Sail repair

[Neil Parkhurst]

Does anybody know how to repair a sail, mine at the weekend ripped just infront of the batten pocket next to the bolt rope. Idon't really want to buy a new one yet. I real need it for the weekend as I am sailing a 10 hour race.

[iansmithofotley]

Hi Neil,

You could try Mike Rimmer at Sail Register (Ulceby, North Lincs.)

http://www.sailregister.co.uk/index.php

or

Richard Towers at North West Sails (Silsden, West Yorks.)

http://www.nwsails.co.uk/?page_id=21

I hope that this helps.

Ian (Yorkshire Dales S.C.)

[Neil Parkhurst]

Thanks Ian I have contacted Mike and I am taking it on Monday, looks like the old sail for a few weeks.

[Bob Carter]

I have always done these repairs myself. It is a common place for the sail to tear and it is quite an easy repair - although it is easier on old sails. Old sails used screws to hold the plastic batten end stops which are easily removed and replaced. Hydes more recently switched to rivetted batten endstops so you have to drill out the rivets. I found some stainless steel nuts and screws to replace the rivets with as an alternative to rerivetting them back after the repair. So after removing the batten endstops I effect the repair by stitching a length of tape over the damaged area. I use 2.5 inch wide strong teflon tape I bought from Hydes. It is the same stuff that they use at the foot and head of the sail. So you use about 4 inches of the tape to more than span the damaged area. Wrap it around the bolt rope symmetrically and stitch in place by hand using strong thread with a darning needle, thimble and pliers to pull the needle through the stong material. You have to stitch it tightly around the bolt rope by doing the first row of stitches right close beside the bolt rope (look how Hydes have done it). Then do another row of stitches along the outer edge of the tape again replicating the stitching Hydes have done on the sail. Once having done this all that is required is to replace the batten end stops. Once you have sourced the materials the repair takes a bit over an hour and you do not loose the use of your sail when it is at the chandlers.
If you have a tear at one batten pocket it is likely that you will get the same at other battens in time, so once having sourced the materials future repairs are easily dealt with.
Regards
Bob
PS It is good to see that Ian still reads our chat page many years after he sold his Sprint 15

[Neil Parkhurst]

Thanks Bob I think I will give it a try I cannot find any on the Hyde website but have found Pinnell and Bax

http://www.pinbax.com/index.asp?selecti ... ypeSearch=

Any of these any good

Think the article above will be useful for a lot of sailors.

[Bob Carter]

Thanks Bob I think I will give it a try I cannot find any on the Hyde website but have found Pinnell and Bax

http://www.pinbax.com/index.asp?selecti ... ypeSearch=

Any of these any good

Think the article above will be useful for a lot of sailors.

Hi Neil,
They do not look half as good. The stuff I use is really tough and it is already used on your sail at the head and foot. It is not self adhesive - I don't think self adhesive helps. The sail bunches along the bolt rope and this will soon cause the self adhesive stuff to peel off. Also the teflon bit is low friction which is very important when the sail slides up and down the slot.
It has never been on Hydes website. I rang them up and asked for some of it. They charged me about £8 and sent about a metre. They are very helpful. In the past I also scrounged some scraps of the coloured sailcloth for sail repairs.
If you are replacing rivets with screws and nuts make sure that they are short so they do not stick out and damage the sail when you roll it up. Grafham Chandlery had ones which were just the job. If you are calling Hydes you could get a handfull of the rivets when you get the tape
Cheers
Bob
PS If you have trouble with Hydes I have a bit of teflon tape you can have.

[Neil Parkhurst]

Thanks for your help Bob I will phone them tomorrow.

[Bob Carter]

Neil,
When you remove the batten end stops you will be sad to see the holes that have developed in the sail at the end of the batten. There is not much that you can do about it - they get hidden when you put the batten end stops back and do not seem to cause problems. But it does stress the importance of doing the following when you can afford a new sail:
1) Never use battens without first smoothing the sharp edges with sandpaper or a file. This is especially important at the front end which bears on the sailcloth inside the batten end stops.
2) Wrap several layers of insulation tape (or duck tape) round the front end of the battens to act as cushioning to prevent wear of the sailcloth.
Cheers
Bob

[Neil Parkhurst]

Should receive the tape from Hydesails in Fowey, Cornwall tomorrow I phoned a few Hyde distributors and these ones were the most helpful.