Sail - July 2018

JULY 2018

This applies to both mainsail and headsail.

In fact, a sail that is engineered for a certain

amount of true wind when sailing hard on

the wind can be carried in double the amount

of true wind when sailing downwind.

Moisture, mildew, maintenance: While

moisture and mildew do not actually weaken

the fabric of a sail, they do make it look un-

sightly and can ultimately render the sail use-

less—unless, of course, you don’t care about

cosmetics. Most modern fabrics are treated

with effective anti-fungal agents, and if you

want to exercise an abundance of caution you

can actually have the sail dipped into an anti-

UV and anti-fungal solution. This may, in

fact, be a good option for those sailors who

have in-mast furling systems and are based in

the tropics, since it’s a challenge to stop the

sail from getting wet, and there is no ventila-

tion in the mast cavity to dry the sail out.

In terms of maintenance, taking care of your

sails at the end of a sailing season is just as im-

portant as taking care of the sail while you are

out sailing. First and foremost, make sure that

you rinse the sail with fresh water. h e salt

particles that are found in salt water crystal-

lize as they dry out and the tiny crystals have

sharp edges that can damage delicate i bers.

If your sails need cleaning, you can use

a mild detergent like dishwashing liquid to

clean them. For oil and grease, use an automo-

tive degreaser such as Simple Green. h ere

is only one chemical that removes rust stains

and that is hydrol uoric acid. But be aware:

it’s very toxic and this should be done by your

sailmaker in a controlled environment. Once

the sail is rinsed and clean you should let it

dry completely. Pay particular attention to the

patches, which will be the last to dry. If they

are not completely dry you may end up with

mildew forming between the folded layers.

Next month: How to put together a sail-care

kit for your boat. s

Brian Hancock is a Whitbread Race veteran, a

long-time sailmaker and is the founder of Great

Circle Sails, greatcirclesails.com PHOTO BY

PETER NIELSEN

ON DECK SAIL CARE

U.S.C.G. APPROVED FLARES ARE THE

MOST EFFECTIVE & RECOGNIZED

DISTRESS SIGNALS, DAY OR NIGHT

Different Situations Require

Different Types of Distress Signals

Long distance aerial flares (ALERT SIGNALS) and short distance

(3 miles or less) handheld flares (LOCATE SIGNALS)

are the brightest and most dynamic signals when rescuers

have been sighted.

For passive, long duration signaling (when you aren’t sure who

is out there), consider the Electronic SOS Beacon. Experienced

boaters carry an assortment and Orion has them all!

Visit our website: http://www.orionsignals.com

for additional information.

AVAILABLE AT: West Marine, Walmart, Bass Pro, Academy,

Cabelas & Marine Dealers Nationwide.














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Made in USAMade in USA

Different emergency situations require different types of signals. Consider adding Orion Alert Signals

(aerial flares) along with an Orion long duration electronic beacon to your assortment.

Refer to Sighting Chart on back.

Taping your turnbuckles

removes another potential

source of sail wear