I’m the new owner of a well cared for 26 Ultra. The boat currently has a North Sails Quick Cover, which I’m guessing is like a Stack Pack?
This arrangement looks to be popular with these boats, and I understand why, but I’m considering moving to a conventional sail cover, mainly to have the foot of the sail free when sailing. Is managing a conventional cover any worse than on a rig with a standard boom?
We had a conventional cover when we first got Penguin, our 26 that we sail on Lake Michigan. One of the best thing we ever did to make sailing more enjoyable was to replace our conventional cover with a Mack Pack. There are many similar types of covers. The foot of the sail is free and to be able to just zip the cover shut rather than deal with the hassle of putting on a conventional sail cover is wonderful. I would never go back to a conventional cover.
Mark Nerenhausen
26C, Penguin, #174
Washington Island, WI
Hi Jeff,
This is our second season with Soave. She has a conventional cover.
I’m 65 and in good health, so the conventional cover fits my needs at this point. It’s also what I’m used to and consistent with my sailing outlook which is one-design racer transitioning to cruiser/daysailor/PHRF occasional racer.
My plan is to stick with the conventional cover till it becomes a chore to strip and deploy.
Because of the wishbone, I find a conventional cover easier to use on a Nonsuch than on a boat with a boom. With a little practice and a smooth mast track ( Tides ) we’re able to drop the sail from the cockpit so it lands inside the wishbone into the support lines. We have a 10 minute motor up the channel to our slip in I sometimes organize the sail and depoy the cover on the way in, but mostly wait till in our slip. I actually like taking the time to inspect the sail and running rigging while futzing with the sail/cover.
We use our center hatch to transfer the cover between Soave’s cabin to her deck. Not sure if other Nonsuch models have hatches that are large enough.
I understand the appeal of the various sail covers and it really depends on your preferences, mobility, and habits.
Smooth Sailing,
Rob…
I do the same thing (conventional cover) as Rob but on a much kinder to this 75 year-old NS22. I sail with a fellow who had a 30 and talked about the hassle of dealing with a twenty-six foot zipper closure on his unconventional cover. I guess it’s what you get used to.
John Gee
Tourmaline NS22 #8
Bolles Harbor, MI (Lake Erie)
Hi,
I attempted to get this to you but was unable to find the original question.
SO!
This is very slick and I’m going to put one on my N30U
There is a similar one on a 26 in our marina
He used fiberglass rods
He just heads up, drops sail, and zips top.
This is a bit slicker (My Opinion)
Fran Cichowski Southpaw N30U
Spicers Marina Noank, CT
We also sail a 26 Ultra. We had a drop-in cover made based on fellow owner’s iterations. The specifications are on the INA website “Members tips and Projects”, “Nonsuch 26 top loading sail cover”. The design is not connected to the sail and once the sail is raised the cover folds on itself below the sail enough to allow a view under the sail. To accomplish this the support straps only cover the lower portion of the cover. We have used the cover since 2020 and our pleased with this solution. Two main advantages: no need to stow the cover when sailing and no bear-hugging the sail to install the cover. For winter storage we just lower the sail, attempt to improve the flaking, remove the battens and fold the sail in the sail cover and bag it.
Fran,
Nice design ! Do you happen to have any photos of what the cover looks like while sailing ?
Rob….
Rob,
I do not have any more pictures.
The lazy jack lines are tied to the tubing
Therefore:
The zipper flaps must below the tubing
And
The rest of the cover remains as shown in the pictures
This would be covering a bit of the lower part of the sail.
My specific plan is to separate the forward section of the cover
I will fasten it to the main cover with twist locks
I will also fasten it forward of the mast with lacing or twist locks
I think I will set an upper and lower fastening position on the lazy jacks.
The upper would look like the pictures show
The lower (to be used when racing) would allow the tubes to be below the sail’s foot.
I might have to split the tubing forward of the dodger to keep the cover clear.
I’m going to the NP boat show Thursday to look for winter cover suppliers.
This is our first winter
Southpaw N30U
Spicers
Noank Ct
I have to agree with Rob. Each alternative has trade-offs pro and con.
I’m a fan of the top-loading cover. Between it and other things I’ve done to set up my boat for ease of use, I can go from parking my car near my gangway to motoring towards my marina’s main channel in under 12 minutes. Coming back in is an equally quick process, except that I always hose down the boat in advance
If you do go with a top-zipping cover, I’d strongly recommend having two or more zipped sections rather than one long continuous zipper. A good place to put in a break is at a point which accommodates the reefing lines, so that you don’t have to pull them all the way to the back of the cover. I suppose you could break it up with separate opening for first and second reefs, but one opening for both works find both on my N26 and my friend’s N36.
Another consideration is which way you want the zippers to run. Having the front zipper start at the mast and close towards aft probably makes sense for everyone. That allows for any needed yanking and pulling on the sail as you work your way back. The second zipper, however, depends on things like the layout of the boat and the size of the owner. On my N26, given its dodger and my height, it’s easier to start at the back and zip up forward. On my friend’s N36, with a shorter dodger and a shorter owner, hooking up at the opening and zipping back aft is easier.
A bit, because you have to work around the hanging jacklines. How much that’s going to bother you depends on how much that’s going to bother you.
It’ll bother you more if you prize convenience or have physical limitations. It won’t bother you as much if you’re spry, don’t mind moving around, and don’t mind putting in an extra few minutes on setting-up and putting-away before and after sailing.
– Bob
Very much a personal preference thing. My boat came with a drop-in sail cover, that has the PVC tubes (removable when taking off for the season). I have a single zipper which I actually prefer (only one zipper to get started). It starts aft. I drop my boom to clip on my “trianglastic” shock absorber lines for the boom motion, so doing the zipper is well within reach and I have a line on the zipper to make it easy to reach pulling it forward. I absolutely see why some like it starting forward though. It makes it easier to get the reefing lines clear of it. If you go with a drop-in, I do recommend some form of lines to snug at least the forward end up toward the bottom of the sail. This greatly improves forward visibility. The attached photo shows how it was done on mine. The lines lead aft.
Dan Weinstein
Look Farther, 30C #205
East Greenwich RI
Hi Fran,
If you are thinking of winter covers, Fairclough is a popular maker on the CT coast.
For Soave, NS33, they quoted me about 5K for a mast down, no swim platform, 2-piece cover.
For NS30’s they offer a 1-piece cover.
My plan is to order a cover from them this week.
Rob…
100% agreement. There are so many different arrangements on our boats that it’s amazing and most of the owners like their particular one while some of them really hate theirs.
Mine is an older Doyle StackPack. It is a big bucket when open and headed upwind, so the sail falls into it very quickly when I loose the halyard. Then I can zip it up when I get to the marina. I like that because I’m not in great health and prefer to remain in the cockpit while sailing and I’m usually too tired afterwards to do any extra fussing around. Anything more difficult than this and there would be a lot of days when I just stayed home. If you are young and healthy and agile you probably cannot relate to that, but the future is ahead of us all.
My StackPack has a full length zipper, but with a pull starting at each end and meeting in the middle where I arrange for the reefing lines to exit as I am zipping up. Because of this, they can meet anywhere that is convenient for me to reach. If you have a dodger or a bimini or short arms or whatever, I highly recommend the flexibility of this type of zipper. Though it does mean that you have two pulls to get started instead of just one.
Sympathies to Brian, who is nowhere near alone.
In case of interest, over 75% of the respondents so far to the in-progress INA membership survey clock in at 65 or older. If you up the criteria to age 70 or older, you still get over 57%.
The connection to this thread is that a top-loading cover probably adds a bit of resale value. The chances are good that your buyer will not be a spring chicken. (Do people who are still spring chickens know that expression?)
– Bob
Rob
Thanks for the winter cover suggestion and the price info
I am waiting for a quote from them.
Joyce and I will be going the the Newport Boat show Thursday and will probably see them there.
Along with who knows how many others.
Fran Cichowski
N30U Noank CT
Thank you for the responses everyone. Good, helpful information. As with many things, pros and cons.
