A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE

Sail care and regular maintenance will ensure that your new sail lasts as long as possible.
You should get your sails be inspected and serviced once a year.


WINTER STORAGE

Your sails should be stored dry and free of salt. They should be folded without any wrinkles and kept at room temperature.

 

UV PROTECTION

Ultra violet rays are the number one enemy of your sails and can deteriorate your sails rapidly if left in the sun. All sails should have sail covers that protect them. All roller furling genoas should have leech and foot sun covers to protect the sail fabric from the sun when the sail is furled on the headstay.

 

FLOGGING SAILS

This is probably the quickest way to destroy your sails! If they flog and flap in the breeze, the sailcloth will break down and tear.

 

SHEETING SAILS CORRECTLY

Keep the leech line adjusted so that the leech does not flutter. Properly set sails last longer, and have improved performance. Correctly positioning your genoa leads and how to maintain proper halyard and sheet tension will ensure your sail is properly set.

WASHING

Washing your sails each year removes salt, dirt, and other contaminants. Salt-encrusted sails are harder to handle, and will shorten the life of your sails. Washing also helps remove unsightly oil, grease, rust, and mildew stains.

 

OIL & GREASE

Sometimes sails pick up oil from touching various parts of the boat. An automotive degreaser or washing up liquid may help to break down the stain. Finish with a thorough rinsing.

 

RUST

We recommend that you let your sailmaker treat any rust stains from fittings because the chemicals can be dangerous.

 

MILDEW

Most sails will eventually suffer from mildew stains. The most common chemical used to remove mildew is bleach but be very careful when using in on sailcloths. Most mildew will disappear quickly when bleach is applied—if doesn’t, the stain probably will not come off. A thorough rinsing is needed after applying bleach.

 

DO NOT use bleach on nylon, aramids (such as Kevlar or Twaron), or Technora. Bleach will destroy these fabrics.