Create your own sail for Dragonforce 65

Homemade B rig.

I have tried to describe, how I made some of my sails for the dragon 65, the instructions below does not aim on a specific sail size, as the process is almost identical for all +A,A,B,C sizes allowed in the class.

If you will be using the sails in a competitions, you should read the class rules (link below) to make sure you stay within the limit of those..
Please note, this description is just my way of doing it, there might(and probably is) a way better method / technic etc. of doing it, so see it as inspiration, that you could improve.

Stuff I used

• Ripstop nylon fabric - most sail maker will have a remainder you can buy cheep
• The Class rules: dragonforce65-restricted-class-rules-v1.61
• Template files
• Printer ( to print the template files)
• Ruler preferable long and made of metal,
  - can be replaced by a measuring tape and a level (~ 1 meter)
• Scalpel, and a new fresh sharp blade.
  - can be replaced by a sharp (hobby)knife
• A mast set in the size of the sail you want to build.
• Spinnaker tape.
• Hole puncher (1/8" or 3 mm)
• Eyelets (1/8" or 3 mm) and a eyelet tool (this size is often used for scrapbooks)
• Patience... and coffee. - both equally important.

Step by step..

Templets

Print paper template in a Acrobat PDF viewer, then printing select "Poster", and make sure that "Cut marks" is checked, as well as the scale should be 100%

Cut out all the margins using the "cut marks", and tape them together into a big sheet.

Sails

Now cut out the sail templates from the big sheet.

Place the sail templets on the fabric, using tape to secure the templets, to the fabric.

Cut out the new sails with a scalpel, (or a sharp hobby knife), on straight lines a metal ruler or a leveler (as showed above) is a great help.
Note the doted lines, these lines indicates max sizes for the reinforcements (according to the class rules)

Reinforcements

Inspiration for  reinforcements design from sock sails and from the original Joysway sail, or you can design you own, within the limits in the class rules.

The material I use for reinforcements is standard spinnaker tap 5m x 50 mm in black, but other colors as well as other materials could be used, the class rules are rather loose on this point.

When cutting and mounting reinforcements, 4 layers works well everywhere (2 on each side, where eyelets are mounted), except for luff eyelets that have 2 layers (one on each side)
Note: According the class rules 4 layers is the maximum allowed

• Main:  lower luff corner, leech corner, luff eyelets, top
• Jib: Lower Luff corner, Top ,Lower leech corner
• Battens : leech top corner, leech holders, endpoint patches
• Jib: Luff edge - with forestay inside

Forestay

As the forestay, a wire is normally used, but this can be replaced by a Dyneema string,  approx. 0,8-1,5 cm longer than the luff

A reinforcement at least at long as the jib luff (about 25 mm wide) must also be prepared. That's 10 mm on each side, and 5 mm for the pocket to the forestay.

For me it worked well to remove half of the cover on the reinforcement, and mounting the sail on one side, them laying the forestay, and finishing by mounting the other side, creating the pocket, with forestay inside.

Note the loop at the end here, This one is way to long,

Eyelets

Punch holes for eyelets in main and Jib (9 in total)

I used the one at the image below, with a top and a washer., but they comes in many varieties, colors, materials etc. For me, the plain simple one in aluminum, worked great.

Mount eyelets in eyelet holes

Battens

I made my battens from a single layer of 150g fiberglass with epoxy, latter cut up into 9 cm x 5 mm battens fixed to the sail with reinforcements of the same spinnaker tape, as used for the rest of the reinforcements.
The 9 cm matched the top batten, and cut in half it matched the rest of the battens.

According the class rules: Jibs - May have two battens of maximum length 50mm and maximum width 12mm with their outer ends positioned anywhere along the Jib leech (back edge).I have hot seen any commercial sails with battens on the jib yet ...

Homemade  A rig.

Learn and live (or where I failed, so you don't have to)

• Total length of Jib forestay is crucial when rigging later.(should be approx. 0,8-1,5 cm longer than the Luff )
• If you use a Dyneema string, add a drop or 2 of hobby oil to the sting,( and gently wipe any excess away again) so it don't stick to the luff edge reinforcements, this will make the sting "slide" inside the luff pocket.
• When cutting and joining the templets with tape, it really pays of to be accurate, this process takes time, don't try to speed it up...enjoy the process;)
• When it comes to eyelets, do some test first before destroying your salt, this really pays of..
• The eyelets on the luff of the main, should be placed at far out as possible, so that the sail clears the mast when gybing( the out metal edge, about 1 mm from the edge/luff)