen. I can then work backwards and apply the learning from the modeled flying shape to my design. This ability to translate design concept to on-the-water reality represents a dramatic advancement for sailmaking.’

UK Sailmaker’s president John Bennett describes one of the two main types of analyses the company does with FSI: ‘The first thing we look for from FSI is optimising sail design and shape. This first image is a stress load map, showing graphically the critical load paths of the sail which calculates all manner of loads from individual yarn bundles to battens, to rig tension. One of the things we found in this test was how the load on a square-top main is mainly in the luff vs. being leechcentric on a traditional main. This gave us important new insight into how to trim a square top main... and that is information we share with all customers.’

UK Fremantle’s Geoff Bishop adds: ‘once we have the sail design optimised in FSI, we get to “trim” the sails, assessing how each of our adjustments impacts speed and height. Pat conducted an FSI analysis on a new suit of sails I was making for a client who wanted them delivered in the Mediterranean. We were able to give him a plan for setting the sails in a range of wind strengths (6, 10, 15, 20+) including detailed guidelines on mast bend, headstay sag, jib car/traveller positions, in-hauler setting, and more. When he set the sails for the first time, he knew exactly how to set up the boat and sailed away having benefited from our indepth look at the flying shape for the sails we created using FSI. I’m pleased to say this customer was ecstatic with these guidelines...and the sails.’

In this study for a MAT 1180, inhauling gives a slight increase in the coefficient of lift. Even though the drag increases, in light to medium winds the boat will sail faster with the jib inhauled

It should be noted that UK Sailmakers has applied the FSI technology in ways that will positively impact customers who aren’t buying premium-priced sails or looking to pay for FSI input for their new sails. One example of this is Considine’s work with the Chicago-based Tartan-Ten fleet. The Tartan-Ten is a 1978 33ft one design with a 7/8 fractional rig and a non-overlapping jib. A popular class in Chicago, there had been one jib design that was winning all the races... but wasn’t able to point as high as desired. The specifications of the original jib were input into SailPack FSI and a baseline assessment was made using widely accepted inhauled settings. UK Sailmakers then created a number of new Tartan-Ten jibs, each with the objective of matching the current jib’s speed but pointing higher. The key was that the inhauler settings were evaluated for the old jib and the new prototypes. By varying the designed-in leech twist in the sail, a new jib was arrived at, meeting both the speed and height objectives. This new UK jib has revolutionised the Tartan-Ten fleet in Chicago and the benefit of this this “twist” logic has trickled down throughout UK Sailmaker’s one-design and non-overlapping jib designs ever since... bring the benefits of FSI to all their customers.

In the 16 knot image the runner tension is increased which adds mast bend, flattening the main, increasing twist and depowering it. The jib is depowered by moving the jib car aft, which adds twist in the sail

Importantly, UK’s use of FSI isn’t an empirical exercise where once the design is out the door, the designer moves on to the next project. Definitely not! In fact, there is as much information flowing back up to Considine and his design team as flowing down. UK’s sailmakers report back on the real-world, on-the-water performance results from sails output from FSI. Here is art informing technology both before and afterwards.

Considine explains that in changing FSI model inputs, it’s not as if you can see the sail shifting shape in real time. ‘The minute shifts in performance data as loads change positions, leads and trim are adjusted, and conditions change can only be realised from the data... making this part of the process more technology than art. Look at the data points in these exhibits and you will get a feel for how precise and subtle the improvements are projected by FSI. Subtle changes in where the JPK owner set the leads for his new sails, subtle changes in the shape and trim of today’s winning Tartan-Ten jibs, subtle changes in the properties of the materials used to build a sail. This is where the technology is required to access and evaluate these often imperceptible differences,’ he says.

Without that technology, we would not have the sails we have today. However, without the artistry of a sailmaker to create the original design concepts, the technology alone would be lacking. That’s why it takes people like UK Sailmakers’ Pat Considine, Barry Hayes, Stuart Dahlgren, Pedro Gianotti and others to provide today’s needed blend of art and science.

Helping Clients to Make Informed Choices

(Above) The blue line shows the cross-sectional shape of the quality Dacron sail and the red is the inexpensive cloth. The data shows that the inexpensive Dacron sail stretched as much as a third more. This can be seen in the two crosssectional plots. The plot just shows the shape of the inexpensive dacron and the bottom plot shows the draft staying further foreword and not growing as deep

Another example of how FSI can help inform a better sail purchasing experience was when a customer wasn’t convinced he needed to pay for premium quality Dacron sails vs. sails made with less expensive, lower quality Dacron. These images compare jibs on a typical 36-footer with exactly the same design specs (panel designs, reinforcements and finishings) with the only difference being the quality of the Dacron sailcloth being used.

It is widely accepted that a Dacron sail will start to stretch from the first time its set, but how much? In these photos, we see the draft of the sail with inferior Dacron indicated by the red line; the quality Dacron sail’s draft is marked by the blue line. The grey line is the sail’s draft. As you see, once set, the sail began to stretch as Dacron does, but note the considerable difference (+X%) stretch indicated by the red line as the leech opens and the draft moves aft. Yes, there is some movement in the blue line, too, but nowhere near the shift in shape. After seeing this demonstration, this UK customer, and numerous others since, have confidently ordered Dacron sails made with superior sailcloth knowing the sail they are buying will have a much longer peak performance life.

After ten races, the J/24 European Championship hosted by Howth Yacht Club, concluded in a tie at 65 points, with the third-place team only one point back. That third-place team was made up of six junior sailors from the Kinsale Yacht Club, which has worked to create a squad of under 25-year-old sailors or U25s. Along with finishing third overall, one point out of first, Carroll’s team finished second in the Corinthian Class and first in the Youth Class. Micheál O’Súilleabháin was on the helm.

This was the first year sailing a J/24 for this young team. Crewmember Mike Carroll said, “Since we only started in the J24 class this summer, we didn’t know what to expect from ourselves at the event. We had some poor results earlier on in the regatta, but as the event went on, we improved and achieved a good level of consistency that we were happy with. We couldn’t afford another poor result as there was only one discard across the 10 races. We had a mix of all sailing conditions during the week, which led to it being a high-scoring event. Given that most boats had at least one or two bad scores, it allowed us to climb high in the results without needing to win races. What happened on the water exceeded our expectations.” By finishing second in the last race of the regatta, the team moved from sixth to third.

Kinsailor competing at the ten race J/24 European Championship at Howth Yacht Club Photo: Christopher Howell

The young team faced down some serious challenges, which they overcame. A week before the Europeans, while racing in the J/24 Easterns, they broke their mast and had to secure a loner. Their new UK Sailmakers mainsail was damaged when the rig came down, and they finished the Easterns with their delivery main. UK Sailmakers Ireland made an invisible repair in a few short days and had the main ready for the Europeans.

“The sails were fantastic”

Dave Sullivan, the team’s coach said, “It’s just brilliant that a team of kids from Kinsale can get a boat, set it up, and deliver a world-class performance -- all in less than a year. Phenomenal really; we are most proud of them.” The team came about as part of the Irish Cruiser Racing Association Under 25 initiative designed to create a pathway for junior sailors to progress into the adult sailing scene. Sullivan said that members of the Kinsale Yacht Club held a fundraiser to buy, ship to Ireland and prepare a J/24 for the club’s juniors to use. He took on the role of the team’s mentor. The original goal was to compete at the 2022 European Championships and the boat will stay available for juniors at the club for years to come.

Kinsailor is a Kinsale Yacht Club Under 25 initiative

Barry Hayes, President of UK Sailmakers Ireland said, “Our loft is doing everything to help young sailors excel. They are the future of the sport. Therefore, we are doing our best to help them get the best sails, learn how to use them so that they move up to the podium as quickly as possible. From centreboard to keelboats, UK Sailmakers is dedicated to helping the next generation of sailors.”

About the UK Sailmakers J/24 class sails, the team members said, “The sails were fantastic.”

The Kinsailor J24 crew with their prizes in Howth including Mikey Carroll, Jack O’Sullivan, Lellie Collins, Francesca Lewis, Rory Carroll and Micheál O’Súilleabháin

The four men and two women on KINSAILOR were:

• Mikey Carroll
• Jack O’Sullivan
• Lellie Collins
• Francesca Lewis
• Rory Carroll
• Micheál O’Súilleabháin

2022 J24 European Championships results

It has been a busy summer here in UK Sailmakers Ireland with Cork Week and other regattas. We are pleased to report that we were up to the challenge of getting sails made and ready on time despite the obstacles posed by ongoing Covid and worldwide supply chain issues.

Luckily for our customers, we make many of our sails locally, right here in Crosshaven in Cork Harbour, so our customers were able to receive their new sails in time for their regattas.

That’s not a claim every sailmaker can make. From 1720 spinnakers to Howth 17’s jibs and many more, we got everything done on time! This is the level of professional customer service sailors have come to expect from UK Sailmakers, and that’s a responsibility we take seriously.

Having the ability to design and produce sails in Ireland is a key feature of our loft. With the resident sailmaking know-how right here, sailors can discuss their new sails face-to-face with the sailmakers who will be building them. That is a rare and very special part of what makes UK Sailmakers Ireland stand out in the marketplace.

1720 Atara won the 1720 Europeans 2022 with a new SK75 spinnaker made in Cork in time for the regatta along with 2-year-old upwind XD Carbon sails Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Although we make many of our own sails, some are made at the UK Sailmakers loft in Hong Kong. With supply chain issues not expected to ease up in the near future, and with an early Chinese New Year expected to disrupt deliveries further, we are advising our customers to talk to us now about new sail requests so we can meet delivery expectations.

As autumn draws in, our Winter Discount programme kicks in from September 1st until December 1st giving you time to inspect your sails one last time and see what’s needed for the new season starting in March.

Get in early and get out early, and sail with confidence.

Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland gives us the ins and outs of forestay sag and how it affects your sail so you can get the best out of your headsail shape and rig settings.

Regardless of if you’re cruising or racing, forestay sag works the same for every boat. The amount of forestay sag can be very small on racing boats and can be excessive on cruising boats. The forestay clearly does not just sage aft, it does so at the head and tack area but also in the middle of the forestay where it can off set at approximately 45 degrees. Dependent on the aspect ratio of the sail, following the shape of the sail and pushing depth into the luff of the sail.

For a racing boat you want to have some forestay sag, but only a small amount--enough to add depth into the headsail and make the sail fuller. This generates more power, but you don’t want so much that it closes in the leech. Excessive headstay sag happens a lot on boats with tight sheeting angles with inhauled headsails. Clearly, having a straight forestay in medium to heavy airs helps pointing and boat speed.

Headsail forestay sag, in this photo you can see the headsail sagging to leeward

As the forestay sag increases, the shape in the sail is pushed aft closing the leech so the airflow exiting the leech of the headsail is directed into the slot…choaking it. So, having forestay sag to make the sail deeper is a good thing but too much is also an issue. Finding the happy medium is the key. You can add twist that will control the slot exit so the slot is open, however, you need to take the twist out when the forestay is tight.

Headsail side view, in this photo you can see how much fuller the headsail luff is with the sag

Normally, the forestay sag on a racing boat is anything from zero to 100 mm. On a cruising boat, you can often get a lot more forestay sag - sometimes up to 300 mm - so three times as much. This excessive headstay sag can cause a lot of issues like poor pointing ability and rig tension. Remember, most racing and cruising sails are designed with some forestay sag built into the luff to allow for sag in the rig when used.

How do you check how much forestay sag? Put your backstays to zero and go sailing and see how much the forestay sags, take some photos and measure how much you have, you can just eyeball it based on the size of your carbo foil or furling foil. As I said, it will go aft and approximately 45 degrees to the bow. As you can see in the attached

Genoa with forestay sag. As you can see in this photo the genoa is really full as the forestay is sagging to leeward making the sail too full for the conditions

On a racing boat you don’t want to go more than 100 mm as it's too much shape added into the luff of a headsail for anything under 40 foot, clearly the bigger the boat the more that changes. A light #1 headsail has only a certain amount of tolerance in the sail shape, to allow the sail to change shape true to the movement of the forestay. Too much and the sail will be too deep just dragging the boat sideways.

On a cruising boat, you want no more than 100 mm of sag in the headstay. This will give you a good balance between rig tension and shape in your headsail. Most cruising sails are designed to have this amount of sage in them, any more and your rig will go soft underload and the luff will be too full.

3D View of the luff sag. As you can see in this photo the amount of sag is totally changing the headsail shape and how aerodynamics work on the sail

When you are in light airs and you have your forestay sag set, once the boat starts to accelerate you want to reduce the amount of sag by tightening the backstay. Don’t get rid of the sag totally as the boat will need power to move up through the gears as you get up to hull speed. You will want to balance the combination of shifting of gears with the use of forestay sag (backstay) and sail trim to get the optimum boat speed as you move in and out of max power and hull speed.

Forestay sag spreader. As you can see in this photo the amount of sag to leeward on the spreader. Its handy to have a mark to see where the forestay is when it's tight on the spreader

Congratulations to Finbarr O'Regan and his J/109 crew that won Class Zero and One IRC overall in the Axiom Private Clients Race at Kinsale Yacht Club on Saturday.

Finnbar was using a brand new UK Sailmakers Ireland headsail to our latest design along with his existing sails from other sailmakers.

The J109 sail set-up has evolved significantly over the past fourteen years. The most visible change has been the shift to a non-overlapping jib setup for optimum IRC performance. This shift in sail plan has a significant effect on the boat’s light air performance due to the headsail area reduction.

Artful Dodger was followed closely by Stephen Lysaght in his Elan 333 Reavra Two using a full UK Sail inventory.

Stephen Lysaght in his Elan 333 Reavra Two setting UK Sails Photo: Bob Bateman

With a one-two this April in Kinsale, we are looking forward to more success this season!

Cork Harbour based sailmaking company UK Sailmakers Ireland has launched a new website for the coming season.

The marine firm's Barry Hayes says "it’s a website for Irish sailors with news articles and stories but most of all we want to impart information on Irish sailmaking!"

Broken into different sections, the new portal deals with both new sail design as well as service and repairs.

There is also a section that tells the story of the firm that started life in Crosshaven 47 years ago under the name McWilliam Sailmakers.

Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland

Under new leadership since 2018, the UK Sailmakers loft is dedicated to fulfilling the needs of all Irish sailors, according to Hayes.

"As sailmakers, we do not just design sails for boats. We design and build sails for your boat. Our extensive and versatile product line allows us to produce sails to suit your requirements and expectations", he explains.

Read more about UK Sailmakers Ireland on the new website here

A screenshot of the new website showing the different sections

Code zeros are all the rage; choosing between masthead or fraction code zeros can be tricky writes, Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland.

The code zero is a reaching sail to be used between 45 and 110 degrees apparent wind angle, usually in winds below 20 knots. These sails fill the gap between reaching with a jib or a spinnaker. 

Regardless of whether you're cruising or racing, the options are more or less the same. It all comes down to a few key factors. Does your boat have masthead or fractional headsails, and are the headsails overlapping or not? And, how strong is your mast?

Masthead headsail rigs

Most boats with masthead headsail, whether overlapping or not, have no options but to go masthead code zeros. The question to be answered for these boats is how large a code zero they can carry. This comes down to the boat's weight and what headsail they currently use. Usually, a code zero is 165 % overlap. So if the boat has enough weight in the keel, it can take a bigger coder zero.

Boats with fractional headsails, however, have the choice between code zeros flown from a spinnaker halyard at the top of the mast or one from the hounds. A fractional boat interested in a masthead code zero has a lot to consider. To start with, the size of their current headsails - overlapping or non-overlapping.

If you can go masthead and your rig can take the load, a code zero would be a winning sail when reaching regardless of whether you are cruising or racing. You can almost double the sail area of a non-overlapping jib.

As you can see in the attached photo of the First 44.7, the code zero is more than double the area of their non-overlapping headsail giving Lively Lady loads of power on a reach into Dun Laoghaire.

Fractional, overlapping headsail rigs

If the fractional headsails are overlapping, then the extra sail area gained by setting a code zero will only make a slight difference. Typically, a fractional code zero would only add about 25% to the sail area compared with a genoa. In reality, this is not a significant gain, and it is hard to justify the extra expense of the sail and systems for this incremental sail area. Also, code zeros add extra points to your IRC rating. In cases like this, it can be more efficient from cost and rating perspectives to go with a very flat A3 that you can carry at very tight angles, particularly if the sail has a Kevlar luff rope to get the luff nice and firm.

Talk to your sailmaker and discuss the pros and cons of a fractional, overlapping headsail boat using a code zero vs a flat A3. The objective is to optimize reaching at relatively tight angles to the wind. Hard on the wind, your genoa will be much more efficient, and your VMG will be better.

If you are fractionally and your mast is strong enough to take the lateral loads of a masthead code zero, you can gain a lot of sail area vs a genoa.

In this drawing, you can see the difference in area gained with a masthead Code zero or A3 over a fractional Code zero. Also, notice the headsail area to compare.

Fractional, non-overlapping headsail rigs

It's normal enough for fractional headsail boats to have a code zero as they don't need the power of the overlapping headsail when reaching. They also save massively on their rating and only add a minimal amount for a code zero. This is very true of both white sail cruising or racing as it saves rating and HSA on IRC. Going to a code zero can nearly double your headsail area, giving you a massive power boost when your need it most.

Just because your headsail is fractional, that doesn't mean you can't set a code zero from a masthead spinnaker halyard. Your mast builder will be able to tell you if your mast can carry the loads of a masthead code zero. This is easy to work out, but if you cannot go masthead, there are options to be considered.

The above photo is of Wow, a Farr 42 with a non-overlapping headsail with no fractional spinnaker halyard

Wow (above) wanted a code zero because they needed more power reaching. They couldn't go masthead, so they took the masthead spinnaker halyard down to the top of the forestay and led it through a ring on the forward edge of the mast. This allowed them to set a fractional code zero while keeping the boat easy to sail. This set-up transformed the angles at which the boat was weakest, and it's still easy to sail.

In all instances

Whatever your rig set-up, getting the furl right when you retrieve your code zero is the most important thing. If the sail is furled properly you get a tight furl. To achieve this, the furler itself must be a high-quality furler like an Ubi Maior top-down furler with a ratchet lock. You then need a cable to get the furl right. With these cables, you can't go wrong. Perfect furls every time.

In the above video of the First 34.7 Black Velvet, you can see how tight the furl is on the cable and Ubi furler. If you have a tight furl on the sails, it creates almost no windage at all.

Download a PDF of this article below

UK Sailmakers Ireland is looking forward to the coming season. It’ll be here very soon and we want you to get the most of your 2022 season. So get out early!

We have had a very busy winter period getting your sails serviced repaired and ready for 2022. Over 950 KG of sails and covers went to laundry last week the van was full to the brim with laundry. Cleo was delighted to get the sails and covers away and they will be back in two weeks. Ready for Paddy’s weekend!

As well as laundry we have been really busy getting racing sails ready checking their IRC and sorting any nicks and scratches on them. Most of the racing sails are ready for action with the last of the racing sails being ready for action in early spring.

We are delighted with the number of sail orders we have got this year breaking all records. With big demand for Cork Week Regatta and the Round Ireland Race. All the orders are on time and will be ready for this early season.

"Get your orders in we still have capacity. To deliver new sails on time"

We still have room for you if you want to get out early and make the most of 2022. March is fast approaching, if you're not sure of the status of your sails now is the time to check them. Likewise, if looking at your IRC cert and you think it needs to be lower.

Our sail loft in Crosshaven, Co. Cork, has been a sail service centre for over forty years. Thousands of sails have been on our floor and it’s not often we see something we haven’t encountered before. We can spot issues before they emerge as serious problems. This will not only save you money – but also time.

No one wants their sails on our floor when they should be on your boat out sailing!

CLUB RACER

As we are the only IHC loft in Ireland, we can get your sails IRC measured and certified for the coming season. We still have room for more if you haven’t sent them in and your thinking of having a look. Now is the time.
When we receive your sails in our loft we give them a full check over. We check all luff tapes for tears, check common wear spots such as where it interacts with spreaders and stanchions, check for missing tell tails, and identify if there are any unknown causes for the problem which is presenting itself on the floor.

For example; we see many luff tape repairs throughout the season and during winter service. Luff tapes don’t just tear. If they tear then there is a reason why. Sometimes it can be
a simple mistake of sheeting on too early or skipping the feeder – but often there is a problem that can be solved on the boat. We discuss potential issues with our customers and present solutions to avoid damage occurring in the future.

"While we have your sails we can re-measure them for IRC. This can lead to a nice reduction in your IRC handicap upon your revalidation for the 2022 season"

Our expert staff pick up details that the untrained eye would overlook. Leverage this experience to protect your investment and maximize your time on the water come next spring. 

COASTAL CRUISER

If cruising or day sailing is your thing and you put your sails away last October. There is still time to get them checked and ready for the new season. I have seen many sails still on the boom in different boatyards and yacht clubs.

One of the worst things you can do for your sails is to leave them on your boat for a prolonged period of time – even during the sailing season. If you are not going to be using your boat for a month or more then take down the sails and store them aboard.

Exposure to the sun degrades your sails and covers – this is simply a fact of life. The UV light breaks down the fabric and especially the stitching.

During the check-up, we inspect your entire UV cover and its stitching. A quick run through a sewing machine now is much more cost-effective than having to replace an entire torn UV strip after an Irish winter storm. The same goes for your covers. Deliver them all to us together for a full assessment.

NOW IS THE TIME!

Our schedule is filling up fast after a busy season on the water. Now is the time to get in contact and arrange your service. Let us ensure your sails are in top health and ready for your 2022 sailing season.

Contact Cleo at [email protected]

We hope you had a great sailing season, and we are looking forward to next season. It’s coming up soon and UK Sailmakers Ireland want you to get the most of your 2022 season. So get in early and get out early!

The Winter period is the best time for getting your sails serviced. Whether it’s your car, your own health, or your sails, it is no secret that an annual check-up and service is the best way to protect your investment and avoid trouble down the line.

Our sail loft in Crosshaven, Co. Cork, has been a sail service centre for over forty years. Thousands of sails have been on our floor and it’s not often we see something we haven’t encountered before. We can spot issues before they emerge as serious problems. This will not only save you money – but also time.

No one wants their sails on our floor when they should be on your boat out sailing!

Depending on the type of sailing you are doing an ‘annual service’ can consist of many different things. Some of you may even ask “do I really need to?” The short answer is –yes you do – let me explain why.

Club Racer

If you’re a club racer then you’re the most likely to be asking the “do I really need to?” question. In fact, your sails will likely benefit more than anyone else from a good annual service.

When we receive your sails in our loft we give them a full check over. We check all luff tapes for tears, check common wear spots such as where it interacts with spreaders and stanchions, check for missing tell tails, and identify if there are any unknown causes for the problem which is presenting itself on the floor.

"While we have your sails we can re-measure them for IRC. This can lead to a nice reduction in your IRC handicap upon your revalidation for the 2022 season"

For example; we see many luff tape repairs throughout the season and during winter service. Luff tapes don’t just tear. If they tear then there is a reason why. Sometimes it can be a simple mistake of sheeting on too early or skipping the feeder – but often there is a problem that can be solved on the boat. We discuss potential issues with our customers and present solutions to avoid damage occurring in the future.

While we have your sails we can re-measure them for IRC. This can lead to a nice reduction in your IRC handicap upon your revalidation for the 2022 season.

Our expert staff pick up details which the untrained eye would overlook. Leverage this experience to protect your investment and maximize your time on the water come next spring.

Coastal Cruiser

If cruising or day sailing is your thing then you likely have a UV strip on your headsail and plenty of covers, spray hoods, dodgers etc.

One of the worst things you can do for your sails is leaving them on your boat for a prolonged period of time – even during the sailing season. If you are not going to be using your boat for a month or more then take down the sails and store them aboard.

"Exposure to the sun degrades your sails and covers – this is simply a fact of life. The UV light breaks down the fabric and especially the stitching"

If you only wear your good flamingo shirt to weddings, and you don’t have one for two months, you aren’t going to leave it hanging on the line!

Exposure to the sun degrades your sails and covers – this is simply a fact of life. The UV light breaks down the fabric and especially the stitching.

During an annual check-up, we inspect your entire UV cover and its stitching. A quick run through a sewing machine now is much more cost-effective than having to replace an entire torn UV strip after an Irish winter storm. The same goes for your covers. Deliver them all to us together for a full assessment.

Storage

When you are packing your boat up for the season you should also be thinking about where you are going to store your sails. Definitely take them down, we’ve all seen furled headsails ragged by a winter storm, and take them off the boat and have them stored properly in a cool, dry, rodent-free place – our sail loft for example!

Even if you have your own space to store your sails; get them to the loft first. We see if every spring – ‘best intentions’ of getting your sails to us during the winter were packed away with them. Out of sight out of mind. You then have to join the long line to get your small issue fixed when you could be out enjoying your sailing.

We have a purpose-built storage area in our loft where we can keep your sails comfortable until you need them. We can also store your racing sails rolled – extending their life and keeping them nice and crisp.

Laundry & Re-Proofing

When we have your sails and covers for service we also consider whether they are due a wash. Every year we are asked to replace boom covers and sprayhood when really all that is needed is a good wash, reproofing, and a few stitches here and there.

Sails and covers are washed to remove and green mildew and general grime from the fabric. Covers are then re-waterproofed to give them an entirely new lease of life.

Now is the time!

Our schedule is filling up fast after a busy season on the water. Now is the time to get in contact and arrange your winter service. Let us ensure your sails are in top health and ready for your 2020 sailing season. Contact Cleo at ireland@uksailmakers.

Download the UK Sails Winter Sail Servicing flyer below