Custom New Mainsails Built to Order

A full batten mainsail has battens running the full width of the sail, from luff to leech. They hold a clean, efficient profile under load, reduce flogging in gusty conditions and flake neatly when reefed. They suit bluewater cruisers, catamarans and any yacht where stable sail shape and quiet handling matter. The trade-off is extra weight at the leech and the need for a robust batten car system and a compatible mast track. We build full batten mainsails in cross-cut Dacron or radial layouts, depending on sail area and performance goals.

The conventional, slab-reefed mainsail fitted to most production cruisers (Catalina, Beneteau, Jeanneau and similar), with short battens in the leech and slides or cars on the mast track. It is the simplest, most cost-effective option and the easiest to repair, and it suits short-handed coastal sailing, charter fleets and budget-conscious replacements. One reef point comes as standard, and you can add more when you price it. We discuss reef positions and line leads when we confirm your order.

An in-mast furling mainsail (listed as "Furling Mainsail" when you price your boat) rolls around a mandrel inside the mast, so you can reef or stow it entirely from the cockpit. The system needs a flatter, low-stretch sail with a hollow leech and no roach, which means less sail area than a conventional main, and a poorly cut sail can jam when furling or unfurling. We choose a dimensionally stable woven polyester or cruising laminate, reinforce the luff and tune the leech profile to reduce jamming and keep the sail driving well when fully out.

An in-boom furling mainsail rolls into the boom while the luff stays on the mast track. Unlike in-mast systems, it keeps full battens, more sail area and moderate roach, so you get something close to a conventional main's power with the convenience of furling. The sail must be cut and reinforced specifically for even rolling, with a controlled batten layout and correct foot tension, so in-boom mains are built to quote rather than priced online. Send us your furler make and model with your measured P and E, and we design a main that furls reliably and still pulls the boat well.

Square-top and high-roach mainsails add area at the head of the sail, where the wind is cleaner. Both can be priced online as separate types. Originally a racing development, they now appear on performance cruisers and catamarans looking for extra power aloft. The key design points are top batten support, backstay clearance (or a no-backstay rig) and careful leech tension. Moderate roach adds drive without overloading the mainsheet or vang, and if your original main is under-canvassed, a higher-roach profile can transform light-air performance.

Every mainsail comes with a leech and foot line and leech tell-tales, and non-furling mains include one reef point. When you price your boat you can add extra reef points, a Cunningham, an offshore reinforcement package, full batten pockets, heavy-duty batten receptacles, a clew block, black Dacron, and a Sauleda or Solartex sail cover. We can also build the foot loose (attached at tack and clew only, for easier outhaul control and a cleaner foot shape) or match your existing bolt-rope or slide foot.