My old proctor aluminium mast has a measurement of 5880 between the black bands but the sail luff measures 5640..I want to get some more modern sails...what should I be looking for in luff length?

What does your certificate say?

Rig is usually referred to by height of upper band above sheerline(intersection of hull & deck w/o gunwhale) at the position of the aft face of the mask.  Height of lower band above sheerline is 680mm+/-50mm, on an older boat that will be +/-10mm which was the rule then. So if you add 680+5880mm,- this is a standard 21’6” rig. Probably your sail luff has shrunk.

However, I should also say that modern sails are cut in a completely different way, and will NOT perform best on an old boat. What you need are new sails cut in the old way, with whatever improvements in technology and thinking. Try Dick Batt.

I have requested a duplicate certificate from the RYA...I wonder if the sail has shrunk...it is very old

Luff ropes can shrink enormously. Soak in water and see if it stretches back.

5640 is very short, modern rigs are 5720.

Mike,
It seems very short. Mine for a 1978 NSM is 5765 and I seem to remember that my 1972 September Girl was 5780. The duplicate certificate will reveal all. Dick Batt makes beautiful sails for older style boats, discounts apply after the end of September, meanwhile have a good stretch!

Mike,
It seems very short. Mine for a 1978 NSM is 5765 and I seem to remember that my 1972 September Girl was 5780. The duplicate certificate will reveal all. Dick Batt makes beautiful sails for older style boats, discounts apply after the end of September, meanwhile have a good stretch!

The sails are ancient, red, made by Goldfinch, Seawall, Whitstable, Kent. The foot of the main measures 2330.

I will wait for the certificate, rig the boat with what I have and see how we go.

I used to have Goldfinch sails on my old Sugar Plum (1890) they did not have the now characteristic roach and were a light Tan colour (Dirty Yellow). When I put some Mike Macs (X sails) on they it transformed the boat, must admit that was back in the early 70's

Mike Macnamara made a set of sails for me for Gannet No 252 and took a huge amount of care and attention to detail that everyone has commented on to give a nicely balanced boat which is a joy to sail.  He's a very helpful and nice guy too - good communication over the whole process of measuring and making - never met him so all done by phone.   Just my tuppence worth.

Mike,

My foot is 2440. Having said that, my chum at Tudor SC has complained that the older measured set that I gave him for his 1960s Adur 8 after buying my new set from Dick Batt were 'not as big' as his unmeasured veteran set. I suspect that my ex's with the higher aspect ratio jib and the main with the longer top batten are probably, combined, about the same size - I know that they set much better!

Enjoy what you have for the moment and try placing a thread/ad for a second hand serviceable set of sails for a boat of the age of yours. Unless you are class racing you will be welcomed by the sailors of old boats wherever you go. Flying Dutchman genoas excepted!

Hello there, over the past few years we have been making many different Merlin sails for boats of all ages, there are many different luff lengths and best to check the mast itself not the certificate as the mast could be from a different boat, standard sails are luff 5720mm 2503mm boom, we cut the sails to the individual boats to get the maximum sail area within the class rules, please call for more info, cheers Dave

Mob 07929 46733 or 01243 374495

With great respect Dave, if the sails mast and certificate differ either the first two need changing or a bit of remeasuring is in order!

Red???? Surely no Merlin ever had red sails?! Could they be from another class of boat?

I don't think any official would demand a remeasure if you're racing with the vintage fleet.

Check out the merlin t-shirt logo Mags...!!

There was a Red Sailed Merlin Rocket at Whitstable (Which would jive with Goldfinch Sails.) in the early 60's, I think it also had faux laid teak decks!

It's a 1961 boat that started life at Whitstable...the next are not faux..they are very nattily pin-striped!

the "decks" not the "next"...typing while eating a sandwich...

I got a set of Dynamic sails for my Proctor mast on 642 last year.  They are bespoke and have transformed the performance.  Everyone is telling me how fast my boat is when I beat them in club handicap racing.

Got the certificate today...here are the scores:

Luff 19.25 ft = 5867mm
Foot 8.31 ft = 2534mm
Jib  27.02 sq ft = 2.51 sq mtrs
The total sail area = 9.94

So which boat have you got then if an old Whitstable one

1220 HIC Proctor XII