Making a sail bag out of sail cloth

[Sea Change]

I've just acquired a lovely little sail for my dinghy and would like to extend its life whilst out here in the tropics.
I also happen to have acres of sailcloth from an old yacht mainsail that I need to get rid of. And I have a sewing machine.
I know that normally you would use sunbrella etc to make a sail cover/bag, but I don't have any.
Would a cover made from old sailcloth be worth making? I know it wouldn't last forever and would be a bit stiff to handle, but I already have the material...

 

[PetiteFleur]

Shouldn't be a problem at all, just use it, it'll protect the sail.

 

[thinwater]

Do note that colored Sunbrella blocks about 99% of the UV, but used sail cloth is probably more in the 75% range. Google it. That's 20-25 times less effective. UV can prenetrated and do damamge several layers deep on furled sails unless there is a truly UV opaque layer.

Some repurposed Sunbrella is better.

 

[William_H]

I find sewing old sail cloth to make useful things very satisfying. So yes do it.
To make a standard sail bag. As used for jibs. Cut a piece of sail cloth in a rectangular shape the width being the height of the bag plus about 2 inches. The length being the circumference of the bag. Bigger is easier to get the sail in but bigger for stowing.
The edges of the vertical join are sewn with an overlap of about 1 cm. This will make a cylinder whose diameter you need to calculate from the finished width of the sides. ie the two sides added together make the circumference of the bag bottom. Cut a circle of cloth about 2cms large in diameter than the calculated diameter. Sew the bottom of the sides and the outer rim of the circle all around. The doubling up[ of cloth on inside as with the doubling of the join of the sides.
You might want to pin the 2 parts together to ensude they match before sewing.
Fold over a large hem at the top and if you wish you can fit a draw cord.
Now perhaps an easier way to get an even join around the bottom circle to sides would be to make the sides excessively long for the circumference of the circle bottom. Do not sew the side seam but sew the outside edge of the circle around. Then when sewn in you can see where the sides need to be joined.
All this of course makes a bag suitable for a folded up main sail but not if you have full length battens etc.
Make a very long bag small diameter with 2 ends. Instead of sewing the join of the sides fold over and sew velcro along the edge making a bag you can drop sail in to then join velcro. You might find very wide velcro 5cm easier to use. Just sew the velcro to the hemmed edge of the sail cloth one piece above one below so they overlap.
Of course you can just make a long bag open at one end and feed it in.
All good fun I hope the sail cloth you have is not to heavy for standard sewing machine. A large jib might make for lighter cloth.
Re UV protection I presume you will stow the sail indoors anyway. But even outdoors sail cloth should last a long time. ol'will

 

[Boathook]

Do note that colored Sunbrella blocks about 99% of the UV, but used sail cloth is probably more in the 75% range. Google it. That's 20-25 times less effective. UV can prenetrated and do damamge several layers deep on furled sails unless there is a truly UV opaque layer.

Some repurposed Sunbrella is better.

could always make it out of the old sail and then some paint. Whether the paint should be on the inside or outside and what colour I don't know.

 

[MontyMariner]

To my mind it's a good reuse of the material, make sure your thread is uv resistant.

 

[Sea Change]

Update: finally dragged the sewing machine out of storage and set it up. I've never used one before so it was a bit of a learning curve.
But, voila, I now have a pretty serviceable sail cover. Not a thing of beauty but it does exactly what I need.
I feel more projects coming on, it was very satisfying

 

[rogerthebodger]

Living in th sub tropics sailcloth is affected by the UV so e all have sail covers and a UV strip on our jib sails that protect the sailcloth when furled up.

My main cover stitching has had to resowed some time ago and will need looking at some time this year