Charlie:
Before you get too enamored with Sri Lanka factory QA/QC
procedures, my North chute is about two years old and was made in Sri Lanka.
We first put it up during a race with the local North rep on board. The sail
number was three digits. Three out of five ain’t bad. North must have a thing
about sail numbers, because my NorDac main came with blue numbers instead of
black numbers as ordered. Also, I suggest staying away from NorDac. Although
interesting material, it is super thick (bulletproof) and difficult to handle.
About four years ago North was promoting NorDac for club racing, but several
people in Erie (including me) had issues with the sails.
Speaking of Quantum, the Doyle loft in Detroit (formerly North,
and Doyle before that) recently announced it is partnering with Quantum. I
don’t know if this is a local partnership or a Doyle partnership.
FWIW, I am very happy with my Doyle 153% racing genoa. I am
not as happy with sails I got from North.
Matt
From: Dennis C. <capt...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, November 02, 2020 9:14 AM
To: Stus-List <CnC-List@cnc-list.com>
Subject: Stus-List Re: New sails
Charlie,
2 thoughts.
First, my goto racing 155's have been a North Mylar/Kevlar triradial and a
local loft's (now an Ullman affiliate) Pentex triradial. My gut feel has
always been the old Pentex was faster. Pentex is a high tech Dacron. The
North was made in their factory in Sri Lanka. I personally like triradial
racing sails.
Second, my 20 year old cross cut Dacron cruising 155 was shredded in Hurricane
Sally. I got quotes for a new "plain Jane" crosscut 155 from North and Ullman
in Louisiana and a local loft in Pensacola. The local loft was about 70% of
the cost. I'm going with the Pensacola loft. The sailmaker meticulously
measured for the sail. The sail will be made in the Quantum factory in Sri
Lanka. Delivery in 4-6 weeks.
Now, my thoughts on offshore made sails. As long as the boat is measured by a
local sailmaker and the local sailmaker stands behind the sail, I think
offshore manufacture is a good way to go.
The local sailmaker designs the sail for your boat, local conditions and your
inputs. He then sends the digital design to the offshore factoryIt's my
feeling that the big sail factories in Sri Lanka, etc. have proceduralized
manufacturing and quality control. That may not exist in a local loft.
My North 155 (Sri Lanka) was very well made. The only quality issue I've had
with a sail was with one sewn in a local loft. The sailmaker forgot to sew the
web strap reinforcements on the tack. The tack let go during a race costing me
a spot on the podium. The quality controlprocedures in an offshore factory
probably would have caught that omission.
Dennis C.
Touche' 35-1 #83
Mandeville, LA
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