Hey guys,

I am in desperate need of advice on how to ship a set of Hobie 18 sails. The quotes I am getting are insane!!!

Who have you guys used and how much should I expect to pay?

I need to send them rolled because they are fresh almost new sails

Thanks in advance for the help!!!

Jim

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Jim
New Orleans

'83 H18 SX mods 2013 -
'65 Lavey Craft 2005 -
'69 Cal 25 1997 - 2001
'80 P16 1980 - 1996
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Hobie doesn't roll new sails when they ship them.

sm

If I fold them won't that put a permanent crease in them? They are Dacron.

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Jim
New Orleans

'83 H18 SX mods 2013 -
'65 Lavey Craft 2005 -
'69 Cal 25 1997 - 2001
'80 P16 1980 - 1996
--

Dacron sails can be flaked and gently folded into a pretty small package.

Here's the proper way, the video ends abruptly but after you flake it as shown, then bring the ends to the middle a couple of times until you end up with a square and fairly flat package.

I've shipped several Hobie 18 mains and the key to reasonable UPS shiipping price is to get the total dimensions of the box as small as possible.

So flake/fold the sails into a 24x24 inch footprint, then cut down a standard 24x24x24 box till it's just tall enough to close. If you do it right you should be able to get it down to something like 24x24x12 or less which will vastly reduce your shipping cost.

Even a set of Pentex sails I bought from Whirlwind were shipped to me new flaked like this and it didn't seem to have damaged them, however I did prefer the way EP shipped, rolled in along box. You could do the same if just hate the idea of folding the sails, or if you are also shipping the battens. The key there is to make your own custom box and roll them as tight as possible. The box EP used for main and jib rolled up together (without battens) was only about 6x6 thick.

Whirlwind


EP Sails


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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

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Forgot the video links
kids folding a dinghy main
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXwnuuCBSS4

Sailmaker folding for shipment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK2CouFC7ZM

Good luck

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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN

How To Create Your Signature

How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar

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shipchips1

If I fold them won't that put a permanent crease in them? They are Dacron.

You said the sails you're shipping are almost new. Take a look at them, they probably already have crease marks from when Hobie folded them. I would try to just follow the existing creases so you don't add any new ones. Every new Hobie sail has these crease marks in them. I'm not saying it's necessarily the best thing for the sails, but it is what Hobie has been doing for decades. Once you pull on some downhaul and sheet tension, the creases go away. It's going to be a huge increase in cost to ship them rolled vs. flaked/folded.

If they were a modern material you would probably want to roll. But for dacron, flaking can be done and a lot of manufacturers do this, not just Hobie.

sm

UPS may not always have the best prices. The postal service seems to have better prices on big but light weight boxes.

In the case of sails, I have used 6x6x88 boxes. An F18 main with battens removed can be carefully rolled to fit inside. Shipping is not too bad on such a box.

A Hobie 16 main will fit into a large flat rate box, tight but no damage.

Thanks guys for all the help! That gives me a few ideas.

Jim

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Jim
New Orleans

'83 H18 SX mods 2013 -
'65 Lavey Craft 2005 -
'69 Cal 25 1997 - 2001
'80 P16 1980 - 1996
--