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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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doyle sails

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/02/2004 : 07:29:06

OK, folks, after much research and your mixed opinions, I've decided to buy a new main with two full top battens and two partial lowers. Having installed a 36(h) x 48(l) x 80(w) bimini on genoa track slides, having moved my mainsheet to just aft of the companionway, the new measurement of the main calls for a 26'6" luff to clear the bimini. That means a Capri 25 main will fit exactly. yes, I will order loose footed.

The Doyle sails advertised through catalinaowners.com are a great price. Have any of you bought these sails? What did you think?

Thanks.

Brooke
"Even Chance" 1985 SKTR # 5050
Urbanna, VA

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/02/2004 : 11:02:34

A buddy has Doyle sails on his Mac 26C... seem like really nice sails to me. They are one of the largest sailmakers in the world and have been around for a long time.

I think with new technology (computer-generated designs, laser-cutting, & etc) a lot of the 'mystique' has gone out of sailmaking.

Edited by - on

LeighMarie
Navigator

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USA
188 Posts

Response Posted - 05/02/2004 : 11:23:33

I just received my brand new Doyle mainsail this past Thursday. I put the boat in the water yesterday but was not able to put the sail on yet, but I'm sure I will love the sail. I bought a Doyle 150 genoa 2 years ago and have loved it. I looked at a number of other types of sails (North Sails, UK, etc.) but I really like the Doyle sails. I also respect the loft I work with as they have been very helpful also. Service is important.

I got 2 top full battens and 2 lower partial battens. I also got a draft stripe put on, just for the fun of it! I replaced the original mainsail with it, and the new sail actually is a bit taller and it is larger at the roach than my original one. I'll be anxious to see how it actually fits when I get it on.

Edited by - LeighMarie on 05/02/2004 17:40:36

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/02/2004 : 12:12:28

Hi Brooke,

Thanks for taking the time to share your sail research with us. I'm intrigued by the batten configuration. Have you seen any verbiage on this? I'd like to know more.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 05/02/2004 : 20:37:16

Steve, it was a compromise between the four full batten recommendations and the top batten full only. The idea is that it gives shape to the top of the sail but allows the bottom of the sail to be adjusted for draft.

Brooke

Edited by - Brooke Willson on 05/02/2004 20:37:45

osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 06:15:50

Hey Brooke, it is good to hear form you. I for one appreciate your wisdom on this forum!

Edited by - on

takokichi
Captain

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USA
321 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 10:00:19

Brooke -

Caveat - when catalinaowners.com started up, I was part of it. I am no longer connected to the company, and have no interest in it at this point, but thought I should point the conflict out -

Anyway, I bought a Doyle mainsail through the site, too. Mine was new is the summer of 2000 and is fully battened all the way down, but the details ought be similar if not identical. I love it. The construction is superb and after ~200 days of use, much in heavy air, it has held its shape and nothing has come loose.

The sail is cut very differently from the Catalina main that came with the boat and feels much more powerful. In winds over ~8 knots I can sail with mainsail only and tack reasonably effectively - although the boat is obviously going to be slow. With my old main the boat didn't point at all. We find that we sail the boat primarily off the main in most conditions. We'll reef the headsail down to ~100%, leave the full main up, and play the mainsheet like a dinghy with excellent power.

Anyway - I like mine :)

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5913 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 10:16:20

Brooke, if you use a Capri 25 mainsail on your tall rig C-25, that will raise the gooseneck slide (which is what you want to do), but it might be raised to the point that it will pop out of the kerf of the mast, either in normal use, or when reefing the mainsail. If you don't already have them, you should consider getting a set of mast gates to use with the new mainsail.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 10:41:53

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Milby
 Brooke, if you use a Capri 25 mainsail on your tall rig C-25, that will raise the gooseneck slide (which is what you want to do), but it might be raised to the point that it will pop out of the kerf of the mast, either in normal use, or when reefing the mainsail. If you don't already have them, you should consider getting a set of mast gates to use with the new mainsail.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I don't know if I would use mast gates to directly contain the gooseneck. The gooseneck should be either below or above the kerf opening.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 14:44:36

Thank you Steve, I've thought of that. The gooseneck is safely below the slot in the kerf, restrained by a downhaul running to a cleat in the kerf below the boom. I also have a sail stop above the widened slot to keep the sail slugs from falling out. My understanding is that mast gates are primarily helpful if you have a boltrope luff.

Thank you, Don, for your kind words. Appreciation for my wisdom is not a good sign on your part.

Brooke

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5913 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 14:55:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">My understanding is that mast gates are primarily helpful if you have a boltrope luff.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Not so. I installed mast gates last year, and have sail slugs, and the gates are great! They keep the slugs from sliding out of the kerf when you reef the mainsail, and they allow you to flake the mainsail onto the boom much more neatly.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 14:58:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Brooke Willson
 ...I also have a sail stop above the widened slot to keep the sail slugs from falling out. My understanding is that mast gates are primarily helpful if you have a boltrope luff.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

On the contrary, mast gates are primarily helpful with slugged sails.

Edited by - on

Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2004 : 17:17:12

I stand corrected.

Brooke

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.