How to repair laminated sails?

[Greenheart]

Not for use in hard weather. And not trying to make them like new. Just hoping to stop them getting any worse.

Is there some type of flexible adhesive plastic that can cover the decrepit portion so the wear and tear doesn't worsen or spread?

And is it possible to re-bond the fibrous yellow bits to the clear part of the sail?

 

[Boathook]

Would sail repair tape work? It seems to stick to 'normal' sails quite well.

 

[wombat88]

Yes, sail repair tape never looks very promising and it not the stickiest thing in the world but it does seem to stay in place. Circles or patches with rounded corners best.

 

[Lucy52]

I asked a sail maker at SIBS. I suggested an infusion process and was told nothing exist, but if I did develop one I could make a fortune. Sail repair tape won't stick the laminates back together.

 

[Daedelus]

I once split the crotch of old trousers when antifouling and the sail number adhesive tape a kindly sailmaker gave me in my hour of need survived even going in the washing machine.

 

[Zing]

I’ve spent a long time trying to do this using a variety of specialised industrial glues to which I have access. I failed, which was painful as I am not used to that. I’m sure I am sure there is a way, especially with such a small area and small sails like you have. My job was much harder. You will need to experiment with solvents to find the right one to get the old glue off, then painstakingly clean it off and apply a new glue, which will not be easy to find as gluing Mylar to anything is a hard and even harder to Technora.

 

[r_h]

This is what you need: Dr Sails Adhesive | Force 4 Chandlery
I've sailed thousands of miles with laminate sails with glued repairs using this.
Also available in reusable 290ml tubes for around £80-90, but the small tube will be fine for what you need (and you'll have quite a bit left over for subsequent repairs).

 

[lw395]

3M Repair Tape? It's like a normal clear tape, but a much heavier film and a thicker layer of glue.
Definitely good for bits like batten pockets which are starting to wear on the shrouds.

Glass Fibre Packing tape. Industrial tape used for heavy boxes etc. It's a GRP scrim and overgrown sellotape in one.

Self adhesive sail cloth. AKA insignia cloth, the stuff they cut sail numbers and class logos from.
Can be used to reinforce an area.


'Venture Tape' seems to be what sailmakers use for small repairs and maybe also building sails out of laminate panels.

For the OP's case, I'd be looking at 'self adhesive Mylar Film'. Although any 'sticky back plastic' would help.

 

[dunedin]

This is what you need: Dr Sails Adhesive | Force 4 Chandlery
I've sailed thousands of miles with laminate sails with glued repairs using this.
Also available in reusable 290ml tubes for around £80-90, but the small tube will be fine for what you need (and you'll have quite a bit left over for subsequent repairs).

Yes, Dr Sails is what our sailmaker recommended

 

[temptress]

Not for use in hard weather. And not trying to make them like new. Just hoping to stop them getting any worse.

Is there some type of flexible adhesive plastic that can cover the decrepit portion so the wear and tear doesn't worsen or spread?

And is it possible to re-bond the fibrous yellow bits to the clear part of the sail?

Buy new ones....

 

[Greenheart]

This is what you need: Dr Sails Adhesive...I've sailed thousands of miles with laminate sails with glued repairs using this.

Yes, Dr Sails is what our sailmaker recommended

Great tip, many thanks. And to everyone who actually meant to be helpful.

 

[Mikedefieslife]

I used a 3M Scotch window repair tape on my Spinnaker. I had badly torn it sailing from Sagress to Madeira. One 3-4m tear, and another off seam tear of around 2.5m

Stuck it together in the first week of my Atlantic crossing, and flew it for a good portion of the jouney. I did take it down a little earlier than normal (15knts true, rather than 18knts) but it held up well, event to violent collapsing and filling in the swell.

 

[Greenheart]

That sounds good too. I doubt any sail of mine will ever have to face 18 knots.

 

[Frogmogman]

In the absence of a roll of spinnaker repair tape, we once repaired a torn spinnaker with duct tape on an offshore race. The repair worked brilliantly, but to effect a proper repair the sailmaker had to cut around it to get it off and then sew in a patch.

 

[Mikedefieslife]

That sounds good too. I doubt any sail of mine will ever have to face 18 knots.

Scotch 25 m x 48 mm Supreme Glass Repair Tape: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

This was the stuff. Tape both sides and you are good to go. When you need to a proper repair it shouldn't leave any mess as it's not cotton reinforced like duct tape.

 

[Greenheart]

Ordered a roll.

 

[Greenheart]

June 27th

Thanks for the help here. I got the tape - in fact I have two types now.

I'll just drift sideways a bit, since you gents know about sails and sailcloth...

...I'm trying for the second time, to attach mast-track sliders to the luff of my main. Only, now I have a choice - put them in the old dacron mainsail, or in the new-to-me (but also old) laminate main.

The laminate main is loose-footed. Is that likely to make it work less well with the stackpack? I've not used a stackpack so I don't know if there may be another reason that makes a laminate sail less suitable - perhaps less willing to flake onto the boom.

Last year I had tried stitching the sliders onto the dacron sail's luff, using 15mm webbing. It looked effective, but the sliders were rather rigidly connected to the edge of the boltrope, and the boltrope luff wouldn't or couldn't flake easily...

...so this time I'm planning to use eyelets behind the boltrope, with the webbing threaded through in a loop, rather than stitched, allowing the sliders to twist, which I hope will help the sail flake; something like this:

Does anything about laminate sail construction make that technique less appropriate than it would be, with dacron?

 

[Iliade]

How about a button stitch as that would permit the rotation needed? How to Sew a Button (with Pictures) - wikiHow Life

(May want to bend the metal loop into more of a triangle.)

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks, that sounds smart.

Actually the photo I put in above, was part of an advert or article by Sailrite. It showed a selection of sliders attached to a luff...

...last year when I had a try at sewing my sliders on, I felt that the stitching held the slider too rigid up against the boltrope...

...I'm assuming that's the reason why eyelets have been used in three out of five, here - because that way of attaching the slider lets the luff move out of line with the mast-track easily. I can see how that could be managed with better stitching, (probably better than mine is likely to be).

But the the eyelets seem a smart solution which even allow each slider to be shackled to the luff as in (3) and (4), if the stitched answer isn't satisfactory.

What I don't know is if putting eyelet holes (or for that matter, lots of stitch holes) in laminate sails, causes more weakness than it does in dacron sails.