Specialists in everything that is sewn on board, the people in charge of Voilerie Sellerie Epure, tell us the key points to check on a second-hand sailboat: "The set of sails is the boat's engine! It is therefore an essential point." When buying a used sailboat, it is mandatory to have it checked by a master sailmaker. He will lay it out on the floor of his sail loft and look at the sail from every angle. A set of sails is expensive. On a 42-foot multihull, it costs between 25,000 euros and 50,000 euros depending on the quality chosen. This is an important item when buying a used sailboat, but it is difficult to do without an expert, a master sailmaker, to evaluate the condition of the sail set."
The seams
We differentiate the seams of the fabric. The thread used can be burned by UV but the fabric still good. If this is the case, repairs can be made and the seams can be reworked. But the fabric must be worth it.
The fabrics
For the sails, there are 2 main families: the fabric sails and those in membrane. On a fabric sail, you have to watch the quality of the fabric. If some panels have been damaged (in a gale for example), it is possible to replace them. On membrane sails, it is necessary to make sure that the panels are not delaminated (unstuck).
It is also possible to change some parts like the anti-UV strips on the rolled up sails.
Sails Saddlery Epure
Located in the Pole Nautique du Canet, the Epure sailmaker works on everything that can be sewn on a boat, both in manufacturing and in repair. Directed by Sylvie Chorlay and Francesca Guzzo, this 5 year old company with 10 employees supplies the saddlery and most of the covers of the Catana and Bali, but also a very large number of private customers or shipyards. In parallel to its nautical activities, this company also makes medical seats, motorcycle saddles and works in garden decoration with shade sails.
