Washing Sails in a Laundromat

[Jack Burke]

Last Year after reading a suggestion on this bullitin board I washed my typhoon's sails in the large washer at the local laundromat.

It worked perfectly!

I can't remember which detergent
I used nor whether I dryed them in the dryer.
Any suggestions?



seandbourke@ cs.com

[Jim]

A washing machine will clean a small sail, but it wears it out faster than years of good sailing. It increases the porosity of the fabric, stretches and pulls the shape, and may even wear through folds. It's better to just lay a sail on a lawn, scrub major spots (grease, gull poop, crew blood, etc.) with a brush and liquid soap, then rinse well to get rid of soap and salt. The sail won't be as clean, but it will be proper. (A patina of age on a properly-trimmed sail is better than a pure-white shapeless rag. Think majestic square-riggers and mini-majestic Cape Dorys.)
Jim Heldberg
(showing his own patina of age)

Last Year after reading a suggestion on this bullitin board I washed my typhoon's sails in the large washer at the local laundromat.

It worked perfectly!

I can't remember which detergent
I used nor whether I dryed them in the dryer.
Any suggestions?

jimhpac@aol.com

[Marino Curati]

I ran across the company Sailcare Inc. They supposedly wash and re-resin old sails to look like new. They have a pretty detailed website too. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this company and would share comments. It sounds a heck of a lot cheaper than buying new. A couple of my sails are just dirty, they have fine shape.

Thanks,
Marino Curati
Ty #74 Snug
Cleveland



mcurati@vision-design-inc.com

[Ron Musk]

I ran across the company Sailcare Inc. They supposedly wash and re-resin old sails to look like new. They have a pretty detailed website too. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this company and would share comments. It sounds a heck of a lot cheaper than buying new. A couple of my sails are just dirty, they have fine shape.

Thanks,
Marino Curati
Ty #74 Snug
Cleveland

Marino, I usedSailcare a couple of years ago and was quite satisfied with their process.The sails looked great and held shape much better.The process they use really put the snap back in the fabric.

Good Luck,
Ron Musk
CD 30 #42 R&R
W.Harwich,Ma.



ccerre@massed.net

[Bob MIller]

I usually send them off to my local sailmaker. They charge about
$ 2.00 a pound. They check them and repair as needed. One year they put on tell tails for free. They also wash the bags. When I put mine out on the lawn and hose them down, they get all full of leaf and other lawn debris. They don't do it every year, probably every third.
It is easier having them do it and when they come back, they're nicely folded and ready to go. They are a big investment and I like to protect them.

Hope this helps...Bob M.



millerfam5050@worldnet.att.net

[Brett Miller]

I had the original jib on my CD 25 done by Sailcare Inc. last year. The sail was really finished, but I thought I'd give Sailcare a shot before taking the plunge and cutting North a hefty check for a new one. I was VERY impressed by the results. The sail looks (and performs) like new. White as snow and with pretty good shape.

I ran across the company Sailcare Inc. They supposedly wash and re-resin old sails to look like new. They have a pretty detailed website too. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this company and would share comments. It sounds a heck of a lot cheaper than buying new. A couple of my sails are just dirty, they have fine shape.

Thanks,
Marino Curati
Ty #74 Snug
Cleveland

bmiller@morganlewis.com

[Bill Smith]

.When i purchased my CD25 a little over a year ago i decided to try the sail care firm in Penn. They would clean and re resin the sails. The cleaning part was great. I am not sold on the resin part. If a sail is blown out the is no amount of resin going to bring it back in shape. Mine lasted about 6 months and it looked like a bed sheet hanging on the mast but it was nice and clean.
I purchase a new main from National Sail Supply in Ft. Meyers Florida. What a difference in performance.

Bill Smith
CD 25 #32
Okie Dory



RWSmth@aol.com

[Marino]

Thanks for all the comments! I will give them a try. I agree about the blown out part. My two headsails and kite (I don't think anyone ever used the kite) are in great shape. They're just dirty. My main however...