Sunday, May 10, 2009

Update on my Sail

My 8.2 Saber broke last April 4 and it was supposed to be replaced by an 8.5 V8. Unfortunately, the deal didn't go through because according to the owner, the cams broke while rigging the day before it was to be shipped to Cebu. He offerred me an almost brand new V8 (2009 model) but would cost twice of the second hand V8 (2007 model). With fencing construction going on, my finances are a little bit tight so new gears would have to wait a bit. I said I'll pass.


I decided to send the Saber to the Sailmaker in Boracay. The cheapest method is to send it via airport-to-airport cargo. However, because the sail can only be rolled rather than folded, it's a real challenge to send it in smaller planes. Planes flying to non metropolitan areas are smaller such as the propeller-powered Bombardier plane of PAL express.



The cargo staff measured the sail, then went to the plane and measured the cargo hold, went back again, and went to the plane again. After an hour or so, they said NO! The 8.2 Saber, which is 2.3m from luff to leach, cannot fit in the cargo hold of the bombardier. I tried other carriers to no avail.

I was desperate.

Fortunately, a larger plane travels to Iloilo where my sister is living. I asked her to bring the sail with her to Boracay in time for her vacation and so we worked out the details. It was a long travel for Saber, 200km by air from Cebu to Iloilo, another 200 km by land from Iloilo to Caticlan, 5 km by sea from Caticlan to Boracay and a few meters by hand to the sailmaker. Thanks, sis! Now you have to repeat the above in reverse order.

Initially, the two panels would only cost 10% of the brand new. After the sailmaker took a look at the sail's condition, he said it's more appropriate to replace ALL the panels, which brings the cost to 20%. The panels are brittle after hours of UV radiation and one small impact would be BAM!, the sail would have to travel again. I figured it would be economically advantageous to just replace all the panels.

One month of non-sailing made my waist line grew so I got very excited of my new cyborg sail. I just picked it up at the airport a while ago and the workmanship seems solid.



Wednesday's forecast looks promising so a vacation leave will be in order. I can't wait to sail Saber again!

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