Venture 222 new sail advice?
Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2025 12:57 pm
1st question:
I have an old MacGregor Venture 222 [1974]. It desperately needs a new mainsail. I got a quote from the local dealer for Doyle Sails $1,746. I knew sails were expensive, but I was shocked. I looked around online and found sails for about half that price. South East Sails-$614, The Sail Warehouse standard-$605, or Coastal $835. I don’t think my Venture 222 with pop-top is designed for heavy weather, so probably the standard will do. Blue Water Yachts has apparently taken over selling replacement parts when MacGregor went out of business. Blue Water Yachts has a replacement sail for $719. Does anyone have experience with any of those companies, either good or bad?
2nd question:
On the mainsail that is currently on the boat [which may be the original], the foot of the sail has a rope attached to the whole length of the foot; it feeds through a slot in the boom so it is attached to the entire length of the boom. Some of the replacement sails have the foot of the sail only attach at the tack by the mast and at the clew on the end of the boom. The sail companies claim that this is superior and enables the boat to sail closer to the wind. Is that really a better setup? Anyone have experience with that?
I have an old MacGregor Venture 222 [1974]. It desperately needs a new mainsail. I got a quote from the local dealer for Doyle Sails $1,746. I knew sails were expensive, but I was shocked. I looked around online and found sails for about half that price. South East Sails-$614, The Sail Warehouse standard-$605, or Coastal $835. I don’t think my Venture 222 with pop-top is designed for heavy weather, so probably the standard will do. Blue Water Yachts has apparently taken over selling replacement parts when MacGregor went out of business. Blue Water Yachts has a replacement sail for $719. Does anyone have experience with any of those companies, either good or bad?
2nd question:
On the mainsail that is currently on the boat [which may be the original], the foot of the sail has a rope attached to the whole length of the foot; it feeds through a slot in the boom so it is attached to the entire length of the boom. Some of the replacement sails have the foot of the sail only attach at the tack by the mast and at the clew on the end of the boom. The sail companies claim that this is superior and enables the boat to sail closer to the wind. Is that really a better setup? Anyone have experience with that?
