Jeckells Sails and other info on TIKI 38

[Martin Hivon]

Hello everybody,

 

I haven't been on this site (or any others for that matter) in a few months now.  We are full time cruising on our Tiki 38 and life is good, although surprisingly busy.  The boat is proving to be very good overall despite some minor initial problems but that is more than normal.  Despite the fact that we are loaded fairly heavy with four onboard and lots of gear and provisions, performance is good except close hauled.  However, that is not much of a surprise on a cat.

 

The main problem I want to bring up here is a word of caution about sail choices.  I bought Jeckells Sails thinking they would be better because they worked with JWD directly for a number of years.  My sails are turning out to be ok but no more, and that is my opinion as well as the opinion of some very experienced people (sailmakers and sailors) that have looked at my sails.  Furthermore, I am very disappointed with their after sale service or lack thereof.  Both my mainsail and my foresail had a manufacturing defect on the outboard end of the gaff and they both ripped (not the same day) whilst sailing in normal conditions (winds no more than 20 kts).  I have sent Jeckells some pictures and they initially acknowledged reception of my e-mail but nothing more.  I simply wanted them to acknowledge the problem, correct it for future sails and maybe pay for my repairs (only a few hundred dollars).  Nothing.  All I will say is beware and shop around.

 

We are planning on being at the Wharram meet in Florida, depending on the weather.  We are heading to the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and Cuba for the winter and we will need a good window to cross.  If that window is just before the meeting, we may be gone.  If we do attend, we will be glad to talk to builders, owners and other Wharram enthusiasts about our boat and our observations so far.

 

Cheers all.

 

Martin

[boatsmith]

It would be great to see you when you are down this way Martin. I too was not favorably impressed with the sails I got from Jeckells. They weren't inexpensive and the quality IMO was not great. David

[Ann and Neville Clement]

We have been traveling with Martin and family since the Carolinas and I do hope folks attending the meet in Florida will have a chance to see this very nice boat and meet the equally nice people.

Peace has been delighted with her main and foresails made by Baxter Sailmakers, Ltd of Norfolk, Virginia. Well built and backed by reliable service. David Baxter sail ROCK! Ann and Nev

[Tom Haver]

Hi Martin,

I am living fulltime on my tiki 38. Built in Spain.
I,ve sailed from europe to africa and brazil. Then to the carribean.
After 16 month of sailing my mainsail ripped into two pieces in about 25 knot wind
II had to repair my jib allready 6 times.
These sails were ordered in england by Jackells the sailmakers, who is advertising whith a 5 year garrantee on his cruising sails.
It took me 5 months time e mailing and telephone calls to come to a satisfying deal with jackells.
He told me I had not paid for the best material, allthow I used his regular orderform ordering sails for an oceangoing vessel. There are two questions on the form: what,s your name and in wich collor do you want your sails, and not if you go to the tropics or so.
I paid what he asked and did not ask for a discount.
In his his first reaction he told me that the sails were deteriorated because I have sailed trough what he called ,an airborne pollution.
Big nonsence, what would happen to my skin when I sail throu such a cloud.
Then it was U V. Yes it was UV. This was wat the sailmakers told me allready when they had to repair my sails
I did send Cris Jeckells A piece of the cloth and a servey report from one off the world biggest sailmakers.
At the end he offered me a new set of sails made from the better material for 1000 uk pound. That included the costs to send it to curacao.
He told me that the price for the better material was 500 pound more than the first set of sails.
I do not know how much it is to send a set of sails from the UK to curacao. But I guess that When everything is true what he told me. he made me an reasonable offer.
He prommissed me another 5 year guarrantee. Let,s hope I do not have to complain an other time.
I do not want to be negative about jeckells. I hope that my new sails last longer. I,ve met other wharram sailors who are using their first Jeckells sails allready 30 years.

[luis]

Hi Martin,
My T38 has 10 years old French "Domon" sails and they still work and are well (and have behind an Atlantic crossing this year from Portugal to Uruguay).
Rds
Luis

[Ron Hall]

I was disappointed in the sails I got from Jeckells, although they are built normally for production cruising sails. The reason I was disappointed was that I told them when I talked to them that I wanted heavy duty cruising sails with the kind of detailing (reinforcements, leather inserts, etc.) that you expect on sails that are going to get a lot of use, and that's not what came. In my opinion, the sailcloth is not heavy enough, the corner reinforcements are adequate when they should be robust, the gaff attachments are just plain weak, and there is no provision for chafe anywhere. So while the sails were normal production sails, and there isn't anything wrong per se with them, they simply didn't live up to my espectations, and I won't be going back to Jeckell's for their replacements. Given the trouble that others have reported, I guess I should feel fortunate that we have gotten as much trouble free use out of them as we have (two plus years of pretty hard sailing). The sails were considerably cheaper than anyone else I could find at the time (and I talked to most of the lofts in Annapolis, where there are a lot of lofts, all boutuique and expensive), so I probably got what I paid for, I just want better, and will look for it elsewhere in future..

[Ann and Neville Clement]

Yeah, Never again Jeckells. Ann and Nev

[kim whitmyre]

Consider the Rolly Tasker Loft in Thailand. . .They know how to build Wharram sails, and you see them on the Tiki 8m. I ordered a main and jib with two reefs in each for a very reasonable price. They were delivered in a timely manner, right to my door in Southern California.

[laurent]

i dont like to do that but  really i am upset : i ordered to jeckells  4 month ago my main tiki 26 wingsail for conversion for my small pahi  .even if i read all your post above , i went to jeckells because tasker send me to tasker- france but this one  didn t know what is a wingsail neither tiki or wharram ...

 in burgundy with  3 reef. i received a proforma invoice without the  delay , garanty, weight of clothe , quality , sale conditions , just the price and they asked to pay 1/3 deposit . i paid almost totality . i asked by mail where can i see the colour on their web site , what is the weight  of clothe : no answer . i insisted : answer : the weight is good enought , we are the wharram purveyor you should trust us . kind regards .

 two  month later the payment , i sent mail to have news . the answer was end of week you ll receive. apologies. kind regards.

 one month later i called , they answered : we have problem with cuttjng machine ...you ll receive end of week .apologies dear laurent .

 one month later i sent mail to ask if they can explain the delay by mail , if they want i send them a pair of scissors , if they can send me proper invoice with sale conditions or give me back my money . no answer .

one week later i called , they said they tried to call me that  the sail is ready and i have to pay the balance 129 £ . it is strange my message box doesn t work ?

i called again to to have explanation , the answer was :  pay the balance and you ll receive sail end of next week .

i asked if i can have the discount of my 129£ for the 4 month delay , they said YES ! but now i am waiting the end of next week ...

i dont what to think of this attitude ,i am myself involve in commercial business and some problems we can have but at least i give explaination and the truth to my clients

i read some where here by some on else : " jeckells sucks ! " i dont know what it means in english but i should think some thing like that .

 

 

 

[paul anderson]

i have sympathy for your situation,how frustrating.not that this will help you now but maybe other sailors will benefit from my experience with roly tasker sails.i went through their agent in sydney called ''sail solutions''the guys were professional and patient with me as i had not done this before.once they had the information needed the sails were at my doorstep in a month.the only reason i used these guys was that kim had also had good service from them.

cheers paul.

[laurent]

thank you paul, i remember i sent mail to tasker also but they asked me the size etc ... i dont have because ibought the boat with pahi rigging , i though they know tiki wingsail 26 ... to make it simple  i went to jeckells because they are really used to this sail and it is not special order . now i am still waiting more than 4 month and even worried about what i am going to receive ...

[Georges Moutoussamy]

Bonjour tout le monde,

I have a quote,  from Jeckells for tiki 26 sails :

Mainsail in HTD                       £868.99          in Marblehead        £1016.78

Genoa in HTD                         £482.93          in Marblehead        £ 565.27

Storm Jib in HTD                    £264.06          

Cruising Chute c/w Snuffer      £521.32

Trampolines                            £319.25

I am living in La Réunion, and it is more simple for me to order in England.

Delivery in september.

I have chosen HTD, in order to have color sails.

I will tell you what happen in the future.

Cordialement

Georges

[laurent]

Salut Georges,

J'ai finalement reçu la voile 4 mois et 5 jours aprés la commande et le paiement . Reception proche de Paris. 

J'ai eu 129 £ de remise ( parce que je l'ai demandé ) pour le retard .

S je n'avais pas réclamé ma voile, je serais toujours à l'attendre.

Si je compare la qualité avec l' encienne voile de jeckells de 1982 , je dirai que la nouvelle a été  trés trés vite fabriquée .

Mon conseil : Tasker France a maintenant les infos sur les voiles tiki 26 . Il peux  envoyer à la Reunion un colis economique martime ( 3 semaines  mais pas cher) : 32 € .

Si tu restes chez Jeckells évite le commercial C.H. ! il ne répond à tes questions que pour te demander de l'argent et le bon de commande qui ne comprend aucune information ni conditions de ventes donc en cas de litige ,tu n'as aucun recours .

Bonne chance ! Laurent