NEWS AND EVENTS FOR 2011
9/20/2011
BEST DISCOUNTS OF YEAR
Source: Haarstick Sailmakers
FALL DISCOUNT PROGRAM: RACING, CRUISING, FREEDOM SAILS:
NOW - 11\18\2011:
15% DISCOUNT FOR ONE SAIL, 20% FOR TWO OR MORE SAILS
Reduce discount 2% when using credit card for payment.
Freight and NYS Tax extra where applicable.
All information required to build the sail must be received within 30 days of the receipt of deposit to hold the quoted price.
For above Discounts payment terms are as follows:
50% deposit with balance due on completion prior to shipment, or pick up OR within 30 Days of invoice if stored at our loft for the spring. Storage for new sails is Free.
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FALL DISCOUNT PROGRAM: ONE DESIGN SAILS:
NOW - 11\18\2011:
10% DISCOUNT FOR ONE SAIL, 15% FOR TWO OR MORE SAILS
Reduce discount 2% when using credit card for payment.
Freight and NYS Tax extra where applicable.
All information required to build the sail must be received within 30 days of the receipt of deposit to hold the quoted price.
For above Discounts payment terms are as follows:
50% deposit with balance due on completion prior to shipment, or pick up OR within 30 Days of invoice if stored at our loft for the spring. Storage for new sails is Free.
8/31/2011
Rochester Wind
Source: Wind Alert .com
8/5/2011
Customers Thoughts / Testimonials
Source: Our Customers
Beneteau 36.7
Eric,
I wanted to drop you a quick note and tell you how pleased I am with the sails, I couldn't be happier.
The chute is an absolute cracker. I just wish it wasn't plain old boring white.
The main is exactly what I was looking for. Shape and size seem right on. Its been on the boom all season, and we've used the same sail for OD, PHRF and practice and I don't see it coming off the boom until winter to be honest. We are the only 36.7 with a dacron racing mainsail on Long Island Sound, but if it is slowing us down, its not noticeable. More important to me is that it has simplified my logistics to no end, and so as far as I'm concerned that's mission accomplished.
The #1 is proving to be a weapon too. Initially, we struggled to point a bit, but in retrospect I think that was insufficient muscle on the mainsheet and nothing to do with the shape of the genoa. Ultimately, I don't think we are slow or low in a straight line.
The FLEX seems to be holding up well, and I have no qualms about quality whatsoever.
A pleasure doing business with you.
Alistair
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Ensign in Colorado
Doug:
The new genoa is much easier to handle, has a wonderful shape, and is very fast (so is the main).
In the Regionals, almost every one of the 9 boats used North sails. I was the only Haarstick user. I tied Zeke Durica (the 2010 National Champion) in points for the regatta and then lost to him by two points because he had a worse throwout (6th) than I did (4th). I think everyone was impressed by our boat speed and maybe you will get some new customers. I’m already touting your products.
The Dillon Open had 8 boats and I won by sailing 1, 2, 3, 4 in light to moderate winds. We consistently out-footed the competition both up and down wind. This gave me confidence in close quarters that resulted in winning choices. A great feeling. You and your sails rock, guys !!
I thank you and Steve for your excellent sails, for the timely shipments, and your follow-up communications. You and your products are first class in all ways and I plan to promote your company whenever I am around sailors (of all boat classes). Please feel free to use any or all of this note as promotional material if you want to. I’m sure you get lots of these “attaboys”.
Gerry Huttrer
Ensign #1642
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Freedom 25
Tony & Steve,
I was quite happy with the performance of the new Technora large staysail for my Freedom 25 in Saturday's race. Upwind, we were able to point with the rest of the PHRF fleet, something I'd never been able to do previously.
Russell C.
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Ensign
All, (sent to Ensign e-mail group)
Just wanted to publicly thank Doug Burtner from Haarstick Sailmakers for spending time with us this past Saturday (7-16) on Saratoga Lake. His advice on sail trim and tuning was very helpful to all those that attended, his knowledge of the Ensign is extensive. I would also like to thank John Power, Certified Sailing Instructor, for his expert advice on rules and strategy. Together these two gentleman provided a clinic that was top notch!
-Tony Fleet 72 Capt.
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Congratulations, Steve, and all of you!
I always recommended Haarstick to all my fellow sailors, and I'm so glad that all is going well for you. My sails certainly came through for us.
If anyone respects the word of a retired OF like I am, I will continue to do so.
Regards,
Robb
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C&C 29
Good Morning Doug,
Well, it’s the day after and I just can’t stop smiling. Thank you so much for all the tricks and tips last night. We would have never made the boat that fast without your help even though we have some great sails made by your team at Haarstick. I was in shock on hearing we took not only took first in our division but first overall for the entire GYC spinnaker fleet. I encourage all your customers to get you on their boats for tuning and sail trim tips. A Sharpie will definitely be on the boat next week but I’m not convinced it will replace your sharp eye for trim and tactics. Many thanks to you and my crew for the most exciting race we’ve had in a long time. Can’t wait to have you on the boat again. You rock!
Regards,
Mark
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Ensign
I just wanted to add my thanks to Tony and the rest of the fleet for your visit last Saturday. And thanks for using "B&B" as the demo for rig tuning. I really felt a difference Sunday in 12+, gusting to 20. It was also great fun (and continued learning) working with John and chauffeuring you around the truncated course. I sailed with Kyle Jones (538) on tuesday and he's still talking about it (I was also able to reinforce some of your and John's points as well.
Also, after talking and listening, I have absolutely no compunctions about referring any of my West Marine customers to you and Haarstick. Thanks again,
Emmett McCarthy
"B&B" 174
7/8/2011
Sailing w/ Customers and Basic Sail Trim Tips
Source: Doug Burtner
It has been a busy summer of sailing so far with Haarstick Customers. I have been out on a variety of boats with a variety of people and at this point it has all been with racing customers. To name most of them so far: a few Beneteau 40.7’s, J34c, 2-J/30’s, Columbia 26, Wavelength 24, Ensign, Pearson 30, next week a C&C 29 and B25.
It is great to able to hop on different boats to see all the different ways people like to set things up and how they approach sail boat racing. Some boats are out there to just have a good time and don’t care too much with positions in a race. Others care only about winning, but certainly know how to have a good time while doing it (you know who you are). Some guys out there just take it a little too seriously and let the goal of winning get in the way of everyone on the boat having a good time. Fortunately I have not been on any of the later boats this year.
When I go out on a boat I always start by getting a feel for what type of sailors I’m with for that night or day. Sometimes I could be with a group where I would learn more from them by just keeping quiet than they could learn from me. In that case I would look at the sails, take some pictures for our records, maybe suggest a few things if asked too, but generally I’m just there to make sure the sails are doing what they should be doing. Other times I could be out with a group who is eager to learn all I can teach them about sail trim, sail controls and even some basic tactics and crew work while on the race course. Most of the time it is somewhere between these two scenarios.
Some quick points I would like to make that I think most boats might find useful:
- Have a Sharpie on hand. Mark your halyards at the deck or on the mast where they are under tension and there is a reference point. If there is no reference point, use some tape or mark the deck. Do this when you get the sails dialed in going up wind. This way at the leeward mark there is no guess work when you put the genoa back up, you can get right back to where you were. In lighter air you ease it from your mark, or visa-versa in heavier air. You may need different marks on the halyards for different headsails. It also can help on spinnaker halyards and mainsail halyards.
- Don’t be afraid of luff wrinkles. Too many people get concerned with luff wrinkles. They see wrinkles and immediately think the halyard should be tighter. Don’t look at the wrinkles; look at the draft of the sail. If the draft is too far forward, ease the halyard. If the draft is too far back, put more tension on the halyard. On new sails you will generally have a lose luff. As the sail ages, you will need more halyard tension.
- Get the Genoa leads in the right spot and mark your deck for each different headsail. Or count the holes and make a note of it some where. It should change slightly for different wind conditions, but at least you have a reference.
- Only tension leech lines as much as they need to just get rid of leech flutter. Get used to doing this every race, so you don’t have a super tight leech line in 5 knots of breeze.
- Mainsail Basic: Top batten pointing in same direction as boom (usually means top telltale will flicker behind mainsail slightly) Get the boom at centerline. On most boat I find they should be using more mainsheet then they thought.
- Genoa basic: look up when sheeting or grinding the sail in. Don’t pull it in too fast after a tack. Get some speed first, talk to the skipper about how far off the spreader tip you are and work the sail in to max trim as you start gaining speed again.
-Spinnaker basic: Pole and boom perpendicular to wind. Use the boomvang to get the top batten pointing the same direction as the boom. Ease the spinnaker sheet till the luff starts to flicker/fold then trim back on. This should be a constant adjustment.
If you have any questions or would like one of us to come out sailing with you, just give us a call or send us an e-mail. This time of year we usually need about 1-2 weeks notice. If you can send us pictures of your sail from the center of the sail shooting straight up, we can always give you an evaluation of what we are seeing. With some of the smart phones out there this is becoming a very easy task to accomplish.
Thanks to all of our customers for your business over the years and the great results on the race course. I look forward to getting out with more of you as 2011 rolls on. See you on the water,
Doug Burtner
sales@haarsticksailmakers.com
342-5200
5/5/2011
Durability of Sail Material
Source: Steve Haarstick
How long will my new sail last? I probably hear this question more often than any other, yet it’s one that is very hard to answer. Now that the start of the sailing season is finally at hand, it is a good time to look at the variables that affect the life of your new sail.
The most important variable in the useable life of your sail is your tolerance for changes in the sail’s shape with use. The stretch properties of all sailcloth will change with use. The more severe the use, the poorer quality of the cloth, the greater the change, and the faster it occurs. Different types of cloth will show different shape changes. But more important than all of these factors is your individual tolerance for the shape changes that are unavoidable.
For example, if you are a world class sailor preparing for the Olympics, any shape change from “brand new” is unacceptable, and new sails are often discarded after one regatta. Durability is obviously not a concern at this extreme level. On the opposite end the spectrum, you may consider that your sail is still “good” as long as it remains in one piece. In this case, shape change and loss of speed potential is not as important. These two sails could have the same cloth, and be used in the same conditions, but the second example will be considered useable for a much longer time.
Your sail’s lifespan also depends on how you use it: Most important is the average and maximum velocity of the wind in which the sail is used. The damage that heavy air inflicts on a sail derives from two sources: The first, and most damaging, is flogging in heavy air. The energy that is available to destroy your sail is proportional to the square of the apparent wind. That means that in 25 knots there is four times the destructive force than in 12.5 knots apparent.
To minimize damage to your new sail, there are just a few rules that you should follow: Do not practice reefing or tacking in heavy air with your new sails, use your old sails. Avoid flogging your sails whenever possible by minimizing unnecessary tacks or gybes before the start of a heavy air race. Never hang your sail from the rigging to dry in a breeze! Don’t walk or sleep on your new sails. Don’t stuff them in the bag. Instead, roll or flake them. Don’t bake them in the trunk of your car. Take the time to tape over sharp edges everywhere: spreader tips, mast and boom fittings, cotter pins, lifelines, spinnaker pole, anything that can snag or tear your sails. Make sure your new genoa has the spreader patches in the correct location: 99% of tears can be avoided with a careful eye. There is no cloth that is immune to tearing. Not Kevlar, Carbon, Pentex, Spectra, Dacron, and especially Nylon. There is no quicker way to demo a new sail than a major tear!
The second source of sail destruction in heavy air is the greater chance of overloading the cloth beyond its elastic limit, particularly in the high load areas of the sail. This becomes more likely as the sailcloth ages. All cloth looses strength with use. Some types of fabrics loose strength much faster than others. A durable sail must retain enough strength after extended use to avoid overloading and the permanent damage this causes. Laminate sails are especially vulnerable to delamination at the inside edges of the corner reinforcements. This can be an acute problem with the “string” constructions popular with other lofts.
Before you consider purchasing the lightest possible sail, keep this thought in mind. Sails that are built as light as possible, also have the smallest safety margin. When the sail material looses strength with use, the possibility of overloading becomes more likely. If this loss were just a little, safety margins could also be small. However, many fabrics loose a high percentage of their original strength with use. It is critical to know how much loss occurs if there is any chance of predicting the structural life of your sail. Without testing the cloth, in particular, without our Impact Flutter testing, you can’t know how much loss to expect. Without taking these losses into account, it is very easy to pick a fabric, or construction that will not have the necessary residual strength to carry the stresses without excessive, permanent distortion. It is not unusual to see Kevlar laminates loose over 50% of their original strength over a reasonably short period of time. Add in Kevlar’s extreme losses in flexibility and strength due to U.V. exposure, can reduce it’s residual strength even further. Other laminates made with substrates made from fibers such as Technora, and Carbon are much less sensitive to U.V. exposure. The more recent Flex Technora laminates from Dimension may not be as strong as Kevlar initially, but loose much less strength with use. Trading off a little more stretch when new, for less change of shape with use is also a valid choice when durability is concerned. We have substituted these new Flex laminates for many Pentex, Kevlar, and even Carbon sails for boats 40 feet and under with excellent durability.
We have also had excellent results with the Carbon materials that we have used for the past 10 seasons. Carbon laminates are not the brittle, super high modulus Carbon used in the American’s Cup sails. They are much more tolerant of fatigue and flexing, and they have NO U.V. loss. Carbon fabric looses far less of its original strength with use than any other laminate we have tested.
And, we HAVE tested sailcloth since the late SIXTIES (over 40 years!)! There is no doubt that our testing is critical to predicting the long term performance and durability of your sails!
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