What about sails?

Each of our sailboat plans includes complete information and instructions on how to make your own sails easily and cheaply. When we first started selling sailboat plans in the early Seventies, we developed a method of making good sails using polyethylene sheeting. Over the years we have continued to improve this technique using plastic tarp material. A set of sails for the Weekender can be made for $50 to $75, and will last one or two seasons easily. You can have Dacron sails made (you can use your tarp sails as a pattern for the sail loft) and they are very nice, will last a very long time, and they cost around $600+.

We're now selling Dacron sail sets for the Weekender and Vacationer! Prices are $475 and $585 respectively (shipping not included, as our Noble Post Office has seen fit to impose its new and arcane system of Priority Mail Zones; shipping costs are now determined by your actual location).

Back when we started using tarp sails, we had a few sailcars and decided to find out how much better the "real" Dacron sails were. A sailcar like our Vector is a great test, as they really wring out the bugs in a hurry! We found (after quite a bit of swapping around in different configurations) that the Dacron had a bit of an edge in lighter airs, but the tarps were much better as the wind picked up! I won't presume to figure out why, but over the years we have not felt the need to go with "real" sails very often. Our Weekender (with a nice set of Dacron sails) has been beaten by a Weekender with tarp sails.

The Dacron sails would be a much better choice if you were going on an extended cruise, but these boats a really more for short-term jaunts. The tarp sails really do work fine! If you want the longevity of Dacron, and the cozy feeling of knowing your sails are no longer something to think about, then you have that option.


Sail Question Update: There are now two sail options for builders who would like to purchase the materials to make their own sails in either the plastic tarps or in Dacron. In addition, we are still selling the finished Dacron Sail Sets for the Weekender and Vacationer.