To all you sewing lot...

This has probably been described here before but I am useless at UTFS.

I am looking to cut up and make some stuff out of an old windsurfing sail. I have been gifted a Singer 4423. I am obviously going to get to grips with it doing other things first (blown jeans crotch, broken tote bag) but when it gets round to it I have two questions:

1. Do I need to look at a chunkier needle to get through the laminated sail material than the one the machine came with?
   
2. What do people recommend for cutting the sail for a clean cut? Big scissors?
   
   

I would obviously love to just send all my bag ideas to @Tijmen, but I have this sail, so I’m going to try and repurpose it.

I shall report back with my inevitable failure.