Sail Repair/Refurbish

[Joe Montana]

My sails are going to need some work, and I'm considering Sailcare(.com) -- although I'm willing to pay a reasonable price premium to my sail maker for being local and on call for repair emergencies, etc.

My sails are nine years old, but they aren't too bad -- mostly they need a good cleaning -- and the jib needs some restitching, especially along the edges of the leech and foot.

I have two questions:

1. Are there any downsides to the "re-resin" process Sailcare offers? My sails still have some "crinkle," so I don't really NEED it, if there's some trade-off I don't know about.

2. The Sailcare recommendations I've seen here are about 2 years old. Has anyone used them recently? What has your experience been? They responded immediately to my email inquiry.

[Bill Goldsmith]

I have used them twice, in off-season 2002-2003 and this past winter 2009-2010. They are very knowledgeable, responsive and reliable, and I have no reservations doing business with them. But they are not cheap, and the shipping charges to Pennsylvania add up, too.

The re-resin process really works and has allowed me to postpone the inevitable day of ordering new sails. My sails spent their early life in Florida and the Caribbean and were pretty limp when I got the boat in 2002, but the overall sail shape and performance was (and is) generally acceptable, so the process made sense for me.

Some people feel the re-resin process can weaken some of the lighter stitching, such as the stitching holding on the sun cover or insignias. I don't doubt it--my genoa sunbrella sun cover has one spot that is already coming off this season, and I will restitch it myself this winter.

I also think the process actually shrinks the sail *very slightly.* My only evidence is that my previously very tightly fitting full battens simply would not fit into the slots at all when I got my sails back this Spring. I sawed off about 1/4" from the longest battens, and a little less from the shorter ones, and everything was OK.

If your sails are still crinkly and you are generally happy with the performance then I would skip it and have a local sailmaker clean and service your sails.

[Joe Montana]

Thanks, Bill. I'm leaning local -- but I was impressed by the speed and quality of Salecare's response, as well as the price.

[Ed Haley]

Bill Goldsmith says

I also think the process actually shrinks the sail *very slightly.* My only evidence is that my previously very tightly fitting full battens simply would not fit into the slots at all when I got my sails back this Spring. I sawed off about 1/4" from the longest battens, and a little less from the shorter ones, and everything was OK.

He's right, especially where there are two different types of fabric, say, the sail cloth and the suncover. On a 10 year-old sail, the resin caused a differential shrinking between the suncover and the sail resulting in a c cupping of the leech. I had to remove the sunbrella fabric and install the iron-on material. The sail was fine after that. If your don't have a sunbrella suncover (which is heavy) you won't have a problem.

I use SailCare quite a bit and they really do a remarkable treatment job on old sails. The repair they do (stitching, patching) is great.

[Tim Ward]

Joe, look into Kappa Sails, located in Westbrook, CT. I have used them in the past and was very happy with thier sails and turn around time.

Getting a second quote is never a bad thing.


http://www.kappasails.com/


Tim

[JWSutcliffe]

I have used Farrar Sails in New London and was extremely impressed with their fast turnaround and reasonable price for a major repair on a main sail. Moreover, they did not try to hard sell me on more than I asked for.

[barfwinkle]

for Sailcare. I have used them twice as well and IMHO they are great to work with and they do good work.

Fair Winds

We Hope to See You in Havre de Grace

[Joe Montana]

Tim, I know Kappa Sails in Westbrook well. They're a great outfit. In fact, they made my sails nine years ago. I've decided to go with them for the repairs. Their price is a little higher, but not out of line when you consider the cost of maintaining a sail loft along the Connecticut shoreline. What kind of "sailing community" would we be if we didn't have local sailmakers?

As the old Hindu proverb says, "Help your brother's boat across, and your own will reach the shore." (I have a feeling you subscribe to this philosophy, too.)

[mike ritenour]

The Sailcare process really works and has given me a LOT of extra life out of my main.
I give them two thumbs up.
Rit

[winthrop fisher]

if your sails need a good cleaning use SAIL BATH made for cleaning your sails, you can get it in any marine store for around $15 a bottle.

your sails are nine years old, i would not put much repair into them and the more you use them, the more out of shape they are.

replace them with new sails.
winthrop