Drilling Sailcloth

[ducked]

Seen on the Sailing Florence Youtube channel, as part of an Arctic Preparation episode. I have no sail repair experience, but I'd think using a powered twist drill on sailcloth, though it evidently works, doesnt seem ideal since it will cut fibres,

I have some small awls in my Taiwan tool kit that I would probably try for this, pushed, hammered or possibly heated to melt through. A smooth awl, without the cutting faces of a twist drill, or a smooth needle without a sailmaking needles triangular shape, might also work in a drill and I'd think might melt seal the hole edges by friction.

Whats the consensus SOP?
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[Neeves]

I doubt that the contact between the fabric and the drill bit will be sufficient to reliably seal the fabric. If you want to seal the fabric heat the device you use to make the hole.

But why not try the various options and report back - with pictures

Jonathan

 

[ducked]

I doubt that the contact between the fabric and the drill bit will be sufficient to reliably seal the fabric. If you want to seal the fabric heat the device you use to make the hole.

But why not try the various options and report back - with pictures

Jonathan

Well, my sails are approximately 10,700 formerly shark infested nautical miles away, and may not need this type of repair, but I suppose it is an eventual possibility.

 

[dunedin]

I recently had to repair our mainsail, when the small strap holding the sail to the mast car pulled out. I spent 2 hours trying to get a needle through the multiple layers, using sailmakers palm plus sailing gloves. Failed entirely to get through.
Faced with no alternative, half a day to remove the fully battened sail - and no sailmakers anyway.
After a pause for thought, tried drill as last resort. Feared it would tangle and pull the threads. But worked perfectly. Drilled 6 holes and got lots of stitches through each hole.
So not recommended technique, but as a last resort for DIY in the very thick multi-layer parts of sails, worth a careful try.
1,000 miles later my temporary repair is fine and hopefully will last till end of season.

 

[Blueboatman]

I became quite competent at this
Drill works
But better is to use a hot needle /nail/centre punch

 

[Stemar]

I've never tried it, but I'd expect a brad pointed wood bit might do better than a normal one.

 

[Refueler]

More relevant for laniante sails which theoretically cannot be stitched - except by sailmaker.

Most times in yards I frequented - hole punches were used with heat to seal ... but that was many years ago.

 

[penberth3]

I've never tried it, but I'd expect a brad pointed wood bit might do better than a normal one.

If I was trying this, I'd clamp the fabric between two pieces of say 6mm plywood. But I wouldn't try, I'd use a hole punch or heated bar.

 

[Puffin10032]

I suppose it depends on how big a hole you need to make. If it's just to pass a needle and thread through then use an awl or at a push a nail would probably do. There's a handy little device called a Speedy Stitcher which is awl and needle combined. It's worth carrying some self-adhesive Dacron repair tape too. You can use this to repair laminates as well as wovens; just put a piece on each side and this will take any strain in the stitching.

 

[lustyd]

I’m not sure I agree to a hot needle being better. I’d have thought that would create a brittle ring of melted plastic which would be far wider than the drill affected. More threads affected would equal weaker result. Once the sewing is done the liklihood of fraying is next to none anyway.

 

[The Q]

Buy a cheap soldering iron, you can select one with a tip the same size or smaller than your required holes..

I must admit I've used expensive soldering irons, but then as an electronics technician engineer, I've half a dozen of various types. My weapon of choice is a small gas soldering iron, no cable to get in the way.
( You can get tips down to 0.1mm)

 

[Neeves]

And when you come to sew go and buy some braided dyneema fishing line.

Jonathan

 

[William_H]

I have reesorted to a fine drill bit on many occasions. Seems OK certainly can't force an awl through many heavy layers. ol'will

 

[Sea Change]

I just use a soldering iron.
I recently had to fit batten cars to my new mainsail. Each one has six M5 machine screws. Not sure how else I would have fitted them.

 

[ducked]

Thanks all. I suppose the above discussion increases the chance of my soldering irons making it onto the packing list.

 

[Iliade]

I have in the past used a triangular sailmakers needle in a hand-drill. It worked, though whether by pushing the threads aside or by melting them I couldn't say/recall.

 

[ducked]

I have in the past used a triangular sailmakers needle in a hand-drill. It worked, though whether by pushing the threads aside or by melting them I couldn't say/recall.

seems like a circular needle/awl cross section should be less damaging in a drill (a big "sacking needle" might be suitable) though come to think on't I dunno why a sail needle is triangular in section anyway.

AI suggests its because cutting rather than forcing aside fibres is easier, which for once makes sense) but that advantage seems less persuasive if drilling rather than forcing by hand

 

[lustyd]

I thought it was because the triangle shape resisted bending while staying relatively thinner

 

[MontyMariner]

If I was trying this, I'd clamp the fabric between two pieces of say 6mm plywood

6mm is a bit thich, 3mm would do, it depends on the size of the hole I guess.
Once it's drilled, I would turn the drill bit around in the chuck, heat up the bit blunt end (Cooks blowtorch) and drill that through the hole to seal it.

 

[ducked]

6mm is a bit thich, 3mm would do, it depends on the size of the hole I guess.
Once it's drilled, I would turn the drill bit around in the chuck, heat up the bit blunt end (Cooks blowtorch) and drill that through the hole to seal it.

Dont think I'd want to do that with even half-decent twists bits, especially when AFAICT a nail would probably do it a bit better with less manipulation.

But I could be wrong