Sacrificial Strip renewal

[Refueler]

Comment has been made on this thread of the cost of replacing the UV strip - the implication is sail makers have it about right - the UV strip lasts as long (approximately) as the sail.

I do not agree ... UV strips do not last the life of the sail ... not in my observation and experience.

Many owners I know in UK and elsewhere have replaced worn out UV on sails .. in some cases like myself - 2x ... with sail still in good condition.

 

[seeSimon]

Just had a smallish (12m2, 8m boat) new vektran jib from Crusader. Simple sail in a selden furler.

This to replace a blown out original Hyde at 12 years out. UV strip had failed for a second time, and had already had one £200 repair. Local guy wanted £250 for another repair. Pointless as sail itself well bagged, it has worked hard. UV strip rotten, very obvious. Fair enough..imho.

Sails on all season, appx 8 months here. Off over winter. Has been the same since new. UV in SW UK now an issue.

Incidentally this winter, two boats left out afloat over winter near me had jibs destroyed due to unfurling, another main escaped it's cover, also destroyed.
Many others left on furlers/stakpaks over winter too...astounding how lazy folk are given the costs and issues involved.
My layup yard does not insist on sail removal, regrettably...imho. potential risks to others if ashore and a big sail comes free.

New crusader jib all good, happy enough. Only issue was v tardy service, in that I ordered last November, and they failed to meet my mid March launch date...despite several hasteners...why??? A pal has experienced similar delays by another sailmaker...they blamed materials shortages.

Price "premium" acceptable to me, when alternative postage from far east factored in. Postage from Asia now a significant, non negotiable, sum.

 

[Refueler]

Sails left furled .... I am always saddened to see how many owners do not appreciate the error of not fully furling the sail and have at least 1 - 2 turns of sheets round the sail.
So many boats you see the clew flogging away loose - not furled and secured.

 

[dunedin]

Sails left furled .... I am always saddened to see how many owners do not appreciate the error of not fully furling the sail and have at least 1 - 2 turns of sheets round the sail.
So many boats you see the clew flogging away loose - not furled and secured.

Yes, in my experience jibs unfurling is primarily user error.
We have a jib on furler all year round (different sail on in winter) and been through several F10 plus, a few F11.
See lots of sails in marinas and on moorings which are simply waiting to unfurl - loosely furled sail, loose jib sheets, large chunk of clew left out. And less visible, reliance entirely on one, possibly elderly, furling rope.
Our “harbour stow” system is:
- furl jib slowly against slightly tensioned jib sheet. Stop the sheet a couple of times and tighten roll before continuing.
- three complete tight wraps of jib sheets round the clew.
- jib sheets fully tightened - occasionally add very slight winch tension as helps stabilise forestay in storms
- PLUS add secondary dyneema rope from tack shackle, twice round bottom of foil and tied to pulpit - which will hold sail if the furler rope has chafed through.

 

[seivadnehpets]

Most, or many, owners abuse their sails. don't furl with care, leave on the furler, unused (in the winter) and then when the novelty of the yacht wears off - don't use the boat and definitely not the sails (that's why they have motors).

But you simply don't read of sails disintegrating you don't see yachts sailing with bits of sail flying off like ribbons. Now maybe people simply dip into their deep pockets and buy new - but again you don't read in forum, like this thread, of people complaining their sails did not last. - sails seem to with stand a lot of abuse.

Comment has been made on this thread of the cost of replacing the UV strip - the implication is sail makers have it about right - the UV strip lasts as long (approximately) as the sail.

Stop worrying and go sailing when the UV strip starts to disintegrate decide if you need a new sail - not now.

But get second opinions, don't focus on one sail maker. Over the coming summer plan to sail to locations with a sail maker and get some second opinions.

As the name suggests sail makers make sails. If they turn down business they lose some of their pension fund. Do you really think they say - "come back in 4 years let us have another look, go sailing".


Just out of interest - when you bought the yacht (recently) was it surveyed. Did the surveyor check each sail and include details in his survey report. When we sold Josepheline (38' cat) all the sails were taken out and laid out flat on the grass, in the presents of the surveyor, the potential new owner (and me). Main, No 1 and No 3 headsails. Screecher (a sort of Code Zero), storm jib, used on an inner forestay. The No 1 and No 3 were installed on the furler and used with the surveyor, me and potential owners present.

As I said - go sailing.

Jonathan

That's exactly what they did tell me at Crusader - on 15 year old sails. Not everyone is a rip off merchant.

I do not agree ... UV strips do not last the life of the sail ... not in my observation and experience.

Many owners I know in UK and elsewhere have replaced worn out UV on sails .. in some cases like myself - 2x ... with sail still in good condition.

Just had a smallish (12m2, 8m boat) new vektran jib from Crusader. Simple sail in a selden furler.

This to replace a blown out original Hyde at 12 years out. UV strip had failed for a second time, and had already had one £200 repair. Local guy wanted £250 for another repair. Pointless as sail itself well bagged, it has worked hard. UV strip rotten, very obvious. Fair enough..imho.

Sails on all season, appx 8 months here. Off over winter. Has been the same since new. UV in SW UK now an issue.

Incidentally this winter, two boats left out afloat over winter near me had jibs destroyed due to unfurling, another main escaped it's cover, also destroyed.
Many others left on furlers/stakpaks over winter too...astounding how lazy folk are given the costs and issues involved.
My layup yard does not insist on sail removal, regrettably...imho. potential risks to others if ashore and a big sail comes free.

New crusader jib all good, happy enough. Only issue was v tardy service, in that I ordered last November, and they failed to meet my mid March launch date...despite several hasteners...why??? A pal has experienced similar delays by another sailmaker...they blamed materials shortages.

Price "premium" acceptable to me, when alternative postage from far east factored in. Postage from Asia now a significant, non negotiable, sum.

Yes, in my experience jibs unfurling is primarily user error.
We have a jib on furler all year round (different sail on in winter) and been through several F10 plus, a few F11.
See lots of sails in marinas and on moorings which are simply waiting to unfurl - loosely furled sail, loose jib sheets, large chunk of clew left out. And less visible, reliance entirely on one, possibly elderly, furling rope.
Our “harbour stow” system is:
- furl jib slowly against slightly tensioned jib sheet. Stop the sheet a couple of times and tighten roll before continuing.
- three complete tight wraps of jib sheets round the clew.
- jib sheets fully tightened - occasionally add very slight winch tension as helps stabilise forestay in storms
- PLUS add secondary dyneema rope from tack shackle, twice round bottom of foil and tied to pulpit - which will hold sail if the furler rope has chafed through.

Thanks Jonathon, and all,

I think I’m getting good advice from all here, and at my club, and from the seller, who is a retiring member of the club, and a really great guy. It was a friendly sale, and I put more trust in what I knew of him, and his maintenance, and he gave me his last insurance survey which probably didn’t look much at the sails.

I relied on them being relatively new and, recently, lightly used, but didn’t think at the time of Uv concerns.

To be fair to Crusader, they didn’t tell me I need a new sail, but advised me what could go wrong. I’m sure they wouldn’t have complained if I’d asked for new.

I’m not a born sailor, but have been sailing, gradually larger dinghies for about 10 years. Before that as a young adult under supervision, but these days out on my own, with all the worry.

I tried to take a pic of the strip on furled genny but light was wrong, I’m at anchor without dinghy, and don’t want to lose phone! But it’s not shot, I think it’s past its best. I don’t think it’s critical, but furled I can see very small gaps on the edge, fold, with sail showing through. I think it could be left till winter, or next year, but I want to get it done while I’m thinking about it, as I don’t really trust myself otherwise. And winter might mean longer lead times. But we’ll see….

I spoke to the lady, says she boss at Wilkinson’s, says she due to measure up a boat at my club, so I could have free collection. I don’t think there’s any point in leaving it up for her to inspect, as I’m pretty sure she’d advise now good, next year ok….

Thanks again Jonathon for reassuring me that I don’t need a new sail, for now. And I promise you i will go - am - Sailing
S.

 

[Neeves]

Thanks Jonathon, and all,

I think I’m getting good advice from all here, and at my club, and from the seller, who is a retiring member of the club, and a really great guy. It was a friendly sale, and I put more trust in what I knew of him, and his maintenance, and he gave me his last insurance survey which probably didn’t look much at the sails.

I relied on them being relatively new and, recently, lightly used, but didn’t think at the time of Uv concerns.

To be fair to Crusader, they didn’t tell me I need a new sail, but advised me what could go wrong. I’m sure they wouldn’t have complained if I’d asked for new.

I’m not a born sailor, but have been sailing, gradually larger dinghies for about 10 years. Before that as a young adult under supervision, but these days out on my own, with all the worry.

I tried to take a pic of the strip on furled genny but light was wrong, I’m at anchor without dinghy, and don’t want to lose phone! But it’s not shot, I think it’s past its best. I don’t think it’s critical, but furled I can see very small gaps on the edge, fold, with sail showing through. I think it could be left till winter, or next year, but I want to get it done while I’m thinking about it, as I don’t really trust myself otherwise. And winter might mean longer lead times. But we’ll see….

I spoke to the lady, says she boss at Wilkinson’s, says she due to measure up a boat at my club, so I could have free collection. I don’t think there’s any point in leaving it up for her to inspect, as I’m pretty sure she’d advise now good, next year ok….

Thanks again Jonathon for reassuring me that I don’t need a new sail, for now. And I promise you i will go - am - Sailing
S.

There is an option - and this is Practical Boat Owner

I believe you can buy sticky back in a roll, but by the metre of length, that is cut of a width to be used as a UV strip. I've never used it, but it exists (here in Oz). Normal stick back is Dacron, The fact it exists, in Australia which has high UV might suggest it is successful. I believe you can have different fabrics. It would be easy to apply to a sail flat on the floor but it might be a waste to apply to sun rotted UV strip and might be best applied to the sail fabric (which has not be declared) (but I assume Dacron) - so remove current UV strip, if rotted and apply new. I think it would be a 2 person application, one to unroll th backing and the other to apply. If you have a decent hand sewing machine you might be able to sew the edges....?? but hand sewing when there are layers of sail cloth.

How sensible this is I don't know and only know it as an option. The retail outlet I know sells fabric from Bainbridge (we bought trampoline 'fabric') - which might be the manufacturer.

Maybe the assembled expertise can pass comment. But sticky back is hardly a wallet breaker and it might give you a season, 5 seasons of use

Jonathan