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

Tue Feb 24 11:47:48 PST 2009

I forgot to thank you for the great compliment!

On 2/24/09 2:10 PM, "John Birch" <Sunstone at cogeco.ca> wrote:

> 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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