ZigZag or lockstitch for sail repairs ?

[Jmc1764]

When doing minor repairs to sails is it necessary to have fancy zigzag stitching or is plain old lockstitch good enough ?

 

[Plum]

When doing minor repairs to sails is it necessary to have fancy zigzag stitching or is plain old lockstitch good enough ?

I have successfully used two parallel rows of straight stitching instead of zigzag stitching for replacing sacrificial strip and for re-shaping a topsail.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Lucy52]

When to Use a Straight or Zigzag Stitch - Sailrite

In the table they will tell you to use zig zag as it allows for stretch and sail shape. But for a small repair does it matter, you can buy sail repair tape which uses glue.

 

[wilkinsonsails]

Straight or lock stitch is fine with smaller thread sizes on a a domestic machine .Reduce the thread tensions on older softer finish sails as this can cause puckering .
As Lucy says an adhesive backed fabric will work well for smaller areas .Chafe or finger sized holes can be patched with insignia cloth ,rather than sewing .