Drape over chairs or hang on a line to dry. Rinse all traces of Clorox from the sail. Use a mild solution of Clorox and soak the affected area in a tub for 20-30 minutes. Dry the sail before storing.ĭry brush the sail on both sides to remove dried blood. Rinse all traces of oxalic acid from the sail.

In the days of the square riggers, sailors scrubbed the wooden decks with this mild abrasive. Purchase this product over-the-counter at your local drugstore. Dry your sails before you stow them to prevent mildew. Drape them over chairs or hang on a line to dry. Rinse your sails several times to remove all traces of the cleaning solution. Sailmaker Dan Neri cautions never to use bleach on nylon spinnaker sails it could eat through the sail cloth! Instead, use a mild solution of detergent and water. Soak the affected area in a mild Clorox solution for 2-3 hours. Follow these easy steps:ĭry brush the sail on both sides to loosen the mold spores. Take care to use a non-destructive method to get rid of mold spores, mildew, rust, ink, blood, and adhesive numbers and decals. Remove headsails twice a year and wash as described above. Bathe them in a mild soap and water solution then rinse with fresh water. Keep salt and dirt particles from chafing sail seams. Circle worn areas with a pencil and repair to increase sail life. Check seam stitching throughout the headsail. The headsail foot takes a beating from tacking. Circle worn areas with a pencil and repair right away. Check across the sail for broken sewing stitches. Mark worn areas near the leech and have your sailmaker add spreader patches. Inspect Stitching and Cloth for Chafe.Įxamine zigzag and straight sewing stitches for wear or chafe along sail edges and panels. Watch for serious chafe and broken stitching on the outermost stitching.ġ. Two cords are sewn into the luff tape the outermost goes into the grooved furling extrusion and the innermost prevents the sail from jamming. Note the three rows of straight stitching on this furling headsail luff tape (right). Look for webbing reinforcement separation or wear near clew rings (left). Check every inch of your mainsail and headsails.

Tack and clew