Sail Re-juvination

I was going to start this process as a business about 15 years ago but never got around to it. Last night I tried it on one of my old jibs, again with great success and thought I will never do it as a business so decided to share.

Making your sail crisp again. You can with very little effort. When I first started this I was racing lasers and my then sail was like a bag, stretched out and useless. I measured each panel then I hoisted the sail cranked it on and measured the panels again. I discovered at least 5mm stretch per panel, any wonder the sail was useless (except for light air).

I decided to try and fix it because money was tight and I could not afford another sail. It works perfectly.

So this is the process to making your old sail like new again. The results are astounding, I went on to use that sail successfully for many more years.

Mix polyester resin with mentholated spirits (20% metho) This thins out the resin and makes it easier to work. Then work the resin into the sail, one side only needed, with a rag. Try to spread it as much as you can as you don’t need to soak the sail, the resin only need to be rubbed into the surface. I use about 250ml per 8m2 of sail. That is about $10. Leave the sail a day or so and you will have a crisp sail again. Leave for about a week then use. You have just saved thousands on the cost of a new sail.

Try measuring the sail before you do this and then again after the week, under load. You will see no stretch at all.

Email me if you need any further help and I would like to hear some results back also. wegosurfing48@yahoo.com.

 

Your process may work fine, and for people not racing I'm certain there may be merit in further investigation.

For people racing one design boats, this would probably run into trouble with class rules and measuring, especially in a highly regulated class like a Laser. Alterations to material composition and addition of any type of coating would be grounds for protest and subsequent disqualification. For club racing I'm sure folks will look the other way, especially if you aren't winning. For a regatta, what you are doing may be cheating, and would require you to inform the RC and measurer for a ruling.

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Bill