How to Assemble Sails on a Siren 17 Sailboat

Vandestadt and McGruer was an Ontario, Canada-based company that built the Siren from 1974 until the close of business in 1987. The sailboat has a fiberglass hull and is a single-mast sloop. The Siren has a length all over of about 17.17 feet, a 68-inch beam and a sail area of about 145 square feet. Earlier versions of the Siren have a displacement of about 800 pounds. Later versions displace about 750 pounds. Assemble new Siren 17 sails from a kit. Customize the sails by selecting special fabric or create your own design.

Things You'll Need

  • Sail kit purchased to the dimensions of the Siren 17, such as a 157-square-foot spinnaker
  • Sewing machine with zigzag stitch
  • Sharp scissors
  • Flat, smooth floor surface
  • Spray adhesive
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Instructions

    • 1

      Buy a sail kit to save money and increase the sailing performance of your vessel. New sails may please sailors more than mechanical, structural and cosmetic renovations made to an old boat. Many sailors make do with old sails that appear to be in satisfactory condition. Old sails can be stretched out or deformed after years of use. Ready-made sails for a small boat like the Siren 17 can cost thousands of dollars. While new sails may not matter much when you're sailing off the wind, you'll appreciate the difference when sailing forward of the beam or with the wind. New sails improve dynamic efficiency of your sailboat.

    • 2

      Purchase a 157-square-foot spinnaker kit for the Siren 17. Lay out the panels on a clean, smooth floor surface at home or in a gym. Note the printed seam lines. Use adhesive tape to attach the edge of Panel 1 and the seam line. The tape you're using is about 1/2-inch wide, about the width of the seam's allowance. Use care to apply tape while stretching the fabric to remove all wrinkles. Find scraps to practice on to ensure you've got the hang of the process. Lay Panel 2 on top of Panel 1. Again, gently pull both layers of fabric as you align them and press together. The panels fit together easily. Sailrite sells a step-by-step dvd to show you the process (see Resources).

    • 3

      Stitch the horizontal and vertical seams together with your sewing machine. Again, practice with scraps of fabric before attempting to use the zigzag stitch on your sail. Properly adjust the thread tension to create even and professional-looking seams. Get help from at least one person to roll the seam up to the sewing machine arm for stitching. Try placing the sewing machine directly on the floor to line up long seams.

    • 4

      Sew reinforcements to each corner of your sail with three layers of standard, 4-ounce Dacron. Add additional layers of Nylite or Maxilite fabric to match your sail. Trim strips to fit if necessary. Spray adhesive is a handy way to line up multiple layers before sewing. Since spray adhesive doesn't fix quickly, you can rearrange the layers as needed prior to sewing. Sew the three layers of Dacron and the outer layer of nylon to finish.

    • 5

      Iron creased double-sided basting tape to sail edges prior to sewing on the nylon protective strips included in your kit. Basting tape may be easier to use than staples or pins for this step. Secure the strips to the sail with your sewing machine using zigzag stitches. Color-code the foot, luff and leech if you'd like greater ease in hoisting the sail later.

    • 6

      Connect D-rings with nylon webbing at the sail's corners. Whipstitch each D-ring to a reinforcing leather patch for greater security.