Seven generations of sail making know how. It all started with my great, great, great, greatgrandfather who was a fisherman based in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. He was not a very good fisherman, so when his sails wore out he couldn’t afford to buy a new suit. His only option was to make his own. It was only when he started regularly coming back to harbour before everyone else that he realised he must have done something different. Unwittingly he had made his sails with the panels running in the ‘wrong’ direction, according to the thinking at the time. As the first smack back to land commanded the...

Why should Jeckells be your first port of call? We’ve been crafting sails for over 180 years, and over that time we’ve built up an immense wealth of knowledge. We’ve created sails for pretty much every type of boat and sailor. The two founding principles of our family company were quality and service and these two beliefs still drive everything we do today. We are confident our sails are superior, so we also offer a unique 5-year Guarantee on all performance cruising sails. To our knowledge no other sailmaker offers such a comprehensive guarantee as this. We design your sails around you. Our...

Choosing the cloth. We only use the best cloth manufacturers, including Bainbridge, Challenge, Contender and Dimension. For a full run down of all the cloth types available to you please see pages 8-11. Bonding panels. Each panel is glued together before stitching, using the very best high bond adhesive tapes. The adhesive is UV resistant so it does not go as yellow or brittle in the sun. How will your sails be made? Your sails will be made in the UK at our purpose-built loft with quality and attention to detail at every stage. Measuring. We have one of the most extensive sail libraries in the...

Choosing the right sailcloth. A good sail has the correct design, cut, shape, finish and arguably most importantly, the correct material. The right fabric will ensure you enjoy the optimum sailing performance. Please do talk to us about which material will work best for you – we will advise you on the best fabric for your needs and ensure you only spend money on what you need. What do we consider when choosing the right sailcloth for you? We will ask you about the kind of sailing you want to do – will you be cruising, living aboard, blue water sailing, round the cans racing or ocean racing? We...

There are different levels of woven Dacron® to choose from. The long-term shape of your sail will determine the performance of your yacht and is proportional to the quality of sailcloth your choose. The better the cloth – the longer it will last. We, at Jeckells, have more experience than most and will advise and guide you on the best sailcloth to suit your type of sailing and budget. Production Woven Dacron®: This is made from cheap chunky low modulus yarns and smothered with resin. When you look at a sample of this fabric you may think it is great, but the sails will lose their shape very quickly,...

The low-down on laminate. Laminate sailcloth makes faster and more lightweight sails than the woven Dacron® fabric. This makes laminate excellent for both high performance sails and racing sails used for club racing or more serious campaigns. Laminates are made from a combination of film and fabric, such as taffeta. The film restricts stretch in all directions and the fabric component stops the film from chafe and gives longevity to the sails. Other fibres of various qualities including Polyester, Technora, Twaron, Carbon and Spectra can also be laid onto the film, in the direction of the load...

Cross Cut What’s the configuration? Sail panels are cut from the leech to the luff. Getting the right fabric construction is essential. The correct balance of warp and weft increase the overall strength of the sail. What’s good about cross cut? The simplicity of this style makes them relatively quick to produce, cost-effective and reliable. When made from a durable fabric like Ocean Premium Plus they’re a durable long-lasting performance sail. Who uses them? Many cruising yachts, offshore performance yachts, blue water sailors and club racers. Tri-radial What’s the configuration? Sail panels...

i're pioneers i At leckells we pion We will create your perfect mainsail. There are so many types of mainsail available some sailors can find it a daunting prospect choosing the right one. The mistake we don’t want you to make is selecting a sail because a friend has one or because it’s one you’ve always had. Instead talk to us at Jeckells and we’ll take you through the pros and cons of all the different designs and manufacture the perfect sail for your individual boat. Whether you enjoy day sailing, club racing, coastal or blue water sailing we can create your ideal mainsail with exceptional...

The perfect way to control your mainsail and protect it when not in use.Your Mainmate will be tailored to your own unique boat and sail. Its integral Lazyjacks system will let you guide your mainsail into your Mainmate time after time and stowage couldn’t be simpler. Choose from a choice of 32 different colours of the highest quality acrylic canvas. To make your mainmate last even longer all the exposed seams are sewn using Tenara thread which has a 10-year guarantee against UV degradation. What better way to protect your mainsail? Stay ahead with the ultimate headsail We’ve developed a range...

Get up to speed with our spinnakers and chutes. Radial head spinnaker Tri-radial spinnaker The best material for the job. We use ripstop nylon for most of our spinnakers and chutes because of its elasticity and strength to weight ratio. And since we’re committed to using only the best materials we use a superior version of ripstop nylon. We have extra yarns woven along the warp and weft at approximately 5mm intervals so you can enjoy stronger and longer lasting sails. Depending on what kind of sailing you do, we will choose the right grade of ripstop nylon for you. For example our most popular...