Sail cleaning and drying options

[yodave]

Hello,

In an attempt to avoid repetition, I tried to tack this post on to another very similar thread I found on the Scuttlebutt forum, but that didn’t work particularly well as replies tended to focus more on the OP’s specific situation/requirements. With hindsight, that makes perfect sense and therefore I’m starting a new thread. Here is my situation:

I have three sails that I want to clean (they could do with a clean). I spoke with a local sail maker near Edinburgh. He said that they clean the sails using a pressure washer. He said that this doesn't damage the sails unless they're very old/tired.

While our sails need some minor repairs round the edges, they're not so tired that they need replacing any time soon. Thing is, I can't get my head round the concept that a pressure washer will destroy old sails ...but will do no damage whatsoever to newer sails. Surely the damage is still being done, it's just not visibly catastrophic?

Cleaning our sails in the bath isn't an option - they're far too big. So I'm thinking a laundrette ...however I've read in other threads that using an industrial washing machine is a bad idea.

Using a large paddling pool is possibly an option, but that leaves us with a drying headache. Using an industrial tumble dryer appears to be a major no-no. So how on earth are you supposed to dry large sails over the winter months?

Not sure where this all leaves us - leaving them mucky I suppose

Thanks

 

[Georgy Girl]

We were at a talk a few weeks ago given by Bainbridge. The rep's words regarding pressure washing of sails were 'it breaks my heart'. Apparently they do not agree with this method of cleaning at all as in their opinion it seriously damages the sail and cannot understand why sail lofts do it.

Unfortunately this doesn't help much regarding cleaning and drying. It might be worth ringing round to see if you can find a sail loft that can guarantee they do not use a pressure washer. Failing that, would it be possible to wait for an early warm spring day and give them a manual wash at home?

 

[Iona of Exe]

Why not simply arrange to have them professionally cleaned?
My local sail loft has an arrangement with a commercial sail cleaning set up, no pressure washing, sails washed in big tanks and air dryed naturally afterwards, cost £4.50 per Kilogram at the beginning of this year.
Try Mr Google for someone local(ish) to you.

 

[yodave]

Thanks to both of you for your input/advice.

Georgy Girl: Having seen what a pressure washer can do to anti-foul paint and other materials I'm inclined to agree, and shy away from the pressure wash approach. As a matter of fact, I have a pressure washer, and wouldn't dream of using it on my sails ...so why trust/pay sail loft staff to perform that same process on my behalf?

Iona of Exe: Why not simply arrange to have them professionally cleaned? Firstly because until you mentioned this, I had no idea that such a bespoke service existed. Secondly, I guess because I have now Googled for such a service in Scotland and so far come up with nothing. Sounds ideal though, because the professional alternative on offer at our sail loft is a pressure wash at £5 per kilo - effectively the same price, but not the same result in terms of sail care.

Thanks again!

 

[VicS]

2 or 3 years or so ago PBO ran an article on professional sail cleaning.

They looked at two firms, both in the south of the country.

IIRC one was NovoSail ltdwho use a modern hightech process and who accept sails direct from the public and
the other was Tip Top Sail Laundry who used more traditional manual methods but who only accepted sails via sailmakers and chandlers etc

You can find both via Google ... maybe even find the PBO article.

Tip Top deal with Nicolson Hughes Sails and with Saturn Sails ... both in Scotland

Google will find you other sail laundries

 

[mcanderson]

Yodave,

Check with the sail loft and the new start up down at Port Edgar. Both with clean and dry your sails. I have had this very thing done twice before, but I thought I would try myself this year as I have access to some large basins I can wash my sails in and as I said in my in my scuttlebutt post also have access to a large heated building I can dry my sails in. PM me if you need some contact details for Port Edgar.

 

[RobBrown]

Friend of mine with a Jenneau 45 hired the local village hall for a couple of days in quiet/cheap time to dry out his main & jib. I thought an excellent idea!

 

[Gordonmc]

Thanks to both of you for your input/advice.

Georgy Girl: ....I have now Googled for such a service in Scotland and so far come up with nothing. Sounds ideal though, because the professional alternative on offer at our sail loft is a pressure wash at £5 per kilo - effectively the same price, but not the same result in terms of sail care.

Thanks again!

Try SJ Marine in Ardrossan (not exactly local to you but closer than S. coast)
07815 496781
They have a sail laundry at Clyde Marina at the back of the hard-standing yard.

 

[richardbrennan]

I have used Novosail for the past two years and have been very pleased with the results. They also charge by the kilo and the cost for the genoa and main (735 sq ft) on my 33 foot boat was a little under £200. This might appear more than more traditional sail laundries, but it does include an anti mildew treatment which is usually extra so make sure you compare like with like. They are based in Southampton but I am sure they must use a courier service for yachtsmen that are further afield. They also clean oilskins and last year I put in a ten year old set of Gills. They were not satisfied with the result and replaced them with an equivalent new set which tells you a lot about their standards and service.

 

[Enya]

Novo Sail charge £6.50 inc vat per Kilo.

 

[yodave]

Wow... I didn't expect so many additional replies since I last checked. Thanks to everyone:

VicS: As this is our first season, I hadn't heard of Nicolson Hughes Sails or Saturn Sails - so I'll check them out. Thanks.

mcanderson: Thanks for contributing over on this thread. I have contacted the sail loft at Port Egar; they're the local sail maker I mentioned that use a pressure washer. Not sure of the "new start" though. Do you know what they are called?

RobBrown: Thanks. It may come to a quirkie solution like that - I'll keep that one up my sleeves for the moment.

Gordonmc: I'm over in the West quite regularly - so SJ Marine is a viable option that I'll follow-up on. Thanks!

richardbrennan: Thank you for the info. Novosail sound as though they provide a great service. In practice, I guess I'd prefer to find a solution that's more local, as the courier costs back and forth are likely to augment the tab quite a bit.

Enya: Thanks for the pricing info. Handy to know when I'm comparing like for like.

Thanks again!

 

[Bodach na mara]

Hi yodave, My main will be about the same size as yours and this year I tried washing it in the garden. I did this because there are some marks on it that have resisted the efforts of: Jeckells, North Sails, Saturn and Leitch. They do all warn that sails cannot be expected to come back Persil white, but I did think I could get more of the mark out than they had. I couldn't. The process involved a large tarpaulin soread over the grass (which slopes a bit) and the edges taken over large lumps of wood creating a dam. About 15 gallons of water/detergent were in the dam and the sail was fed through and scrubed with a spongy floor mop thing. The black bits had been treated with Fairy soap and a sponge first. Rinsing was easy, it rained for the next two days while it was hanging up. (I have a couple of handy trees to spread it off the ground.) The next day was dry and it dried quite quickly.

It was a hellish job and I wished I had never started. I do not know where Nicolson Hughes are now but the used to be in the Rhu area I think. Saturn are at Largs Yacht Haven.

 

[yodave]

Wight Dawn: (A Westerly Renown ketch, but with a Macwester-esque monicker huh)

Yup ...your sails are going to be about the same sort of size. Sounds to me as though you've tried a thorough DIY approach and that hasn't proven to be a major break through (pity). I had thought that maybe doing something similar with a giant paddling pool was an option, but (with thanks to you, and your experiences) I'm going to scratch that from my short-list. Thanks also for the info on Nicholson Hughes and Saturn.

We hope to bring our ketch over to the West coast at some stage although it probably won't be next season. Nonetheless I'll look out for you.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences - it saves me going down the wrong avenue.