The headsail cover is fitted around the sail after it is furled on the foil, so the shape is the roll you actually leave exposed. It has to be cut to the straight bearing length on the form, the tack-level wrap and the lower clew bulge of the bare sail. The cover measurements are in centimetres; fabric, closure and zip notes belong in the specification fields.
Before you put a tape on anything
Before measuring, remove any fitted cover and furl the headsail firmly on the foil. Take the straight bearing-point distance shown on the form, then wrap the tape directly around the bare sail at the shown levels. Do not measure over an old sleeve: it adds thickness, hides the true roll and turns wear into a pattern. Photograph the tape placement and leave uncertainty in the notes rather than making the furl look tidier than it is.
The coded measurements
| Code | What to measure |
|---|---|
| Lp | Straight luff length between the two shown endpoints |
| D | Full tack-level circumference |
| M | Full clew-level circumference |
Why the cover is measured on the bare furl
This cover lives on the rolled sail, so the roll shape matters more than the flat sailplan. The form explicitly says to remove a fitted cover and wrap the tape directly around the bare furled sail, because old canvas adds thickness and hides the low bulge. It also says the values are checked against the boat, furler and supplied photos before production dimensions are confirmed. Measure over the old sleeve and you are asking us to copy its mistakes.
The rule that runs through every form we print
If you aren’t sure of a bearing, leave it blank and tell us. A blank is a question we answer with one phone call. A guess is indistinguishable from a measurement, so it survives all the way to the cutting floor and comes back as a cover that doesn’t fit. Four honest numbers and a note beat five where one is fiction.
Not sure? Send a photo.
A few phone photos of your boom, frame or stowed sail answer half our questions. Send them with your enquiry and we’ll guide you through the rest — then confirm every dimension before we cut.