Some Sail Care Ideas

[The Patriot]

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

[Dean Abramson]

Armond,

I enjoyed the humor and appreciate the good advice. Thanks.

Dean

[Joe Myerson]

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

[Paul D.]

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...

[Warren S]

is there a "right" way to fold a sail?

[drysuit2]

I love your blog. Well done!

[rollo_cd26]

The only better surface to wash sails on is a large trampoline. It drains and allows air flow for drying. I wish I still had one.