Broken jib zipper on a tattered old jib.....

I was (still am) hoping to make it through the sailing season with my tattered old jib. Unfortunately, the zipper broke and I somehow lost the slider. What to do? I don't want to spend a lot of money fixing the thing because I really do need to purchase a new jib along with a bunch of other things (Harne$$e$, replacement shrouds, etc., etc.). Would it be advisable to take the jib to a seamstress and just have her/him sew the zipper closed permanently? I figure I could then install by unpinning the forestay and just leave the thing furled until I take the mast down later in the fall. Thoughts?

I've had zippers fixed by seamstresses before, try to have it fixed first.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

I agree and have it repaired for the short term.

If the zipper appears it's on it's last leg as mine was 5 years ago, there is a replacement zipper available made for the H18 jib via a company in Florida. I purchased one for around $15 removed the old and replaced it with the proper thread for UV protection. 5 years later it's still working like new. My jib is raised in May and removed in September and is covered with a jib sock when not in use.

Good luck.

Thanks guys. If anybody can help with the name of the zipper supplier in Florida (or elsewhere), I'd be grateful. I reached out to Chip Buck at Whirlwind to see if he'd be able to sell me one.

Brian, I found a jib zipper at: http://www.beaconfabric.com

The item number I used was: 090583, white zipper 186" long
The thread I used was: 090015

If I recall, I had to trim the new zipper as it was a tad long.

Hope this helps to keep the 18 on the water.

Good luck!

Wow, T-bone, this is great. They even describe the zipper as "Primarily used to zip sails to headstays on small Catamarians". Talk about a specialty product, eh?

Thanks very much. I only wish I had posted this a week ago!

sweet I needed to get my zipper fixed too. .. love this place!

Damn, now you tell me. I glued my zipper together which is a pain to put it on the headstay after each use.

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Pete
1982 18' Hobie