Blue Water Sailing - June 2018

(^10) BLUE WATER SAILING • June/July 2018
{ BILLBIEWENGA }
@Laurie Warner

I

t happens. Usually, it’s unex-

pected. And watching sails

disintegrate is never a joyful

experience. Sails blowing

out are the result of any of a

number of causes. Old, over-

exposed thread, colder denser air

providing a heightened force for

a given wind speed, or just too

much wind and pounding surf

providing excessive loads that go

beyond the designed specifications

for the sail's name but a few of the

potential causes of failure. Most of

those reasons for sail failure can

be avoided if we, as sailors, live

within our means, accepting the

limits that our equipment has and

honoring that reality. Of course,

there are the unforeseen sudden

gusts, an out-of-sync wave or other

causes for failure, but many of the

reasons are avoidable.

Chafe is not your friend. Protect

sails from chafing on lazy jacks,

spreaders, sharp objects such as

split pins or other sharp edges.

Some hazards can be taped over,

and others can have a dab of silicon

applied to soften the harsh or sharp

edge. Lazy jacks can be especially

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destructive to laminated mainsails

on the leeward side. When the

main is reefed, the resulting sail at

the foot can chafe in unexpected

places for longer periods of time,

leading to premature aging. Even

the most diligently applied pre-

ventive maintenance and careful

procedures sometimes result in a

torn sail or dramatic blowout.

If a sail blows out, get it down

immediately and keep it onboard

in the process to minimize addi-

tional damage. If the damage is to

your mainsail, and you need it to

continue moving, you may be able

to reef beyond the damage. In any

case, your first thought should be

about damage control, and limiting

that damage from worsening.

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