I'm planning to buy an asymetric spinnaker for my 235 this season. I've had quotes from Parker & Kay and from Kemp Sails. Kemp are currently coming up with a better price. Does anyone out there have experience of either sailmaker, or perhaps even both ?

All advice gratefully received.

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In my experience, Kemp give good advice, good choice of sail cloth, good quality, good service & very good overall value - but I have also seen some very nice P&K sails that have clearly lasted well. Kemp will visit your boat to check measure, even for a single sail, if your boat is on the central south coast. The decider could boil down to which is closer to your boat? Well worth exploring both.

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Hi Mike,

I used Kemp for my stack-pack. Very happy with the product; wasn’t right to start with – my fault – and they quickly corrected it. Now had it for 4 years, minor stitching repairs last year, otherwise very pleased.

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Hello Mike,

I have bought a mainsail from Kemp and three headsails from P&K, including an asymmetric spinnaker, and got very good service from both of them. For the a-spin specifically, this question has been discussed before and it's worth reading this old thread, particularly with regard to P&K's specific design for the boat: http://parkerseal.org.uk/forum/default.aspx?g=posts&t=320&p=2 

As always, of course, it's essential to take measurements and check them with the sailmaker, as that thread illustrates.

If you're considering a snuffer too, I recommend getting its lines made long enough to run to the end of the bowsprit and then back to the cockpit (described on here in another thread).

Have fun with it!

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Thanks for all the advice and particularly Anthony for the link to the other thread. I have ordered from Kemp whose price was significantly lower than P&K and for a full radial cut as opposed to tri-radial.

Kemp have asked for various measurements (of the boat) and say they will design the sail according to my intended use, which will be a down wind sail with a curved/full luff as opposed to a reaching sail.

Just got to choose the colour now.

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