Sailmaker's Apprentice [Paperback]

Learn how to design, make, repair, improve, and maintain sails

If you want to produce sturdy sails for daysailing and cruising, built of low-tech materials you can repair with a few simple tools, The Sailmaker's Apprentice can show you how. Emphasizing the handwork that distinguishes the highest-quality, most durable sails, sail pro Emiliano Marino tells you how to select a rig, introduces you to sail shape and theory, and then shows you -- step by step, with the help of over 700 detailed illustrations -- how to sew patches, hand sew rings, fix tears or frayed edges, and stitch seams, not to mention how to make your own sails, canvas sailcovers, and sailbags from scratch.

A visual feast for the sailor as well as an indispensable guide for the mariner comprehensive apprenticeship, this hands-on reference is an illustrated tour of the world's rig and sail types, contemporary and historical.

Tables

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. A Ditty Bag Apprenticeship

Tools; Materials; Cutting, Folding, and Marking the Cloth; Sewing; Finishwork

2. Sailing, Hulls, and Sails

Where One Sails; Ergonomics; The Hull; Helm Balance

3. Rigs and Sails

Rig Types

The Square Rig; The Lug Rig; The Gunter Rig; The Sprit Rig; The Sprit-Boom Rig; The Wishbone Rig; The Full-Batten Rig; The Batwing Rig; The Gaff Rig; The Bermudan Rig; The Lateen Rig and the Settee Rig; The Polynesian Claw Rig

Sail Types

Working Sails; Auxiliary Sails; Stormsails; Riding Sails and Steadying Sails

Sail Rig Configurations

Cat Rig; Sloop Rig; Double-Headsail, Single-Masted Rigs; Double-Masted Cats; Ketch; Yawl; Schooner; Big-Boat Rig Configurations

4. Sail Shapes and Theory

Lift; Separation, Drag, and Edge Vortices; Sail Shape; Sail Trim; Sail Interaction; Sail Materials and Construction

5. How Sails are Made

The Business of Sailmaking; The Principles of Sail Design; The Sailmaking Process; Sailmaking Materials; The Tools of the Sailmaker

6. Making l³3