Top Reasons for Sail Damage

[thinwater]

Backwinding the genoa against diamond stays while tacking in a breeze. A good way to severely stretch the leach. I learned this one after a few sheet hang-ups on a new to me boat. Can also happen when the autopilot gets surprised by a fast shift and the boat tacks. In general, the habit of heaving to with an overlapping headsail is damaging; roll some of it up.


That's the only damage I've ever had. The rest died very slowly of old age with no particular tears or set faults. I'm careful because I hate paying for new sails!

Curiously I often don't cover the main while cruising; it will be dark in a few hours, I'll leave near dawn, and a full batten main in lazy jacks lies very quietly at anchor.

[sapient sue]

UV damage to both material and stitching is a a major concern here in Australia. Letting sails flog causing stretching and chafe is another no no and as already stated stowing of sails is very important for protection. We have seen many a mouldy sail from stowing damp sails and it can be so easily avoided with correct stowage.

Of course sail materials are improving with technology but basic sailing procedures if carried out correctly will always help lengthen the life of your sails.

Cheers Sue

[silversailor]

I recently had a 135 genoa shred in a squall. When I took it to my sailmaker he noticed that the original UV cover on the leech and foot had been replaced. He said that the new UV cover provided only 1/3 the needed protection and had been installed incorrectly. When he learned that the same vendor (a national sail cleaner) who had put the new UV cover on had also used his special process to clean the sail he was really upset. He opined that the cleaning process along with the insufficient UV cover had compromised the sail and that was why it shred in the squall. He said that the cleaner should have known that their cleaning process should never be used on laminate sails. I have since talked with other sailmakers and they all say "Stay away from the commercial sail cleaners."

[jeepbluetj]

Did anybody mention UV damage?

Top 3 reasons sails deteriorate:

UV, UV, UV.

Or maybe flogging.

Or maybe allowing the headsail to unroll in the marina when nobody is there and then just get destroyed.

[Seaslug Caravan]

UV damage.

As the cloth degrades it becomes less tolerant to flogging, spreader poke, squalls , rough handling etc.

[Crown Royal]

I lost a Mylar genoa roller furled without sun shade one season in the sun. Also excessive wear due to flogging and rubbing sail on spreaders. I have done them all in my 40+ years of sailing

[SimonV]

It's simple if you use a sail, it is getting damaged. Keep it in the sail bag inside the boat or shed and it will last forever.

[Pacey16]

Washing a laminate sail with Bleach!

[gjordan]

I just got a copy of THE SAILMAKERS APPRENTICE last night in the mail. Of course I was up late reading it and the author (a sailmaker) repeated over and over that battans give sailmakers more repair work than any other single thing. I havent had battan problems in 30K miles of sailing, but I have had several friends that did. What do you sailmakers out there think of that? ____Grant.

[silversailor]

Originally Posted by Pacey16

Washing a laminate sail with Bleach!

Cleaning any sail (or line) with bleach is a NO NO!
But, sending a laminate sail to a commercial sail cleaner will have a similar effect. The structure of the sail will be compromised and may shred when stressed.