Sail repair course

[wilkinsonsails]

Anybody interested in a sail repair course?
We spend a lot of time doing very basic repairs that Im sure the practical yottie can do themselves.
This would be in Kent .It would be nice to know if its worth offering something like a day in the winter months.PM me please.

Cindy

 

[tel1]

Anybody interested in a sail repair course?
We spend a lot of time doing very basic repairs that Im sure the practical yottie can do themselves.
This would be in Kent .It would be nice to know if its worth offering something like a day in the winter months.PM me please.

Cindy

If it was done by hand, and a reasonable price, id be interested.

 

[jerrytug]

Top idea,down for it,PM sent. Strikes me there are two basic sorts of sail repair:
1,On a flat table in a good light,with a sewing machine,tape measure,drink handy.

2,On passage,on the foredeck,with cold fingers,hanked on and flogging...

Covering both would be ideal!

I think you`re on to a winner matey.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Yes could well be interested, particularly in hand repairs and basic machine stuff, any chance of basic sewing machines being sourced for purchase as part of the course, or is that taking it a bit to far.

 

[KellysEye]

We learnt by buying a book on the subject. Any good chandler should sell one or search on Amazon. The main problem is if you want to repair multiple layers of sail cloth you need a very heavy duty machine which is very expensive (and chisel ended needles). Even a Sailrite machine can't handle that. We have a Sailrite and it's fine for seams but not for the multiple layers around (say) the clew.

 

[Vara]

Yep I'll have some of that, and will even supply a genoa, which will doubtless need some TLC by then,

 

[wilkinsonsails]

Anybody interested in a sail repair course?
We spend a lot of time doing very basic repairs that Im sure the practical yottie can do themselves.
This would be in Kent .It would be nice to know if its worth offering something like a day in the winter months.PM me please.

Cindy

Thanks everyone for the replies .We are moving to larger workshop in August.
After 35 yrs in Conyer, we are going to be Faversham Sailmakers.
New creek side workshop will be a good place for running sail repair course.
Will let you know once we get set up and yes ,you can bring your own sails to practice on .
Cindy

 

[Poignard]

Thanks everyone for the replies .We are moving to larger workshop in August.
After 35 yrs in Conyer, we are going to be Faversham Sailmakers.
New creek side workshop will be a good place for running sail repair course.
Will let you know once we get set up and yes ,you can bring your own sails to practice on .
Cindy

That would definitely interest me. PM sent

 

[Courtshort]

Any info on a course gratefully received ... I anticipate sitting on a cold deck in the freezing rain making running repairs. It would be good to know I won't have to re-do them 'cos I got it right in the first place and I never have been any good at learning to do things from books so a practical course is what I need.

Thanks everyone for the replies .We are moving to larger workshop in August.
After 35 yrs in Conyer, we are going to be Faversham Sailmakers.
New creek side workshop will be a good place for running sail repair course.
Will let you know once we get set up and yes ,you can bring your own sails to practice on .
Cindy

 

[lancelot]

Sail Repair Course

Would love to. Unfortunately we live west of Cardiff. It is something I would be intersted in if there was any chance of a workshop nearer.
Brilliant idea.
Fair winds,
Lancelot

 

[Madhatter]

Would love to. Unfortunately we live west of Cardiff. It is something I would be intersted in if there was any chance of a workshop nearer.
Brilliant idea.
Fair winds,
Lancelot

Maybe a car pool if we can get a few together (depends on cost per head for course)

 

[William_H]

Sail repair

I have dabbled a bit with sail repair occasionally. It is usaully on an oldish sail and so you can't afford to worry about it not looking like a professional job. Repairs of seams or holes in the middle of the sail can be sewn with a domestic machine. get a big 16 needle and heavy polyester thread. I use Gutterman Upholstery thread. Always use a patch over a rip. Top try to pull the edges together will focus the stress on the repair. Unless you can bridge the gap with thread so keeping overall shape.
A patch can be cut to size and the edges heat sealed using a small soldering iron. This means you don't have to do a hem around the patch. A hem is best but can leave you with too many layers to sew through.
A light patch on both sides is best but a patch on one side with stiches over the frayed edges is OK.

You can buy sail repair tape which is like a light nylon more like spinnacker cloth with sticky back. You would need a patch each side and I think you need to sew it as well as stick. It is difficult top get an old sail really clean of salt etc for adhesive to stick.

Frequently a sail will fail at the corner (eyelet) I think big eyelets are best left to a sailmaker with correct mandrels for setting the eyelet. I think the most practical replacement is a SS ring held at the corner by webbing. The 1 inch wide stuff like seat belt webbing. The webbing is run for about 20cms along the edge of the sail on both sides and another along the other edge. Longer is stronger and another 1 or 2 pieces of webbing can pull into the middle of the sail. Almost certainly you will not be able to sew the multiple layers of cloth used in the corners with a domestic machine. You can use light whipping twine and a heavy needle to hand sew. It is difficult to push the needle through the webbing and cloth (and webbing again). Try a pair of pliers. Or you can use an electric drill with small bit to make a hole for the needle. Typical spacing of stitches might be 5 mm. You can pull 2 threads through all the fabric or just pull one thread through. 2 threads is stronger and easier to tie off however strength is probably limited by the sail cloth rather than the thread.
I think it is great an expert is offering a course on sail repair to those nearby. To the rest I say just give it a go. olewill

 

[reginaldon]

Cindy did a job for me - good & reasonable
- and she is a keen sailor with a small classic boat

 

[Poignard]

Anybody interested in a sail repair course?
We spend a lot of time doing very basic repairs that Im sure the practical yottie can do themselves.
This would be in Kent .It would be nice to know if its worth offering something like a day in the winter months.PM me please.

Cindy

Winter's here! Any plans to run the sail repair course?

 

[Moodyjim]

Me to, but I do live in Kent so there!
I'll come.

 

[Lodesman77]

Another one definitely interested...

 

[st599]

I too would be interested.

 

[dslittle]

Anybody interested in a sail repair course?
We spend a lot of time doing very basic repairs that Im sure the practical yottie can do themselves.
This would be in Kent .It would be nice to know if its worth offering something like a day in the winter months.PM me please.

Cindy

I was just about to send my genny off to get the leech line cover velcro re done. I might well hold off on that and try to do it myself if this happens!!! PM sent

 

[Lady Campanula]

Would love to. Unfortunately we live west of Cardiff. It is something I would be intersted in if there was any chance of a workshop nearer.
Brilliant idea.
Fair winds,
Lancelot

Similar comments - and still to far to travel - but an excellent initiative.

Maybe this could make an excellent PBO article-series....

( Hello? Anyone there...? )

 

[PetiteFleur]

Yes could well be interested, particularly in hand repairs and basic machine stuff, any chance of basic sewing machines being sourced for purchase as part of the course, or is that taking it a bit to far.

Basic domestic sewing machines with both straight & zigzag stitches can be bought cheaply from your local auction rooms. The one I use often has machines that go for anything from 10 to £50 - with older straight stitch Singer 'black' machines going for about £20 - £30.
These machines will do basic sewing through about up to 3 layers of sailcloth.