Main Sail Bag - Planning stage

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   I sail on a Carrera 290  and our owner wants a "main bag" for his main sail which is Kevlar/Mylar.  We use this main for fun and low key racing.  The Technora main is used for the big events.  I liked the kevlar main until we raced the technora now I want to burn the kevlar.
My thoughts are a bag the length of the main (E is 13.12' - the replacement main, the kevlar is getting kind of ratty,  may have full length battens).  The Technora bag is for a rolled main and this bag would be a flaked bag so here is my thoughts -

1- bag length - 13.12'  ??  I kind of question this length?  Maybe the bength of the longest full length batten????  Replacement sail may be pentax.

2-Bag material 2/3 fabric or some king - whats best???
                       1/3 a screen like fabric so that the sail can drain water and vent.  What is best?????

3-Full length zipper - (break-a-way)

4-bag sized diameter for a flaked sail. 

Anyone have thoughts??????

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rbernard7261@gmail.c Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Forum Member Joined: 21 June 2015 Location: Hpme Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote rbernard7261@gmail.c Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Main Sail Bag - Planning stage Posted: 21 June 2015 at 11:54am
	I sail on a Carrera 290 and our owner wants a "main bag" for his main sail which is Kevlar/Mylar. We use this main for fun and low key racing. The Technora main is used for the big events. I liked the kevlar main until we raced the technora now I want to burn the kevlar. My thoughts are a bag the length of the main (E is 13.12' - the replacement main, the kevlar is getting kind of ratty, may have full length battens). The Technora bag is for a rolled main and this bag would be a flaked bag so here is my thoughts - 1- bag length - 13.12' ?? I kind of question this length? Maybe the bength of the longest full length batten???? Replacement sail may be pentax. 2-Bag material 2/3 fabric or some king - whats best??? 1/3 a screen like fabric so that the sail can drain water and vent. What is best????? 3-Full length zipper - (break-a-way) 4-bag sized diameter for a flaked sail. Anyone have thoughts??????

MattGrant Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Sailrite Employee - Expert Joined: 21 April 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3012	Post Options Post Reply Quote MattGrant Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 June 2015 at 8:39am
	Sailrite's comments: 1. size just depends upon how many folds you are ok with. It certainly needs to be the longest batten length plus a few inches at a minimum. 2. SurLast for the body and Phifertex for the mesh. 3. Use a #10 Continuous zipper to construct the break away zipper. Are you sure you need a breakaway for the main? I would only use this approach if the bag must be opened super quick.
	Best Regards, Matt Grant Sailrite

Sue2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 12 April 2010 Status: Offline Points: 164	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sue2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 July 2015 at 8:15am
	I have made several "long" bags for Hobie Cats and Sunfish, both of which are stored with the booms (and the Hobies have battens), so they had to be full length. I've tried two approaches, both of which have merits. The Hobie bags I made with the zipper running about 80% of the upper edge and down one short end. I used a 10 ft zipper for a 12 ft bag. The short "pocket" on one end allows you to shove the end of the rolled/flaked sail in there, and it doesn't tend to fall out while you are gathering up the rest. This worked well with the beach cats which were bagged on the boat tramp and you didn't want it sliding out into possibly wet or sandy surroundings. I used separating zippers on these, but realized later that I did not need to - #10 continuous would work fine, as Matt suggests. For the Sunfish I used a different approach. On these, I typically remove the whole sail/spar assembly and carry it to the boat, so the sail bag is designed to open completely into a flat mat. Since zipping a 14 ft long zipper is tedious, I used two sliders, one on either end. This way I can zip from whatever end I am on, or from both ends. I'm not sure how necessary this is, but is can be convenient. If the "end pocket" design of the Hobie Cat sailbag is desired, just partially zip up one end. As for the size, it would be best to flake your sail without taking much care in doing so, and measure the length and loosely around the circumference. (Catching the sail in the zipper is really annoying.) Make it larger rather than "custom fit." A slightly roomier bag is so much easier to load, plus it dries better if put away damp. Hope this helps! -Sue