I’m heading to the Newport Boat Show in September and hoping to get a deal on a new sail for my NS36. I’ve been thinking about whether I should include a Stackpack. I’m kind of old-school about flaking my sail after each use on my NS30U, and I have a regular cover on it. It’s not a big deal to me to flake my 30 sail and drop the cover on.
However, a 36 is a much bigger sail, etc. I get how a Stackpack could be a worthwhile investment.
So, I thought I’d take a poll of the 36’ers out there that have or do not have a Stackpack, what you think it’s cons are, and what you would do differently if you ordered one again.
Thanks All!
Bob Gehrman
NS36 #52 “Fortunate”
Cowesett, Rhode Island
If you have a full batten sail which is great for a 36 a phony Doyle pack which is an upside down sail cover which attaches to the lazy jack lines is great to catch the entire sail when it drops. Both bob Neches and I have one. There is no bargain sail. You get what you pay for.
Phil LeVine. Nonsuch 36. San Pedro california
I just installed a mack pack on a 33 and I love it. less than half the price of the Doyle. easy to install, easy to use quantum in ri uses the mack pack
chuck mitchell
Chill ns33 #90
cape cod
Just for the record Bob, I know it’s not the answer to the question but you might give some thought to making the very simple conversion to zipper top from your existing sail cover if it’s in good shape. The cost is very low by comparison and would leave a little extra for that new sail.
I have a Doyle Stackpack and very much like it. It zips with an inner lightweight lens to the sail so when the sail is raised the cover pulls up tight to the sail which keeps it from flopping around when under sail. When the sail is dropped it opens up and swallows the sail, a quick zip and done. As a single handler it saves a lot of time to get under way and putting the boat5 away which encourages more frequent and longer sails, less hassle, pairs nicely with the Nonsuch philosophy. Excellent quality as well.
Steve Currier
‘87 Nonsuch 36 #41
Caper
Old Lyme, Ct.
Hi Bob
I am also going to look in a September at the Mack pack and the stack pack. I had a stack pack on my Catalina 30 and my Quickstep 24 and loved them. Barry Connell in our club just installed the Mack pack on a new Quantum sail . He may weigh in.
Lee
I have neighbours at my club with a Mack pack and one (at least) with a Stack pack. Everything that I have ever read from this group about either of these products suggests that they are both well thought out and well made.
However, I have been fortunate to have dealt with Travis Blaine at Mack Sails, in Florida. Based on that experience and the superb quality of the Dacron cruising sail that they built for me, 6 years ago (that is still as krinkly as the day that I got it), I’d go with Mack in a heartbeat. No hesitation. Their products are built in their loft in Stuart, Fl. My sail arrived with NO issues whatsoever, early, and on budget. “On budget” meant that the sail was decidedly cheaper than any other loft and wasn’t built halfway around the world. It is made of Challenger 6.7 fabric, gorgeously sewn.
I think that if you price both products, you’ll find that Mack will come out cheaper (possibly, really cheaper) and they have built thousands of these things. I’m not saying that Doyle (the Stack Pac inventor) is “resting on their laurels”. I just think that, for several reasons, they feel that they can charge more. Usually happens with multi-national organizations, with sales staff, huge volume, etc.
I’d look carefully at a Mack Pack and give Mr. Blaine a call.
Oh … Paul Miller was my inspiration for converting my ratty old sail cover to a ziptop, myself (actually, a local canvas shop sewed the zipper). I replaced it last year with an identically cut new sail bag (same shop). I am pleased - it works beautifully and saves SO much sweating, colourful language and sail hugging.
Mine is an actual Stack Pac, or so it says on the label. But as long as it is well made and functions the same as Mack, then other considerations should drive the decision besides just brand loyalty. It sounds like Mack gives excellent service over the phone and a much better price. If I were buying right now they would definitely be a consideration. Especially since I now know how these things are setup and used. You would buy a Doyle from a local Doyle sailmaker. By buying local you may also get good service or you may not, it depends on the loft. It means someone will probably come to your boat and set it up (perhaps that is part of the cost difference?) or at least it will be an option. These are big, heavy, floppy objects with lots of attachments (including high up on the boom unless you’ve already got those jacklines (?) hanging there. These are at least things to consider and to ask the manufacturers about.
Points well taken, Brian. As you say, it really does depend on the local loft. There are horror stories about lofts that one would least expect poor service from.
Mind you … those of us up here in “fire country” are so used to rigging and de-rigging our booms every 6 months (we may be on fire but we also have to put up with winter) that a trip up a ladder to get one’s hands on the boom is not particularly daunting.
I also have the feeling (maybe I’m wrong) that, the bigger the Nonsuch, the BIGGER the boom, I don’t thing that they hang higher at the mast than the smallest Nonsuch (like mine @ 22’). It’s not like having to climb halfway up the mast.
Yes, I can see how it would be less of an adventure for you than for those of us down here in “hurricane country”. From looking at sailboatdata.com, it looks like they are all proportional, meaning that the boom hangs at relatively the same position on the mast, but the actual height you would climb up a ladder would be higher on a 36 than on a 22. I actually have five different ladders and none of them would work to get me to the highest padeyes on my boom without damaging something else on the boat.
Speaking of hurricanes, I suppose you all heard the hype about Hilary. The news media does know how to drum up revenues, don’t they? It was a serious hurricane while out over the ocean, but it came inland well down the Baja peninsula and hurricanes fizzle over land. So it was just a very mild tropical storm by the time it got to San Diego. The highest gusts I am aware of down at the bay where my boat lies was something like 44MPH and the highest in the whole county was just a bit over 80MPH. Comparable to typical winter weather on the north Oregon coast where we came from. We did get a lot of rain - for San Diego in August. I think most areas got 2 to 2.5 inches. (Uh, what’s that, about 50 to 60 mm or so?) But it was only catastrophic for a very few people who live in floodplains. (Not to minimize it for them, though!) And it’s too steep around here to have large floodplains. So it was just a bit of free summer watering for most of us.
Of course I did not know it was going to be this mild beforehand, so I went down on Saturday and doubled the mooring lines on the boat and closed all the windows. I checked on it today and it was as if nothing had happened. Just how I like it.
there are 2 players in the “pack” world. Doyle and Mack. Doyle needs to have your sail brought to their loft for modifications, Mack does not. Doyle will come and install their pack for a price. Mack Pack is self installed . Took me about 30 minutes to install a Mack Pack. They were available by phone if you needed any help. I’m sure they are both great products, but I don’t see the Doyle being worth twice the money. I did my research on both. They are both usually at the boat shows for comparison.
Chuck Mitchell
NS33
Cape Cod MA
Lee is correct. Just rigged s new Quantum mainsail in a Mack Pack sling/cover on Nocturne (N36). RI loft was a bit slow to deliver, but helped rig everything. Great sail shape and convenient top zipper cover and $2-3000 less than Doyle. In past have gotten great service and quality from Doyle loft in Salem, MA. No gripes with Doyle, but I no longer need a locker full of racing sails.