How To Repair The Tiniest Hole In A Dacron Sail?

[demonboy]

I noticed about 2 thousand miles back that we had a tiny pin-prick of a hole in our Dacron foresail. It was so small I ignored it and in the last two thousand miles it's not got any bigger, but I don't want to take any more chances.

What's the general concensus on repairing a tiny hole on a sail? Should I leave it? Should I darn it? I don't have any spare Dacron though I do have some spinnaker material.

Any help appreciated.

 

[alteredoutlook]

A dob of superglue.

This worked well on a small hole in my sprayhood.

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

If you really must do something about it you could apply a small drop of superglue directly to the hole that you describe as "a tiny pin-prick". This would prevent any unravelling of the fibres. Darning puts even more 'tiny pin-pricks' around the one that you already have.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Ask around neighbouring boats to see if anyone has an offcut of Dacron they can spare. Or nip into a sailmakers and ask for an offcut. Make two tiny round patches, and glue one either side of the hole. If you get lucky you may even find someone with some self-adhesive Dacron.

 

[bbg]

Sailmakers sell self-adhesive sail-repair material. Big sheets of it. You can buy it by the yard if you like, and it isn't very expensive. You should really have some on board.

Two small round patches, one either side, should do the trick.

 

[doug748]

As already suggested, I would use repair tape both sides.

Someone in the marina will have a roll of this stuff:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Spinnaker...orting_Goods_Sailing&var=&hash=item8012387acd

 

[Bobc]

Sticky-back dacron.

Don't use spinnaker tape or the dacron repair tape that you buy from chandleries, it won't last 5 minutes.

Find a sailmaker, and he'll have the proper stuff that they use for reinforcement patches (tough stuf and sticks like "you know what"). I would suggest that you buy a yard or two off the roll from them, and then you'll have some to hand for future needs.

 

[bbg]

Ask your sail maker for sticky back or insignia. I know it as sticky-back, although everyone I've spoken to recently calls it insignia. Don't know if that is a French thing or whether it is also called that in UK.

 

[demonboy]

Guys, guys, really appreciate the responses but look where my location is. The closest sail-maker is two thousand miles away! Having said that I am about to put in an order from West Marine and lo and behold they have self-adhesive Dacron. Never knew it existed! Thanks for that.

I'll bear in mind the superglue trick too. The logic of putting more tiny pin-pricks in it just to darn around it makes sense.

Thanks, all. Problem solved.

 

[Talbot]

.......Darning puts even more 'tiny pin-pricks' around the one that you already have.

The dfference between sewing in dacron, and adding a leather patch. In normal dacron sails you use a round needle that literally sews around the threads, whereas for a leather patch you need a chisel type needle to cut through the leather, and this cuts through the threads of the sail material as well.

 

[Talbot]

.........The closest sail-maker is two thousand miles away! Having said that I am about to put in an order from West Marine and lo and behold they have self-adhesive Dacron. Never knew it existed! Thanks for that.........

Take a look at the sail repair kit by sailrite as this includes sailcloth Sail-Repair-Kit

 

[Fantasie 19]

Sailmakers sell self-adhesive sail-repair material. Big sheets of it. You can buy it by the yard if you like, and it isn't very expensive. You should really have some on board.

Two small round patches, one either side, should do the trick.

+1 but I like the superglue idea as well....

 

[Twister_Ken]

+1 but I like the superglue idea as well....

When patching, either cut a round patch or radius off the corners of an oblong patch. Sharp corners are more likely to lift, then catch on something.

Bet you knew that already.

 

[demonboy]

Nice to see some old names here I haven't seen for a while - Talbot and Twister Ken et al. Thanks for your input.

 

[Norman_E]

The dfference between sewing in dacron, and adding a leather patch. In normal dacron sails you use a round needle that literally sews around the threads, whereas for a leather patch you need a chisel type needle to cut through the leather, and this cuts through the threads of the sail material as well.

Interesting. Some years ago I watched an elderly man fit a leather patch to a sail. He put the leather on a piece of wood and carefull pierced holes all round the edge with a sharp awl. I asked why he did that, thinking that the leather might be too hard to pierce with a needle. He replied that it was so that he could sew it on using a blunt needle that passed between threads on the sail and did not damage them.

 

[fishermantwo]

Before sticking on the sticky back each side of the hole, give the sail in the area a good wash. The salt will prevent the sticky back from holding on the twenty years or so. Obviously wait till the area is dry before applying.

 

[Fantasie 19]

Before sticking on the sticky back each side of the hole, give the sail in the area a good wash. The salt will prevent the sticky back from holding on the twenty years or so. Obviously wait till the area is dry before applying.

Could you use acetone or similar or would that damage the sail???

 

[bbg]

Could you use acetone or similar or would that damage the sail???

Acetone is OK on a film sail. Don't know about dacron. You could use rubbing alcohol. When trying to degrease something on the (soon-to-be-ex) boat I always start with alcohol, then move to acetone if I need more oomph.

As an aside, if anyone wants to make an ugly but effective repair to a very large tear (and you are far from a port ie mid-Atlantic) you could do the following. Degrease the area around the tear. Apply Sikaflex around the tear. Apply the stickyback.

Trust me, that repair will hold. Your sailmaker might curse you when you get to port, but the repair will hold until you do.