CARE OF SAILS
The sails supplied with your boat by the factory are made of synthetic fibres; all
except the spinnaker are of polyester fibre called Dacron in North America, and
Terylene in England. The spinnaker is make of nylon. Contrary to cotton sails, they
do not require careful stretching and breaking in when new. They do, however,
require proper care and maintenance.
Because of the nature of the cloth, the stitching on synthetic sails protrudes
slightly above the surface of the sailcloth. This exposed stitching is vulnerable to
chafe, particularly in certain areas. The head and clew, batten pockets, luff and
foot, and that part of the mainsail that lies against the shrouds and spreaders
when running, the headsails where these make contact with the spreaders; are
all subject to chafe. Therefore all stitching in these areas should be checked
periodically and renewed as necessary.
Excessive flogging i.e. flapping from side to side, will spoil the shape of a sail, and
in extreme conditions, will tear it.
Wet sails should be dried as soon as is practical. Synthetic fibres will not rot due to
moisture, but this will cause mildew if sails are stored for long periods when damp.
Do not furl a wet sail; stow it as loosely as possible so air can circulate. When
storing sails, make certain that they are completely dry.
Sails can become soaked with salt spray. When this dries a deposit of salt is left in
the cloth. This not only stiffens the sail and prevents is setting correctly, the salt,
being hygroscopic, will absorb moisture whenever there is any in the
atmosphere, and the sail will become damp. Consequently it is essential to wash
salt encrusted sails periodically, particularly before storing them. They should be
washed with copious amounts of fresh water and scrubbed gently with a soft
brush. Dirty sails may require lukewarm water and a mild detergent. Dry in the
sun. Grease and oil stains should be removed with carbon tetrachloride or
trichlorethylene.
Wrinkles and crease marks render a sail less efficient. Consequently when furling
a mainsail on the boom it should be flaked down carefully. When bagging a sail,
it should be folded parallel to the foot, using existing folds if possible, and then
rolled loosely around the luff.
Continuous exposure to sunlight over a long period will cause polyester and
nylon fibres to deteriorate, and ultimately to disintegrate. Since sails will be
exposed to sunlight a good deal during normal use it is prudent to reduce such
exposure when not sailing. Therefore use a cover on the mainsail or remove it.
Heedsails should be removed and stowed below decks.
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