The sailing workshop in Stade now offers sails for hire, the service is called Rent a Sail. On offer are Code Zeros with a wireless luff including a furling system from Facnor. All that is required on board is a halyard and an attachment point, for example at the anchor fitting. The offer is aimed at sailors who only rarely set such an additional sail and are reluctant to buy it, or at interested parties who want to try it out before making a purchase decision.
The sail is ideal for courses between upwind and downwind, when the genoa provides too little propulsion but the course is still too sharp for the gennaker. Three sizes are available. 40 square metres for boats from 30 to 35 feet, 60 square metres for yachts around 38 feet and the largest Code Zero with 80 square metres for 45 to 50 foot boats. The right size depends on the rig, of course. If in doubt, the smaller version is better; even if the sail is slightly too short in the luff, it will stand up better than one with a luff that is too long.
The smallest headsail costs 100 euros per day, 150 euros at the weekend and 300 euros per week. The medium size with 60 square metres costs 150 euros per day, 200 euros for a weekend and 350 euros per week. For the largest size, the scale is 200 euros per day, 250 euros at the weekend and 400 euros for the whole week. Shipping by DHL is included in the rental price. The prices are certainly not cheap, but a new sail of this type with a furling system is expensive. Morten Nickel gives as an example a Code Zero with 45 square metres for a Comfortina 35, with the Facnor 1500+, the same furler that the rental sails have, the price: 4500 euros new. This corresponds to a 15-week hire fee for the smallest hire sail, which is a similar size.
