Some Sail Care Ideas
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Some Sail Care Ideas
I've posted a short article that describes some sail care ideas that have worked well for me for quite some time. Comments and additional ideas are always welcome.
http://yachtkerrydeare.blogspot.com/201 ... ified.html
http://yachtkerrydeare.blogspot.com/201 ... ified.html
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- Posts: 1483
- Joined: Jul 5th, '05, 11:23
- Location: CD 31 "Loda May"
Good article
Armond,
I enjoyed the humor and appreciate the good advice. Thanks.
Dean
I enjoyed the humor and appreciate the good advice. Thanks.
Dean
Dean Abramson
Cape Dory 31 "Loda May"
Falmouth, Maine
Cape Dory 31 "Loda May"
Falmouth, Maine
- Joe Myerson
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:22
- Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA
Would have made a good article for MASTHEAD
Armond,
What an interesting posting. Full of lots of good tips on sail care.
It would have made an excellent article for the MASTHEAD.
On the other hand, it also makes an excellent article for this forum.
Thanks,
--Joe Myerson
What an interesting posting. Full of lots of good tips on sail care.
It would have made an excellent article for the MASTHEAD.
On the other hand, it also makes an excellent article for this forum.
Thanks,
--Joe Myerson
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
I admit to being fairly religious about preventing chafe and UV (as an old wilderness outfitter guy and manager of a fleet of plastic canoes and alpine tents etc, don't get me started about UV!). However I have sadly lacked in thoroughly cleaning our sails each year. Probably done it three seasons out of nine. Being on freshwater does help, but I still feel bad when I don't do it. My brother came up with a good method.
Buy two cheap, plastic and huge (33 gallon) rubbish bins dedicated to fairly clean use like cleaning sails and maybe raking up dry leaves or 6 year olds hiding in. Fill with water and add sail with a wee bit, 1/2 cup maybe, of mild detergent - Oxy (non-chlorinated) bleach could be used for really dirty deals I guess. Wash for ten minutes or so, gently. Pull out the sail and put in second bin of fresh water and rinse. Pull out and fill the other bin with fresh water etc a few times to really rinse. Then dry as Kerrydeare mentions or I would string a long line between my neighbor's tree and mine and hang in the breeze. Store as suggested.
This doesn't use a brush which may be needed for some spots, but it does get that dirt out. I will second what is mentioned about salt in the fibers chafing away. Dealing with rock climbing gear, the ropes were very impacted by dirt within the fibers. Ropes kept clean lasted quite a bit longer than consistently dirty ones.
This is a simple and great fall project, just need to do it regularly, maybe when my kids grow and I retire I will! Looking at the five inches of fresh snow out the window, I realize that may take some time...
Buy two cheap, plastic and huge (33 gallon) rubbish bins dedicated to fairly clean use like cleaning sails and maybe raking up dry leaves or 6 year olds hiding in. Fill with water and add sail with a wee bit, 1/2 cup maybe, of mild detergent - Oxy (non-chlorinated) bleach could be used for really dirty deals I guess. Wash for ten minutes or so, gently. Pull out the sail and put in second bin of fresh water and rinse. Pull out and fill the other bin with fresh water etc a few times to really rinse. Then dry as Kerrydeare mentions or I would string a long line between my neighbor's tree and mine and hang in the breeze. Store as suggested.
This doesn't use a brush which may be needed for some spots, but it does get that dirt out. I will second what is mentioned about salt in the fibers chafing away. Dealing with rock climbing gear, the ropes were very impacted by dirt within the fibers. Ropes kept clean lasted quite a bit longer than consistently dirty ones.
This is a simple and great fall project, just need to do it regularly, maybe when my kids grow and I retire I will! Looking at the five inches of fresh snow out the window, I realize that may take some time...
Paul
CDSOA Member
CDSOA Member
- Warren S
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Jul 27th, '06, 21:22
- Location: s/v Morveren
Cape Dory 270 Hull #5
Washington, NC
Love the article...
is there a "right" way to fold a sail?
![Image](http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/AmpTRookee/morveren03.jpg)
"Being hove to in a long gale is the most boring way of being terrified I know." -Donald Hamilton
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