I am looking for some racing sails for a C&C 37 any sugestions on material or sources. Heavy dacron for the blade was one suggestion.
Ken "Amazing-Grace"

Ken -
It really depends on the level of racing and where. Here on the Chesapeake Bay in the spinnaker fleets (especially for a 37'), you'd go with high tech..Kevlar hybrids for both genoas and main. That's certainly what we've had to do (believe me, I'd go for a dacron blade, but the performance edge of high tech sails keeps us competitive in our fleet). In this respect, we're very pleased with Quantum, but as I've said in the past, it really depends on your local loft (North, UK, etc.) and the service they provide/interaction with the customer..not all lofts of a give manufacturer are the same.
My thoughts, Greg

I hadn't really set a lot of objectives in racing except to learn to sail better and get to know my boat. I like your analogy re the cost of sails and how competitive one wants to be. I do ok with the original sails and I lose when I make a mistakes. I got the scuba out and cleaned the bottom, (that helped alot in the next race). The boat, at this stage of my racing experience, sails better than me. I've been racing about two years. Every once in a while (several times this summer) I get it right and stay in the hunt. I like that part.
So, I thinking heavy Dacron for the blade, high tech for the #2 and Pentex for the #1. I'll keep my cruising sail for just that and use these to race with. The next problem is of course how high tech and how fast. Thanks for you input.
Ken 83 - 37

Really depends on the fleet and how competitive you want to be (or can afford to be). FWIW, my wife and I race to learn our boat. If we loose because of ratings, sails, bottom prep, etc we're quite happy. If we loose because of bad tactics, poor trim, etc we're not happy. Depends on you and your fleet.
There's a reason people spend $5,000 for a 3DL as opposed to $2,000 for a dacron main - they make the boat go faster and point higher - period. We're switching from dacron to Pentex for the main and love our Norlam for headsails but we also like to cruise the boat so longevity is an issue for us. All out racer (with deep pockets) go high tech, racer/cruiser - go medium tech and take your lumps, cruiser - go dacron and spend the extra boat $ at the bar (while laughing at all of us).
John

Thanks Greg,
good input. I have Quantum sails, main and cursing 135 but had trouble getting what I wanted. The quality was not to hot either. Stitching on the main was rough (the second main sail because the first one was to short and the clew on the 135 was several feet higher than agreed). The Quantum rep agreed with the quality problem on the main and said they would not re-do the #135. So my thinking is to give them a rest. They will fix the main it in about a year as they suggested a re-cut. So am looking at North and Tasker Sails.
Ken - 83-37

Ken -
Where are you at so that I can make sure I don't use that Quantum loft!! Obviously they did not come out and properly measure your rig. This is the problem I had with the local North Loft...unless you were a Farr 40, etc. it wasn't worth their time to measure things; they insisted the computer I, P, etc. were correct. Indeed, the local Quantum (Sobstad back then) loft said the North guy was their best salesman! The North loft has gotten a lot better, but for the money I prefer our local Quantum loft. On a related matter, these weren't Quest sails which are the "cruising" Quantum sails available on line/catalog, etc were they? Just curious as they're made overseas (South Africa) with little local oversight.
Later, Greg

I want to throw in a plug for Spike Boston and Boston (Doyle) Sailmakers just out of Detroit. They have been winning a bunch lately. Several classes in the different NOODs and others. Actually they have been winning for years and their prices are very competitive as well. They also have C&C experience.
Tony Aldridge - 38 Special

Hi Tony,
Didn't realize Spike Boston was still around. Before I joined C&C I was Nationa;l Sales Manager for Lockley Recreational Products. Car top sailboats (Sea Devil, Sea Swinger and Sea Witch). We also made about 5,000 Skimmer 45 iceboats. Single seater in tubular steel which Joe Lockley and I co-designed with some help from Meade Gougeon. Spike Boston made some of the production sails for the Skimmer. He was a pretty good iceboater in his own right, as I recall, and made some of the best DN sails available at the time.
Regards, - Hank Evans
PS : The obligatory disclaimer : No Virginia, I don't work for Boston Sails and have had no contact with them in 25 years.

Ken:
just out of curiosity, who is your saleman at Quantum? I have been dealing with Dave Flynn and can't say enough about the guy. Two yrs. ago I had a problem with a 155 they just made. Since we were our WPS annual cruise it was not feasible (or desirable) for me to get the sail to them. They met me at Herrington Harbor Marina (our next port) (which meant they had to drive from Annapolis-I don't know maybe an hour or so) and took the sail back, fixed the problem and brought it back later that evening. There was another, different, problem we found when we raised the sail. They took it back again and had it back by 6am next morning. Now, you could make the point that there were two problems but from the treatment I received I prefer to think of it as excellent customer service. I felt like a sailing rock star with my own shore team.
Dennis - Weatherly, C&C 33

Greg,
Hope I'm not to far out of line here but the Quantum did come out and measure the main and I had to have the owner from Houston come up and re-measure because the rep would not admit it was to short. Maybe your guy is better.
Ken 83-37

I think this is TOTALLY dependent on the local loft and not on the franchise. I have had great luck with the Banks (ex Haarstick) loft in Annapolis. Quantum also did a small repair job for me that came out just fine.
(SPAM) BTW - I have some C&C 35 MK I headsails that I never use since I got furling gear if anyone is interested.
Joe Della Barba

Ken -
No, you're not out of line at all...why would you think so? This really confirms what I've said on this list for years...don't just go for brand, but rather for the LOCAL loft that gives you the best service and product. They're all franchises or reps..few are factory lofts...so there are incredible differences between areas. My advice is go with the loft, whatever it is, that gives you the best service (PROPERLY measures, and when the new sails arrive/are finished, comes back out to the boat to make sure they're what you, and they, wanted; goes on a test sail to further test the product; gives you trimming and rig tuning advice for your new sail) and knows the local conditions to tune the sails to those winds and waves. Buying sails is a very personal thing, and it has to feel right. Sounds like if I ever move to Texas, Quantum won't be on my list.
Cheers, Greg

Jim Cullen is excellent to deal with, but now, if you want to deal with him, you have to call North. He says that North prices aren't much different that Banks were. BTW, I might become interested in those sails. We are looking at an Express 35 (Steve Killing designed C&C cousin). E-mail the dimensions and conditions, please.
Steve & Suzanne - S/V Pony Express - www.angelfire.com/pe/ponyexpress

I agree entirely with Greg.
Also, you can tell a lot in the evaluation process. I had a new main and #1 cut this year and had extensive conversations with Doyle Long Island, UK, North and Quantum. It was fairly easy to distiguish who wanted the work and was willing to spend time talking through the options and educating me. More than one loft took my carefully "stupid" questions about composites as an opportunity to try and sell me some thing I did not need or want. A good loft not only knows the technical stuff, but is willing to talk you out of the "golly gee" stuff that will cost a ton but not significantly enhance your sailing experience.
I ultimately chose Doyle Long Island (Mark Washeim) and was nothing but happy. He spent as much time with me after the sale as before and never begrudged a moment. This despite the fact that I do not race and was not likely to be a big source of referral business.
Another consideration is that the cloth and techniques are fairly portable. Each franchise has their own twist (e.g. Tape Drive) but the local loft is who turns that into a sail that is going to get you from A to B as fast as possible.
Bottom line, if you have a choice pick one who you trust and will stand by their product.
Michael - Indigo 1987 '35 III

He is still around as are his son and grandsons. I don't work for them either. A friend of mine (Horace Holland) just won the S2 7.9 internationals using his sails. In fact one of the grandsons was on board as crew. Spike is in pretty bad shape following an accident on board another boat in another regatta. He broke his neck. I understand he will be okay however.
Tony Aldridge - 38 Special

Spike & family work out of Sarnia, or more accurately, Point Edward, ON, which they've done about forever. I believe Spike's father had a loft in Mt Clemens, MI, before that. Son Brad was in Sydney on the Cdn Soling Team. They checked over my main last winter - chafe, stitching etc. $50 or so, which I thought was very fair.
Jon Tebbens - '78 Mega 30

Spike's father was Howard, and he did own a shop in Mt. Clemens. My father bought a Cal 33 from Howard in 1972. As I recall, Howard's shop specialized in iceboat sails, particularly DNs and Arrows.
Matt Wolford

sail loft is still there Doyle/Boston Sails 38807 Harper Ave., Clinton Township, MI, 48036 810-468-1488. Run by Skip Boston brother of Spike

I replaced my North sails with Hood Vectran sails. I do club racing and can point and sail as fast as the high tech Kevlars in the club...and they are bullet proof! The jib is on a roller furler and is cut as a deck sweeper (low clew), in fact the clew is the same height as my racing North. Roller furling has not hurt me as I can roll and unroll the jib much faster than dropping the jib tying it down etc. while popping the spinnaker and without anybody on the foredeck. Oh yes, I can also go out for a short sail without having to lug a jib on the deck etc. Contact Joe Cooper at the Middletown RI loft for info 401849-9400. Joe raced for Australia for 2 1/2 America's Cup campaigns.
Glen Ballou - Synergy - C&C36