So today I visited with a sail loft.

I began the journey to this visit, oh, about two years ago. Even earlier, really, since I knew before I purchased the boat the main sail was well used, and the hank-on sails were 20+ year old historic bags which had been well and thoroughly used. But, particularly, two years ago I began researching sails, designs, and fabrics.

And lofts. Don’t get me started about the industry.

After a couple more summers, and not nearly as much sailing as I’d planned on doing, it’s time to get serious about designing and building new sails.

One thing most everyone I know online seems to feel is there is a ‘right’ way to do everything, a ‘best’ solution to all problems. In all the reading and practice I’ve done I’m convinced this is seriously silly. There are many good ways to solve many problems, some perhaps better than others in particular circumstances but usually no single solution is best in all.

So after a couple years of researching the pros and cons of many different possibilities when it comes to sails, I’ve pretty much settled on a fully-battened main on cars. I’m not willing to say I’ve settled on the foresails yet, but most likely a higher-clewed 135% and a 110% are in my future. If I need it, the storm jib will also be replaced. And, after all that, if there’s anything left in the cupboard I’ll be picking out a modern asym.

Now I’m going to lay out the justifications for my choices.

I’ve only sailed with one fully-battened main once, for a single afternoon. So I’m more than a little nervous about this. But realistically the full-length battens will help me maintain shape, and that’s been a particular problem for me since moving to marconi rigs. They should also ease issues with reefing, and anything that’ll help me with that is going to be a plus in my book. (Unexpectedly, the sailmaker suggested I go with 3 reefs due to my hoped-for dream passage to Hawai’i. In fact, he just assumed it without ever asking me which I found startling.)

Reefing and sail shape aside, I normally don’t think much of sails with battens. They let a boat carry a roachy mainsail, but that’s almost solely designed to beat sail racing rules. From a strictly cruising point of view, a slightly hollow leech is better, and if a boat needs more area it would be better to step a taller mast to get it. But a new mast is not going to happen on this boat. At least, not in the foreseeable future.

As for the headsails… I’d really like to get a roller-reefing set up and a somewhat high-clewed 135%. And a breakaway stay suitable for flying a storm jib. And the running backstays, plus hifield levers to set them up. And the extra winches necessary. Which also isn’t in the cards any time soon.

Instead, we’ll work with hank-on sails for now. The higher clew (maybe 3′ off the deck) will result in better visibility for the helm, at the cost of some efficiency. I’d really like the 110% to be flat enough to sheet to the inside tracks, but I have my doubts as to whether that’s feasible. I expect these sails will be really boring, probably made of too heavy a fabric, and I’ll always be wanting something a little bit more or less. Compromise.

Anyway, the meeting with the sailmaker was brief and to the point. He’s going to measure my sails in the next day or two. Sometime in December or January we’ll measure the boat. He thinks it will take 4-5 weeks from then to getting the main sail. The headsails could be faster, but I might not be ordering those at the same time – the sailmaker and I have arguments to finish before those designs are finished. The price quoted is higher than some I’ve gotten previously, and lower than some, but includes everything I asked for and a bit more.

And I’m going to be stuck fantasizing about the sails to come for a couple months.