Tiny holes in elderly sails

Greenheart

Greenheart

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 Dec 2010
Messages
10,384
Visit site
I've two sets of sails, neither remotely new. It's not entirely clear which is the newer set. In places they're perfectly okay, elsewhere they look quite crumpled, and there are occasional holes in material which is otherwise fairly crisp. I'm not sure if a hole that small (3mm) is worth patching.

Given my relaxed sailing style, how long-lasting is a mend with sail-repair tape likely to be? I'm mainly concerned with preventing tiny holes growing into disasters. I'm looking at this... http://www.force4.co.uk/1356/Force-4-Heavy-Duty-Sail-Repair-Tape.html

...in hopes of avoiding having to patch it up in a clumsier fashion. Any good advice?
 
dancrane said:
I've two sets of sails, neither remotely new. It's not entirely clear which is the newer set. In places they're perfectly okay, elsewhere they look quite crumpled, and there are occasional holes in material which is otherwise fairly crisp. I'm not sure if a hole that small (3mm) is worth patching.

Given my relaxed sailing style, how long-lasting is a mend with sail-repair tape likely to be? I'm mainly concerned with preventing tiny holes growing into disasters. I'm looking at this... http://www.force4.co.uk/1356/Force-4-Heavy-Duty-Sail-Repair-Tape.html

...in hopes of avoiding having to patch it up in a clumsier fashion. Any good advice?
Click to expand...

Ignore 'em & see what happens. Chances are that nowt will happen, but keep an eye on them & patch any that show signs of ripping. Do it with a light sailcloth & hand stitch or machine zigzag.
 
I have used the lightweight spinnaker repair tape, but on a tent not a sail. Pretty good stuff but it's not a substitute for a proper stitched repair
 
No quote from Searush for some reason but there was supposed to be.

Yer can't do that. If you aren't sailing with the maximum performance possible you will die a 'orrible death. And you will get an unrewarding feel from your tiller.

I must admit that my sails set quite well but my Mums are very old and only set, but if you don't beat it doesn't matter.
If you do beat and you are happy it doesn't matter either, hold the tiller and smile.
 
Last edited:
aquaplane said:
I must admit that my sails set quite well but my Mums are very old and only set, but if you don't beat it doesn't matter.
If you do beat and you are happy it doesn't matter either, hold the tiller and smile.
Click to expand...

Not 100% certain of your meaning, Aquaplane, but I'm inferring that my sailing style would have to be even more relaxed than it is, for holey sails to be acceptable.

I'll bear that in mind, thanks! ;)
 
dancrane said:
I'm inferring that my sailing style would have to be even more relaxed than it is, for holey sails to be acceptable.
Click to expand...

A 3mm hole isn't going to affect performance. I guess the point was that if your sails are old enough to have holes in them, then they're probably also (but unrelatedly) out of shape.

Personally I reckon you should stick some spinnaker tape over the holes and go sailing. You'll be happy, even if not achieving 100% of what the boat should be capable of. Getting your hands on some less ancient sails can come after that, perhaps.

Pete
 
prv said:
Getting your hands on some less ancient sails can come after that, perhaps.
Click to expand...

That's not 'perhaps', it's a definite...no budget for new sails, yet. So, it's make do and apply repair-tape, I reckon.

You'd advise the light spinnaker tape rather than heavy-duty?
 
Ive had plenty of experience of nursing old sails. Wouldn't mess about with stitching or spinnaker tape. Id get some proper heavy duty sail repair tape and apply it with a good overlap on both sides. Will last ages and stop the sail ripping.

For small holes, use something round (glass or cup) to get a circle. Less chance patch will rub off.

It really does work, used it loads.
 
dancrane said:
You'd advise the light spinnaker tape rather than heavy-duty?
Click to expand...

Um, not specifically, sorry. I was using the term to refer to all sail-repair tape, as we did during my brief racing career many years ago. I guess it was only ever spinnakers that we needed to tape up :)

Pete
 
dancrane said:
That's not 'perhaps', it's a definite...no budget for new sails, yet. So, it's make do and apply repair-tape, I reckon.

You'd advise the light spinnaker tape rather than heavy-duty?
Click to expand...

This is for a dinghy ??

Id would definitely use the spinnaker repair tape if tape is to be the way forward
 
When your running before gale off the horn and your sailes carry away you will have wished you had done summat,dont ruin a ship for an apporth of tar.......
 
Dear god, Dan, just go & sail the bloody thing, that's what it's for. Make your mistakes & rip or stretch the rubbish sails. In a couple of years time maybe you will be able onto tell the difference between good & bad sails, but not in the first season. Small holes are no problem at all, there was a time when it was "fashionable" to make holes in the sail to improve "efficiency".

Ignore the racing freaks & posers, just pootling around on the water is fine, in fact, in many ways it is far better than stressing all the time about your boat being better than the next one.
 
Thank you gents, overall, that's pretty reassuring!

If I seem reluctant to sail a boat that needs wide-ranging TLC, it's only because I hope to prevent minor issues becoming prohibitively costly major ones.

I read recently that a new Osprey would be upward of £9,000...and I'm sure I could pay twice what my oldie cost me, just on a new genoa or rudder blade...

...so I tend to believe the old kit needs some care and diligent refurbishment if it's going to endure...

...although I'll probably worry less, once I get going...and I'll remember how good I'm not, at actually sailing...:rolleyes:
 
I the old days, you matched the weight (strength) of the patch to the original sail so that they moved together, and didn't destroy the weaker of the two - so you DON'T put a heavy patch on a light sail unless you want a bigger hole...
I think the main thing is to prevent the existing holes developing into tears. What caused them in the first place ? if they're chaffing, then light tape will probably contain the problem.
I'd be interested to know if anyone had successfully stopped fraying by heatsealing with a hot pin.
 
Ask your sailmaker for offcuts of insignia cloth,that sticks very well ( better than rips top repair tape).Quite a lot of small holes can be easily patched on a pretty permanent basis.
Cindy
 
My boat had very elderly sails when I bought her, and the place they rip first is along the dotted line, i.e. the seams. The main tore along the clew due entirely to the strength of the wind, we had to put the third reef in. Once the sailcloth becomes weakened with age and sunlight, it does what any solid material does, fractures along lines of weakness or discontinuity.

What do you think made the holes, by the way? Mice, or perhaps abrasion springs to mind. Holes don't generally just appear out of nowhere. In either case I'd tape them up on a sail that hasn't weakened as described above, to stop the hole spreading. Then sew a patch over it to stop something catching in it and kippering the sail. It will only happen at the most inappropriate or inconvenient moment if you don't.
 
Good thoughts, thanks. I reckon the hole(s) may be the result of long periods folded flat with something weighty placed on top, then a sudden change in the position of the fold, doubling the bend where it crossed the previous crease...(I've really no idea)...

...my only reluctance to attempt patching, comes from a fear that a small hole might be the instigator of a larger zone of problems, including numerous stitch-holes and the less smooth passage of air across the sail. That might sound a bit too America's Cup for an old boat which may never be driven hard, but I'll probably have a try with the spinnaker-repair tape, first. Cheers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top