[Public-List] [Public-list] Bilge (main sail shape)

[John Birch]

Hi Gord

I never had an opportunity to meet you uncle, if he was anything like you
(which I imagine he was) he must have been a great guy. Thanks for sharing
your story

That Taylor loft was a wonderful period of time with an fantastic talent
pool that would go out later to many individual success's

Un petit monde non ? !

ATB

John


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gordon Laco" <mainstay at csolve.net>
To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 2:06 PM
Subject: Re: [Public-List] [Public-list] Bilge (main sail shape)


> Thanks for the wonderful story about Joe - we miss him too.  When he 
> worked
> at Tom Taylor Co my uncle was the manager of the rigging shop there.  My
> uncle passed away many years ago but I was very proud that I was the last
> rigger at Taylor's, working with my uncle's tools  and very much aware of
> his legacy.  Joe was a great guy and I also enjoy running into people who
> remember Conny Costas, my uncle.
>
> G
>
>
>
> On 2/24/09 1:53 PM, "John Birch" <Sunstone at cogeco.ca> wrote:
>
>> Hi Gord
>>
>> When my first main was built in 95 I was woefully unhappy with it, Joe 
>> had
>> used the more modern style with deep shelf - it was way over powered with
>> far too much shelf. If you look at an OEM Taylor Main (A Fernandez built 
>> by
>> the way - he used to work for Tom Taylor) you will notice it was fairly 
>> flat
>> and little shelf.
>>
>> He took the main back and built a new one and asked me to come down a 
>> help
>> him loft it - what an opportunity to lean from a master
>>
>> I told him the end results I wanted to see and then he redesigned the 
>> sail
>> to accommodate
>>
>> It was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn and I helped save on the
>> labour costs - a great synergy
>>
>> I also learned to never complain about the cost of a sail, the labour is
>> unbelievable - 3 days building to make a sail
>>
>> He used the best cloth and did the two ply leach for the last 2 or so 
>> feet
>> (7.5 oz x 2 = 15oz at the leach, where most sails fail - this won't, the 
>> sun
>> will eventually eat it)
>>
>> Joe was a wonderful person and honourable business man and his son has
>> inherited those traits
>>
>> He used to thank me each and every time I came over because I spread the
>> word about him and he claimed I got him lots of new business, often from
>> folks we whooped on the race course
>>
>> When you buy a Triton made sail you are really buying a big bag of 
>> whoop-ass
>> ; )
>>
>> I miss him dreadfully - he was a wonderful human being
>>
>> His son, as I said, has inherited those traits
>>
>> Only good things
>>
>> John
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Gordon Laco" <mainstay at csolve.net>
>> To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" 
>> <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 1:43 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Public-List] [Public-list] Bilge (main sail shape)
>>
>>
>>> Well I am pleased to stand corrected... Particularly since my last and
>>> persistant complaint about SURPRISE's performance is that I can't get 
>>> her
>>> to
>>> point.
>>>
>>> Gord
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2/24/09 1:32 PM, "John Birch" <Sunstone at cogeco.ca> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi Gord,
>>>>
>>>> I would respectfully disagree about roach, get as much as you can 
>>>> without
>>>> hitting the backs stay (too hard; )
>>>>
>>>> Counter the weather helm issue by having the main built fairly flat 
>>>> with
>>>> minimal shelf
>>>>
>>>> I think if I remember correctly I only have about 2 1/2 - 3 inches 
>>>> shelf
>>>> compared to the average new style main built with 5-7 inches of shelf
>>>>
>>>> As a result Sunstone points like the dickens and the helm is less
>>>> Weatherly.
>>>> When I need to depower the helm I drop the traveler and flatten the 
>>>> main
>>>> further with the out hall
>>>>
>>>> We won a lot of races against fin keelers pointing virtually as well as
>>>> they.
>>>>
>>>> Sunstone walks and rocks to weather and it is a great sail
>>>>
>>>> Also, we have as much main foot as legal.
>>>>
>>>> Roach is good, shelf is baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.
>>>>
>>>> Respectfully yours
>>>>
>>>> JB
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Gordon Laco" <mainstay at csolve.net>
>>>> To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all"
>>>> <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 1:32 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [Public-List] [Public-list] Bilge
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi Pete -
>>>>>
>>>>> I have a little bit of a predjudice against the big franchise lofts
>>>>> unless
>>>>> a
>>>>> particular operation has people in it who have sympathy for heavy
>>>>> traditional boats and have insights into what they need.
>>>>>
>>>>> I heard about an A30 main where the sailmaker, who did not have 
>>>>> sympathy
>>>>> or
>>>>> respect for older designs, assumed that the only way to go was to 
>>>>> boost
>>>>> area
>>>>> and talked the fellow into a main with a big roach.
>>>>>
>>>>> Well of course the A30 is sensitive to increase in power aft of the
>>>>> mast -
>>>>> it wrecks the steering and increases heeling to no good effect.  What
>>>>> the
>>>>> poor guy ended up with was a bigger more powerful new main that 
>>>>> retained
>>>>> for
>>>>> him all the handling problems of the old blown out one. (but it was 
>>>>> new
>>>>> and
>>>>> crispy)
>>>>>
>>>>> I would recommend Joe Fernades son Ron, who carries on the family
>>>>> business
>>>>> since we lost Joe in '02.  If you write to me off list I can give you
>>>>> his
>>>>> contact co-ordinates.
>>>>>
>>>>> Cheers - Gord #426
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> 

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