Loft News
Code Zeros Masthead or Fractional: Which Way to Furl?
Code zeros are all the rage; choosing between masthead or fraction code zeros can be tricky writes, Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland. The code zero is a reaching sail to be used between 45 and 110 degrees apparent wind angle, usually in winds below 20 knots....
Get Out Early, Get Ready for the 2022 Sailing Season!
UK Sailmakers Ireland is looking forward to the coming season. It’ll be here very soon and we want you to get the most of your 2022 season. So get out early! We have had a very busy winter period getting your sails serviced repaired and ready for 2022. Over 950...
J109 Class FSI development
In grand prix classes throughout the sport it is well known that sheeting angles are becoming tighter and tighter – modern TP52s have jib sheeting angles as close as 4 degrees off the centreline. The J109 class in Ireland is a growing and competitive fleet so we felt...
Top Four for UK Sails at 1720 Europeans
Everyone at UK Sailmakers Ireland is proud of how well our customers performed at last weekend's 1720 European Championships at Waterford Harbour Sailing Club. We would also like to congratulate the McBearla's team on their overall victory. UK Sailmakers...
UK Sailmakers Ireland: The Ins & Outs of Inhaulers
Setting the inhaulers is often discussed before a race yet rarely changed on any boat once set. Maybe it's too hard to adjust them once the sail is trimmed, or maybe they aren't considered once the gun goes off? Neither case is an excuse not to adjust your inhaulers...
How to Establish Optimal Mast Rake
It's often talked about and rarely changes on any boat once set. But it's an important tool that needs to be changed between light and heavy airs. Rake defines the balance (Lead) of the boat and how it sails upwind and downwind. Any helmsperson will tell you...
J125 “JACKHAMMER” sets sail in Newport, RI
Earlier this month Barry was in Newport, Rhode Island, commissioning sails aboard the new J121 “Jackhammer”. Owned and campaigned by ISORA and Ocean Racing veteran Andrew Hall – “Jackhammer” has an extensive programme planned for her first year having just been...
Bringing Irish Sailing to the fore
Leading the charge with the design of a new J109 ‘JX’ jib – tested for the first time on Dublin Bay last week – UK Sailmakers are pushing for a return to a ‘golden era’ for Irish sailmaking. For many years, Ireland was a hotbed of technology and development for the...
Selecting the Right Spinnaker & Gennaker Handling Systems
There are times in your boat-owning life when you need to step back and evaluate your vessel's set-up. With an eye towards optimising the boat for the way you sail it, you can opt for different sails, winches, running rigging, nav systems, and even headstay options....
Mainsail Handling Systems; Which is Best for Your Boat?
Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland explains which system is best for various situations There are times in your boat-owning life when you need to step back and evaluate your vessel's set-up. With an eye towards optimising the boat for the way you...
Headsail Handling Systems: Which is Best for Your Boat?
Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland explains which system is best for various situations There are times in your boat-owning life when you need to step back and evaluate your vessel's set-up with an eye towards optimizing the boat for the way you...
The IRC New Flying Headsail: What’s the Buzz?
Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland (in conjunction with Jenny Howells of the RORC Rating Office) explains the main difference between a flying Jib and an IRC flying headsail The main difference between a flying Jib and an IRC flying headsail is the...
To Reef or Not to Reef, That’s the Question!
Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland with tips on the dos and don'ts of reefing a sail for racing and cruising Times have changed, and this season we have moved to more ISORA short course, offshore sailing. This trend will probably continue into next...
UK Sailmakers Ireland Show off Simple to Use ‘Code D’ Gennaker Sail (Video)
Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland has been showing off a new 'Code D' gennaker that's been designed for simple and easy use. The Cork Harbour sailmakers say the cruising sail furls easily every time as he demonstrates in the vid below. Hayes also says the...
UK Sailmakers Ireland: Headsail Trim & Vertical Camber
In this article, Barry Hayes (UK Sailmakers Ireland) and Pat Considine (UK Sailmakers Chicago) explain headsail vertical camber and why it’s so important to boat speed and performance of the boat. In reality, understanding headsail vertical camber...
Symmetric Versus Asymmetric Spinnaker in IRC: What’s Best & Why?
Barry Hayes of UK Sailmakers Ireland goes through the different options for racing boats going 'Symmetrical' or 'Asymmetrical' with their spinnakers. What’s best and why? In the past 15 years, spinnaker options have increased considerably. Prior to...
Flying Jibs v Code Zeros on IRC Rating
UK Sailmakers Ireland’s Barry Hayes looks at the differences between Code Zeros and Flying Jibs on IRC, what are the best angles for each and tips for using them. Both sails are used reaching, but at what angels and why are they effective? Flying Jibs Flying...
Top Ten Sail Trim Tips From UK Sailmakers Ireland
Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland gives his top ten sail trim tips for the coming season 1. Know your sails, know your settings Many boats sailing inshore with non-overlapping headsail setup regularly use up to three headsails. It is vital that you...
A Look at Sail Design With UK Sailmakers Ireland
The art of sail design has come a long way since the days of hand-dawn files and even rudimentary CAD design programmes. Today, UK Sailmakers Ireland uses SAILPACK which, in our opinion, is the best sail design program on the market. SAILPACK has 3-D design...
The Lead in Sailmaking: What Is It & Why Is It So Important?
Determining just how much lead is required depends on what type of yacht you have. Here, Barry Hayes from UK Sailmakers Ireland explains what lead is and why it is so important to sailmaking. In sailmaking terms, the ‘Lead’ is the distance between the sail...
‘OUTRAJEOUS’ New J109 arrives into Dublin
Continuing our 2018 development programme UK Sailmakers Ireland are working with John Murphy and Richard Colwell’s new J109 which arrived into Howth last month. After successful development and testing of the ‘JX’ headsail design on Dublin Bay the UK...
“Prospect” wins DBSC Newsom Cup
Chris Johnston’s Beneteau 31.7 has won Dublin Bay Sailing Club’s Newsom Cup for the best one-design boat in the club’s 2018 Summer sailing season. Chris and his crew have been at the top of the 31.7 class on Dublin Bay for many years – this is another accolade to add...
Coracle IV named Club Boat of the Year
A huge congratulations to Kieran Collins and his crew aboard “Coracle IV” for winning Royal Cork Yacht Club’s “Club Boat of the Year” award. Throughout the 2018 season the Collins’ have shown impressive form – adding several other trophies to the cabinet along with...
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