Preparing to Measure
Measuring your boat for new sails might seem daunting, but with the right approach and tools, it’s a very straightforward process. Our measurement app will guide you step by step, ensuring you collect the most accurate data possible.
This page will give you an overview of what to expect, helping you understand the general flow before you get started.
Remember, the app is going to step you through everything, one measurement at a time, so there’s no need to try to remember anything at all.
Your Measurement Tools Checklist
Before you start, gather these tools:
✅ Soft fiberglass tape measure (for hoist measurements)
✅ Straight tape measure (for deck measurements)
✅ Small shackle or clip (to attach tape to halyard)
✅ Mousing line or Cord (to retrieve halyards safely)
✅ Ruler with a zero-edge (for precise small measurements)
✅ Calipers (for slugs, headboards, and track sizes)
✅ Drill bits (to measure luff foil internal diameters)
✅ Masking tape (to mark key positions)
✅ Cord (to string across deck and measure setback)
✅ Notebook or phone (to record measurements and photos)
Spreader Count
Single, double, or more?
Track Setup
Do you have a secondary headsail track? Athwartship tracks?
Backstays
Runners, Hydraulics, Fixed, or none at all
Black Bands for Handicap
Do you race under handicap rules requiring measurement bands?
1. Staring with the basics
Before we begin measuring, our app will ask a few key questions to tailor the process to your boat.
Once configured, the app will walk you through each measurement, explaining what’s needed and whether you’re measuring to the deck, a bearing point, or another reference.
Setting the Boom Height
To it's usual sailing position
Flagging Handicapping
If you're racing to a handicap and have black bands marked, we'll make a note of this so the app gives you second set of hoist dimensions.
Adjusting Outhaul
Getting it set to a neutral setting (and if you're current sail is too short in the foot we have a provision for that too)
Choosing a calm day
It's not really boat setup, but choosing a calm day will help inaccurate hoist measurements and make it easier to find the waterline with a tape measure.
2. Preparing Your Boat
Before you start taking measurements, we’ll help you ensure your boat is set up as you sail it.
And don’t worry, if something seems off (like the boom height), we’ll pick that up when we do our QA check and query it with you. Have a funny legacy setting from a poorly designed sail, that’s ok too, there will be space to make a note of it and we can make better design choices for you this time around.
Luff Lengths
Maximum hoists for mains, headsails and downwind sails, depending on what we're measuring today.
Hoists to bearing points
Working out optimal sheeting angles depends on understanding bearing points.
Factoring in Black Bands
If your mast has measurement bands, we'll measure to them too. This might mean backing off to max hoist and down to the band.
3. Measuring Max Hoists
We start with measuring your max hoist lengths. It’s not just the standard luff lengths but also down to bearing points.
If you’re racing to a handicap or rating, we’ll measure those too.
Jib Car Positions
Forward and aft locations will be taken, if you're not using maximum range, you'll have already marked those positions with tape from the hoist stage.
Tack and Clue Bearing Points
Distances between key fittings, including from their bearing points, and capturing the relationship between the bearing point, the deck, the centreline and the water.
4. Deck Relationships
Next, we’ll record key relationships between fittings and between fittings and the waterline. These reference points help define sheeting angles and deck hardware positioning.
We also use the waterline throughout the boat as an anchoring plane to reference all measurements to.
Luff Ropes & Slugs
We measure existing gear, but may recommend modern alternatives.
Headboards & Clew Fittings
Callipers help get precise thickness measurements and allow us to make sure that the new sail will fix into existing hardware.
Mast Cars & Track Profiles
Noone likes dealing with a poor fit in a track, we have some tips and tricks to make sure we're not inheriting legacy poor fits, or can come up with something better.
Reef, Cunningham & Tack Offsets
It's in the detail. Understanding how you reef, which side your cunningham dresses, and the tack offsets allow us to put the finishing touches on a great sail.
5. Fittings and Hardware
It’s not enough for the sail to be the right size, we want it to fit like a drum.
Measuring things like the surface of the boom to the mast entrance gate, allows the tack to sit absolutely perfectly, with no bunched material.
5. Final Photos
No antiquated plumb lines here.
Finally, if you’re replacing your main, we use photos to map 2 dimensional luff curves based on your current rigging shape.
You’ll take some photos from side on, to make sure we 3D, dynamic nature of your sail absolutely perfect.
*Handstands optional
