I have over the last 12 months replaced all my sails .
Being a small boat and tight a... I used Far East for a jib and main and in a moment of recklessness used Gary Saxby at UK Sailmakers for a number 1
Some Observations
I cannot comment on cloth quality excepting to say Fareast used Challenge Modulus Dacron and UK Sail used Dimension Polyant Premium Dacron
1.with the weakening $. cost was only 16% more using local after allowing for dollar conversion and gst.
2. Cringles and hanks are more substantial on Gary's albiet the only issue I have with Far East to date is that they could have been bigger ,especially the cringles.
3.Turnaround . Both very good. UK was only 15 days including a long weekend.
4. Foot,leech lines and cam cleats far more substantial on Gary's.
5. Sailbag. UK bag will last. Fareast jib bag after twelve months falling apart.
6. Fareast will build a sail exactly to your specifications so be right.
I'm no sailmaker or expert trimmer so I advised Gary at UK where I sail , the boats specs , it's peculiarities and the fact I sail solo and he recommended what would suit and cut. I was not expecting this as he will not be able to retire on the profits from such a small sail.
Would I use Fareast again ? Sure but I would give UK every opportunity just for the personalised service.

Thanks - I will be after some sails this year or next so nice to know about Gary. He is good for multi sails too I hear.

I apologise to all Aussie sail makers in advance, I reluctantly had FES make a gaff main, lazy bag , and furling head sail. I say reluctantly as I try as much as possible to keep the $ in Aus but the price diff was just shy of double. The sails set very well and the hardware is 1st class.
I did end up with an open bottom lazy bag instead of closed but I only paid for a sail cover so no complaints there,

I had a F/B main built by Far East and it was brilliant, and close to half the price of a local sail.

If you have lots of cash and can afford a local sail, knock yourself out.

If you just want to buy a new sail and don't mind the fact that it is made in the same country that virtually everything else in your home is made in, go to Far East.

How much is the return shipping to Asia when the sail tears and there's no one to fix it?

I'm lucky I guess. My sailmaker is a neighbour.

You will have all seen my article on the making of my new mainsail [the old one was 46 years old] in Cruising Helmsman [May 2017] which got great support from the local industry.
Well I just spent Monday of last week helping to make a new furling jib, took us 9 hours including lunch etc. My sailmaker then fitted it on SEAKA the next morning.

Very happy and I must say I do know my sails and how they are constructed!

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nswsailor said..
I'm lucky I guess. My sailmaker is a neighbour.

You will have all seen my article on the making of my new mainsail [the old one was 46 years old] in Cruising Helmsman [May 2017] which got great support from the local industry.
Well I just spent Monday of last week helping to make a new furling jib, took us 9 hours including lunch etc. My sailmaker then fitted it on SEAKA the next morning.

Very happy and I must say I do know my sails and how they are constructed!

Lucky ha, more like blessed ! My local sailmaker would have done exactly what I did and charged me a couple a grand for the fun of it

I still would not go to the people whom l despise for their pugnacious politics, incongruous attitude, insinuating behaviour just to save a few bobs.

Just to save a dollar and feel crappy about it in the morning looking in the mirror? Naah. Rather not.

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Jethrow said..
How much is the return shipping to Asia when the sail tears and there's no one to fix it?

Probably a slightly higher price than return shipping from Brisbane to Sydney if the Australian 'made' sail tears.

Far East don't ship junk so it's a completely hypothetical question.

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sirgallivant said..
I still would not go to the people whom l despise for their pugnacious politics, incongruous attitude, insinuating behaviour just to save a few bobs.

Just to save a dollar and feel crappy about it in the morning looking in the mirror? Naah. Rather not.

It's not about saving a dollar, it's about saving $900 in my case.

I don't know why people are so precious about buying a foreign built sail when they didn't think twice about buying a foreign made car over an Australian made car when there was that option.

the "local " sails would be made overseas as well wouldnt they ? the QLD mob would be middle men for HK / chinese loft ????

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SandS said..
the "local " sails would be made overseas as well wouldnt they ? the QLD mob would be middle men for HK / chinese loft ????

As I understand some lofts get the larger sails cut O'Seas

Very happy with my new Rolly Tasker Asymmetric Spinnaker made in Phucket Thailand. It seems to be well made.

MB has a Rolly Tasker heady, made in Phuket. The main is from FES.
The heady is a year older than the main and has had one refit by the sailmaker in Drummoyne. The main hasn't left the boom except when we broke the gooseneck. The heady is in far worse nick than the main.
FES deliver a quality product and if you do need repairs local sailmakers will jump at, and charge, for the work.
If you must win the next Wed arvo race spend $6,000 on your sail. If you are happy going 0.5 kt slower do your sums.

Do we even make sail cloth in Australia anymore? The fancy fabrics seem to be made in China anyway where health and safety do not seem to be so important or not as important as carbon fibre etc. My Chinese headsail in a cruising laminate is holding up well.

Mate of mine bought a new set of sails from a loft in Sydney, made in Sydney. $15k!
Only had them a month or 2 when the tack pulled straight out of the Main in light winds just before a race. I was on the boat at the time.
There was next to no reinforcing around the tack!

No Australian made cloth for many years, like most of the textile industry. The best cloth is from Europe and USA, Dimension, Contender, Bainbridge and Challenge are the big 4. All have ranges of cloth from premium through to budget, the main thing is the style, not the weaver.
With the Aud dropping, Australian made sails are looking much more viable than a few years back.

The trick with cloth is to get your sailmaker to pre-order it around April when the cloth suppliers are clearing the last seasons stock

I'm more than happy to use a local sailmaker. The service they have provided me with well and truly out weighs the savings of acquiring a FE sail.

My sailmaker - Doyles in Gladesville - made my main sail. Measured the boat, fitted the made sail. Perfect.
It was marginally more expensive than an OS made sail.
The genny was made by Gary in Brisbane, allegedly. There was a price difference of about 5-600 bucks btwn the two sailmakers. If l hadn't bought the genny before sailing back to Sydney, l would have not bought that genny from him.
Both used similar if not the same material.
The two sails started their lives approx. together and the difference between the two sails are huge. The main was still in fresh condition after three years while the genny was showing signs of early aging. Still ok, holding shape, but......
So here we are.

Well AshleyM, l hate cars, l ride bikes and Oz doesn't make any, so..., btw, my last car rusted away on the street in the early nineties. I used to drive Holdens. My son too.