Sails and maintenance
Modern sails of polyester fiber (terylene, dacron) do not have t o be streched and
worked in. Provided they are not subjected to abnormal forces, they will keep the form
given b y the sailmaker. Consequently, one can just hoist a suit o f new sails and sail
away. Sails, however, do require some maintenance. What spoils the sails is chafing,
too much flogging, over stretching, wrinkles, moisture, dirt, salt, mildew and direct
exposure to the sun. Some parts of the sail are more vunerable t o chafe than others.
The head and clew, batten pockets, the luff and foot where pulled into the mast and
boom are particularly exposed. The parts of the sails which come into contact with the
spreaders and shrouds are particularly liable to b e damaged. Modern synthetic sail
cloth is much stronger than cotton and not so soft which means that the stitching
does not sink into the cloth as it does on cotton sails.
This means that the stiching is exposed and likely to be chafed. It
is
necessary to
check the seams and t o carry out repairs before the damage becomes too extensive.
Temporary repairs can be made with tape. Flogging spoils the sails and should be
avoided. W e t sails should b e dried by spreading them out in the sun and only in a
very light wind should they b e hoisted to dry.
Wrinkles make the sails less effective. Sails should, therefore, not be stuffed into
bags which are too small. It is best to fold sails parallel t o the foot and then t o roll
them loosely around the luff. A sail must of course b e dry before being bagged. It is
easiest t o detect the presence of moisture by feeling the tack. Dirt and mildew may
not damage a sail but they look unsightly. Salt makes sails heavier and it also attracts
moisture which will make them heavier still. Salt is best removed b y hosing the sail
with fresh water.
Polyester fibres are resistent to sun but age faster if exposed to too much sun. Pro-
tect the mainsail with a cover when it is left on the boom or remove it from the boom
and take it below. Dirty sails can be washed in luke warm water and a mild detergent.
If
the sail is too big t o b e rinsed in a bath tub, spread
it
on a floor, hose it with fresh
water and scrub it with a soft brush. Grease can be removed with trichlorethylene.
In winter the sails should b e clean and dry and folded loosely in their bags. They
should be stored in a dry, well ventilated place.
More general advice
A line between the handrails of the aft cabin can make it easy for someone t o climb
on board up the footsteps on the transom.
A
foot stool of the right height can make
it
more comfortable at the helm on a long
run.
The interior accommodation can be improved with hooks, plastic bins etc., fitted
according t o your own needs.
Nets called donkey hammocks slung under the roof of the aft cabin can give extra
stowage for clothes, etc.
Try t o plan regular safety exercises such as man overboard drill, fire drill and what
you would do in case of collision, fog, storm, engine trouble, etc.
A t least one person besides yourself should b e able t o handle the boat in case some-
thing should happen to you.
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