Sails - cleaning and UV strips

[mireland]

I have a genoa with a 37 foot leech with a rotted UV strip. I have been quoted 500 squid to wash the sail, remove the rotted strip and replace it. The sail cloth itself is however in very good condition. Sadly I cannot afford £500! So I thought I would bite the bullet and unsew the UV strip myself and then wash the sail in the garden. Can anyone tell me how to wash the sail. Can I use a pressure washer very carefully? What kind of detergent if any? If I do not replace the UV strip how much am I compromising the life of the sail etc? Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[tillergirl]

I paid £250 for a new UV strip last winter and flushing and cleaning so £500 squids looks a little high. The UV strip has rotted because of UV. The sun will do that to your sail if there is no UV strip! The decision is yours! Pressure washer. I wouldn't high pressure it. I think (but don't know) that it would damage the fabric.

 

[VicS]

About £350 IIRC for one nearly that size (31 ft boat) last year.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Your sail will deteriate fairly fast without a uv strip, say 2 seasons until it is done.
I just had a new genoa, with 33'6" leach 16' foot and 32' luff made by Hong Kong sails for just a little over what you were quoted for the wash/repair.
You could always take down the sail when moored up for any period to save uv damage and prolong its life.
As for washing I will leave that one to a more knowledgeable forumite.
Iam such a slow typer!

 

[Alfie168]

Don't know about the UV strip, but for washing I'd use plenty of warm water and a liquid detergent like Persil Silk & Wool which is pH neutral, contains no gritty particles, no bleach and no enzymes, and I'd wash it by hand using a soft scrubbing brush wih a fairly gentle motion (not one of those hard nylon bristle ones).

Salt crystals can do a lot of damage so you might like to give it a pre-soak if you can, or just wash it down with warm water a few times before you scrub it if the bath is not big enough

Rinse well then suspend it if you can to dry. I think you can 'press' sails...but I'm not the one to ask for this..and I might be wrong.

I did my old Ratsey Enterprise sails like this and they came up quite nicely.

Tim

 

[chrisbailey]

IMO UV strips are a waste of time and money. they spoil the shape of the sail and offer no benefit, On my present boat which I have had for 22 years I am on my forth genoa having change about every 7 years but only because they have stretched a bit out of shape and not because of any UV deteriation. My second sail I sold to a friend 8 years ago and he is still using it and there is still no UV deteriation. The other sails were also sold to happy buyers.
So I would remove the UV strip and carry on using the sail.
As for washing my main and genoa cost about £120 last year at Dolphin Sails this is for a 32footer. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Aeolus]

You could try a genoa sock - a sail cover for the genoa. It takes maybe 5 minutes to put on and off but protects the sail and avoids the need for a UV strip. Mine cost about £230 for 11.5 metres so one for your boat might cost a little bit more.

 

[Dave99]

sounds a bit high

 

[nigelhudson]

This seems over the top. My genoa is probably slightly larger than yours. I paid £120 for a UV strip to be added by Arun Sails in 2005 - there was no old one to replace. I paid about £70 this last winter to have the same sail valeted.

If you choose not to fit a UV strip then you would be well-advised to remove the sail and stow it if you do not intend to use it for a few days or more.

 

[Alfie168]

I have a genoa sock, and its really very convenient and provides excellent protection. Its really so little bother i'd recommend one to anyone, but I wince at some of the prices being quoted for a length of material with a long zip and a loop in the top to attach the spinny halyard to.

I can see Mrs A being press ganged into making a copy of my current one with her faithful Bernina sewing machine at this rate. Its not rocket science to her even though it is to me.

Tim

 

[mireland]

Thanks everyone for lots of good ideas. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Alfie168]

I thought of it first /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

http://ezinearticles.com/?Cleaning-Sails&id=27847

Tim

 

[graham]

Have a chat with Josh Brown Severn Sails. Im sure he could do you a much better deal than that and is in Sully near Barry.

Severn Sails