Can you "paint" sails?

[Avocet]

Odd question, I know, but I have an old dinghy sail. Originally white, it is now stained and generally pretty horrid. The kids' school might be able to use it as a small sun awning, but they were asking if it could be painted "bright and cheerful" colours. Is that possible? If so, what sort of paint would be best to use?

 

[vyv_cox]

Google 'fabric paint'. Lots of possibilities, such as http://www.fabricspray.co.uk/

 

[Csail]

Any paint, cant see a problem

 

[Poignard]

Can you "paint" sails?

I believe sailing barges used to 'paint' their sails with a mixture of fish oil and red ochre but I suppose that wouldn't do, even if you could source the materials.

I don't think ordinary paint would do because it would flake off as the canvas flexed. I reckon you need some kind of stain, or a flexible paint (if such a thing is available)

 

[JokersWild]

Generally the sponsor's logo / livery is painted onto big race boat sails (e.g. Open 60s).

 

[surekandoo]

Woman barge owner at Blackwater Marina told me she was using water based fence paint!

 

[Salty John]

I was passed in the Florida Keys by a boat that had a huge landscape painted on the main. An island with a volcano and seabirds and a big red sun on a blue sky. It looked stunning, and just the sort of funky thing you come across in the Keys.
What paint they used, I have no idea. Some sort of fabric paint I suppose.

 

[NUTMEG]

Surekando, I watched her doing that and assumed she was using some ancient nautical concoction from the glory days of sail. Disappointed now:-(

 

[Avocet]

Thanks all - will pass that on.

 

[SvenH]

Depends on the kind of fabric. Synthetics can not absorb anything (except nylon which can be died with water soluble dies) so the paint needs to adhere to the fibre.

If you go that route the paint may start cracking and flake off. But if it is stretched out permanently that should not be much of a problem.

For painting cotton I'd use latex based paint.