Sail seam spacing

[allanyed]

Ref: Gloucester fishing schooner Ernestina nee Effie M. Morrissey 1894.  I am trying to settle on a net spacing of the canvas sail panels, that is, the distance between seams.   Given a seam of 2" the net distance for schooner Columbia is given by Chapelle as 20". He is also specific about the seam being 2" wide except on the periphery of the sail which is closer to 4".  In doing a test piece, 20" looks to be very narrow.   If anyone has information on the width of sail panels and can share, I would be grateful.    Modern vessels are closer to 36" from what I have been able to find but I cannot find any information other than in Chapelle for the schooners of  100-130 years ago.

Allan

[Jim Lad]

The Historic Naval Ships Association gives the standard width of sail canvas as 20 inches, but I'm pretty sure the standard width of canvas in England was 2 feet.

 

John 

[popeye2sea]

I concur, John. 24 inches was the standard width of the sail cloth.  Two inches on each side was taken up in the seam overlap, leaving 20 inches between seams.

 

Regards,

[allanyed]

"Seams" to be a standard dimension across the ocean for both seams and panels.  Thanks gentlemen!

Allan

[wefalck]

I have a German sail-making book of 1887 that talks about cloth width from 60 cm to 70 cm. The width, I believe depends on the material and where it is manufactured.