Vacuum packed sails

[webcraft]

Anyone tried using those big vacuum storage bags to put spare sails in? These would be our old sails, only to be brought out in the event of primary sail failure . . . so a few creases wouldn't really matter. I thought it might subtantially reduce the amouint of space they take up on board.

- Nick

 

[FullCircle]

They work very well on our 14 tog double duvet, very good space saving results. They are as powerful as your hoover....

 

[pampas]

Where can these be obtained from?

 

[webcraft]

The only disadvantage I can see is that hard creases will develop, but as they will only be coming out of the bag in an emergency I don;t think it matters . . . I wouldn't do it with new sails ful of resin though.


- Nick

 

[William_H]

Or be realistic and accept that you will never use the old sails so sell em.
olewill

 

[webcraft]

[ QUOTE ]
Or be realistic and accept that you will never use the old sails so sell em.

[/ QUOTE ] - not so realistic when planning offshore / ocean passages . . . spares are good things to have on board.

- Nick

 

[Topcat47]

You'd need to check this with a sailmaker, but modern sailcloth shouldn't be folded too tightly. I've seen a mainsail break up after a prolonged period folded in a sailbag at the bottom of a heap (over three years in this case). The terylene broke across a crease, (well a number of them).

 

[vyv_cox]

Argos, Lakeland Plastics, many places. We use them for clothes, waterproofs, bedding etc. Save a huge amount of space. I wouldn't be concerned about putting old sails in them, assuming the filler has mostly been lost. I would hesitate before putting my good ones in them, though. Our 12V vacuum cleaner makes a reasonable job of evacuating them.