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sailmaking questions
On 23 Feb 2004 04:45:57 -0800, (sandy) vaguely
proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:
Ok. No expert. BU here are some tips that I have not seen covered.
Watch out stretch. Cloth stretches most at the diagonal of the weave.
This should be accounted for when cutting the cloth. Borders should be
as close as possible to following the thread, or well-bordered. You
may know this from other sewing
My concern with the cloth that you have is sunlight. If it's some sort
of seconds sail-shade stuff, then you are on a winner.
You can cut sails from a single piece of cloth, and many aboat has
hapily been sailed with a sheet! G But sails are cut to have shape.
This allows better sailing, especially upwind. They are cut to imitate
a wing shape, as much as possible, when seen by the wind, with the
complication of a changing width of the sail as you get higher. They
are also cut to give some "belly" for more downwind work. Have a look
at a multi-segment beachball to see how a round shape can be made from
flat panels.
If you plan to use curtain rings for holding ghe sail, they had better
be strong ones. I am not sure what you are thinking of, but there can
be quite a bit of force at points holding a sail in place. Don't like
the plastic ones for this.
Just a question. Is the mast unstayed? If you have rings around it, it
will have to be. Believe me, I ask this because I am the sort of
person who would overlook just such a thing in the process of work.
G
Carl McCarty wrote in message
I am curious- did you find this material at Wal-Mart also?
Thanks, Carl McCarty
Yep....Walmart! I'd really just about decided to buy some
dacron...but when I wandered through the fabric section of Walmart, I
found this stuff. At $1/yd it's worth it just for the practice....but
it looks good. Really curious to see how it all works out. It's
really strong (one edge of the fabric was imperfect and "ribboned". I
couldn't tear these small ribbons), you can't blow through it, I've
tried stretching it and can't notice stretch, and you can melt it with
a match. Clerk had no idea what kind of fabric it was. I gathered
that they get all sorts of seconds, rejects, etc. Looking forward to
raising our bright yellow sail.
By the way....Any suggestions for "rings" to connect it to mast &
boom? Hubby wants to just use some twine. I'm looking at some
plastic shower rings that we've had stored away forever (and thinking
of putting in grommets to hold rings). Any other suggestions? (Our
mast & boom will be aluminum tubes). Thanks!
Sandy
Sandy
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..........no I'm not!
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