How to DIY the Sailrite® Sail Pack Kit

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Are you looking for a quicker way to flake and cover your mainsail? Try using a sail pack! Sail packs are an adaptation of traditional sail covers that work with a lazy jack system to make dousing and covering your mainsail quick and easy. And with the Sailrite® Sail Pack Kit (#126681), getting all the materials you need is quick and easy too! Grab your kit, then use the step-by-step instructions in our how-to video to make this popular sail cover for sailboats.
Video Chapters:
  • Intro – 0:00 min.
  • Taking Measurements – 3:02 min.
  • Patterning Cover Panels & Adding Logos – 6:24 min.
  • Creating Batten Pocket – 15:30 min.
  • Sewing First Half of #12 Zipper Along Top – 27:12 min.
  • Sewing Bottom Hem – 36:48 min.
  • Sewing Mast Boot Zipper – 38:36 min.
  • Adding Buckle & D-Ring at Fore & Aft Bottom Ends – 41:50 min.
  • Sewing Webbing Loops at Fore & Aft Top Ends – 44:24 min.
  • Sewing Webbing Loops for Lazy Jack Lines – 46:41 min.
  • Repeat Most Steps for Starboard Cover – 54:06 min.
  • Sewing Second Half of #12 Zipper Top – 56:47 min.
  • Sewing Remaining Lazy Jack Line Loops – 1:00:53 min.
  • Installing Slider & Sewing Zipper & Pocket Aft Ends Closed – 1:01:39 min.
  • Creating Webbing Lock Straps – 1:03:27 min.
  • Sewing Lock Straps & Installing Twist-Locks – 1:16:49 min.
  • Adding PVC Pipe Batten in Pockets – 1:21:23 min.
  • Preliminary Fitting of Cover – 1:24:16 min.
  • Making a Zippered Mast Boot Cover – 1:28:49 min.
  • Installing Optional Sail Pack Boom Bracket (Sold Separately) – 1:39:32 min.
  • Rigging Zipper Slider Control Line System – 1:40:48 min.
Materials List (Included in #126681):
  • Sattler® Marine Grade 60" Fabric – Color of Your Choice
  • Sailrite® Adhesive Backed Logo – #560111
  • Tex 90 (V-92) UV Bonded Polyester Thread 4 oz. – Corresponds to Canvas Color
  • Shelter-Rite® 61" Fabric – #1120121 Black or #112011 White
  • Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas (50 yds.) – #129
  • Lenzip® #12 Continuous Molded Tooth Zipper Chain – #124449 Black or #124450 White
  • Lenzip® #10 Separating Molded Tooth Zipper (Delrin® Single Pull Slider) – #123743 Black or 123744 White
  • Polyester Webbing 1" – #PLLWBK Black or #PLLWWH White
  • YKK® Side Release Heavy Duty Buckle 1" – #125370 Black or #123456 White
  • D-Ring Without Bar #0 - 1" (Stainless Steel) – #122757
  • Lenzip® #12 Style B Single Non-Locking Metal Zipper Pull (Molded Tooth Chain) – #124451 Black or #124452 White
  • Polyester Seat Belt Webbing 2" – #PLSBBK Black or #PLSBWH White
  • DOT® Twist-Lock Fastener Standard Legs Eyelet (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #777005
  • DOT® Twist-Lock Oversized Washer (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #777045
  • DOT® Twist-Lock Fastener 2-Hole Screw Stud (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #777030
  • Sailrite® Snap Fastener Button 11/64" (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #999777
  • HH-66 Vinyl Cement 4 oz. – #103759*
  • Strap Eye Stainless Steel – #28221
  • Rivet Stainless Steel 5/32" for Marine Fittings (10 pack) – #121165
  • SuperShok™ Bungee Cord Black With Gold Marker 1/4" – #126140
  • Nautos Small Fixed Head Block Single – #92414
  • Harken® 072 Stamped Shackle 3/16" Stainless Steel – #123072
  • Leech Line Dacron® 1/8" – #212114 Black or #21209 White
  • 5-Ply Waxed Polyester Twine Bobbin (81 ft.) – #29206
  • 3/4" Schedule 40 PVC Pipe*, 1/2" x 6" Schedule 80 PVC Nipple (for Splicing)*

*Not included in kit.

Tools List:
  • Tape Measure 120" – #102986
  • Chalk Pencil Cartridge Set – #121669
  • Sailrite® Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" – #102400
  • Sailrite® Edge Cordless Hotknife 18V Package – #122177
  • Precision Cutting Blade & Foot for Edge Hotknife – #125495
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine (110V) – #311602
  • Sailrite® Ultrafeed® Industrial Sewing Table – #120934
  • Basic Thread Snips – #123222
  • Sailrite® Canvas Patterning Ruler – #107040
  • Scribe-All® Water Soluble White Marking Pencil – #120681
  • Gingher® Scissors Right Hand Lightweight 8" – #101017
  • Large Fabric/Leather Grip Clips – #126365
  • Suisei Magnetic Sewing Guide – #102983
  • Multiuse Pins 1-1/2" (250 pack) – #102985
  • Sewing Gauge Ruler 6" – #102995
  • Sailrite® Rubber Poundo Board 12" x 12" – #123962
  • Sailrite® Twist-Lock Eyelet Hole Cutter – #108001
  • Barry King Mallet Hammer Style 3# – #68563
  • Prong Bending Tool for Twist-Lock & Lift-The-DOT® Fasteners – #120445
  • Sailrite® Drill Hole Cutter 1/8" – #121817
  • Snap Fastener Installation Tool – #25204**
  • Sailrite® Snap Fastener Deluxe Installation Tool – #100949
  • Professional Rivet Installation Tool – #103520
  • #17 Hand Sewing Needle Triangular Point – #29104**
  • Straightedge, Tape Measure, Drill, Heat Gun, #20 Drill Bit, Weighted Sandbag, Permanent Marker

**Included in kit.

Sail Pack with Lazy Jack Lines
Sail packs are held upright by lazy jack lines, ensuring the pack stays in place while you sail.

Sail packs are held upright by lazy jack lines and stay in place while you sail. The pack remains open when the sail is deployed, and when you’re ready to lower the sail, the lazy jack lines help it flake neatly inside the cover. Our sail pack is made from durable Sattler® marine canvas and includes sleeves for PVC pipes along the top to keep the cover open during flaking. Our DIY sail cover kit also includes materials for a removable mast boot, locking webbing straps, a control line for the top zipper, and more.

Blocks at the Fore and Aft Ends of the Boom
Blocks at the fore and aft ends of the boom holds the zipper control line. Pull it one way to zip the sail pack and the other to unzip the sail pack.

The locking webbing straps secure the bottom of the sail pack underneath the foot of the sail. There are different methods to secure the pack, depending on how the foot of the sail attaches to the boom. Our sail uses slugs, so we made our locking webbing straps to suit that style. If you’re working with a boltrope-in-groove or loose-footed sail, don’t worry! We provide additional materials and demonstrate how to make locking straps for these sail types in our instructional video.

Are you ready to simplify the process of dousing and covering your boat’s mainsail? Select your Sailrite kit, then follow along with Eric in the detailed instructional video above to assemble this convenient canvas mainsail cover.

This tutorial is part of our Seaward 32RK Project Series, where we’ve given this sailboat the full DIY treatment from bow to stern. In this series, you can learn how to create a variety of custom boat cushions, a bimini with backstay slits, full-mesh sheet bags, and more. Click here to view all the projects we completed during this complete boat overhaul.

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