Custom Sails, Sail Repair, Rigging
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Sail Repair
With our spacious loft floor, we can handle all of your sail repair needs. Why is this important? Whether replacing or placing a new suncover, or performing a repair, it is imperative to "spike" the sail out so that any repairs do not result in changing the sail shape. The only way to do this is to lay the sail out fully and keep it from moving as we work. Bring your sails in for an inspection and consultation today.
A stitch in time...sails require periodic inspection and servicing. Sacrificial sun covers on roller furling headsails are especially prone to thread deterioration. Bring them in at the first sign of a breakdown for a simple re-stitch to avoid costly repairs or replacement of the entire sun cover.
Know when to take your sails to an expert.
It's ironic that many sailboat owners will go to great lengths to properly winterize their auxiliary engine but do nothing more to the real engine of their boat-the sails-short of taking them off the boat to be stored in the basement. Sails are durable and can last a long time, but a bit of care throughout the season, and certainly at the end of the season, or a least annually for year-round sailors, can extend their useful life.
Before putting the sails away for the year you should spread them out and carefully look at each seam, batten pocket and corner reinforcement for broken stitching. The stitching in ultraviolet protected covers is particularly vulnerable and should be thoroughly inspected for wear and tested for weakness. In the loft we just scratch the stitching to see if we can break the thread with moderate pressure and if we can in numerous areas, we recommend that the entire UV cover be resewn.
Sunbrella ultraviolet covers wear very well but the lighter-weight Dacron covers wear out after a number of seasons and the cover will need to be replaced. The test is to try to rip small tears by hand. If it tears like paper it's time to bring the sail to us to see if it can be repaired, or if it must be replaced. Of course, if there is a tear in the sail or cover you'll want to get it fixed properly so you can sail with confidence next year.
Next, look at the luff tapes of genoas for tears along the cord that goes into the foil. On jibs and genoas that have hanks, look at the grommets to be certain they're not ripping out of the luff tape. Mains should have all the slugs, slides and attachment shackles or webbing inspected. Missing slides or shackles need to be replaced and loose or worn webbing replaced or resewn.
Also, check the area of the sail that rubs on the spreaders, pulpits and stanchions for excessive wear. These areas are particularly prone to wear and damage despite whatever protection you might have in place. If there are noticeable marks on the sail you should have spreader reinforcement patches sewn on. This is important for all sails but absolutely necessary for laminated sails.
