Sail Ties ... Just curious

[justsomeguy]

Aft-flakers and mast-flakers. Too funny!

I'm an aft-man myself.
Unless the admiral has a free hand, I've got the halyard under my foot slowly dropping the sail, watching how the luff falls and correspondingly flakin' that aft like nobody's business, tying off as I go forward.

Now I can't get that aft outta my head.

 

[LeeandRick]

Now that you folks have made me think about this, guess I'm bi. I start at the mast as I let the sail down and flake the luff and then move to the aft end and work my way forward cleaning up and tying.

"Your Mrs is right. It's going to be a long winter - they all are. Give her a tip of my hat."

We sure hope so, It's our sailing season.

 

[Jackdaw]

Our best practice for main lowering; a person at the mast AND a person aft at boom end. We can do this with 2 or 5. The full battens on the laminated sail and track system help. If 2 it's a bit more tricky, Jodi goes to the mast, I stay aft and ease the halyard in 1-flake increments while moving forward. If solo I still start aft. The full battens and very stiff sail make it easy to have each flake fall onto the boom.

Here we have 2 new people (a sub and an extra) on board but it goes fine. If its just our regular 4 this happens without a word being said. After a race you can see why we don't just use lengths of old halyards or sheets! ;^)

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Now I've seen everything … 4 pages on sail ties …. 5 sailors flaking a sail on a 27' boat! (actually, I'm jealous - I'm always doing this job alone … I haven't developed the right training exercises. I can see that now!) I figured there was enough said already, but we may as well keep this thing going!

 

[Jackdaw]

Now I've seen everything … 4 pages on sail ties …. 5 sailors flaking a sail on a 27' boat!

Welcome to SBO! Apparently we can post ad nauseam about ANYTHING. ;^)

Normally its just 1, 2 or 4 doing it. But anytime we have new/extra people on the boat, we teach them 'the system'. If its just Jodi and I out for a fun sail, normally she's wearing a bikini. So I'm not posting that. ;^)

 

[dlochner]

Now I've seen everything … 4 pages on sail ties …. 5 sailors flaking a sail on a 27' boat! (actually, I'm jealous - I'm always doing this job alone … I haven't developed the right training exercises. I can see that now!) I figured there was enough said already, but we may as well keep this thing going!

Well, it is more interesting and practical than pretending we're all admiralty lawyers and arguing about ColRegs for 18 pages in 353 posts.

 

[Apex]

..... If its just Jodi and I out for a fun sail, ..... ;^)

add that to the proxy boat babe thread?

 

[dlochner]

If its just Jodi and I out for a fun sail, normally she's wearing a bikini.

This is a well known cause of tan lines.

 

[Dalliance]

One of the biggest considerations one has when contemplating buying something online when one lives aboard in the Caribbean, is shipping and time. This can drastically change the cost of even the cheapest item. A $34.00 item just cost me $105.00 shipped to Trinidad. Sometimes it's just easier, quicker and cheaper and get out the old sail sewing bag and stitch something together. lol

Wow. Shipping charges like that would definitely motivate me to stitch something together too.

 

[Nashville_Blues]

I'm a little late to this thread - but I just received an order of sail ties from "Sewn Sails". They are made in USA and top quality. Sewn Sails Home No more bungee for me!

 

[dlochner]

Webbing is pretty cheap, I make my own from a roll of webbing like this one (amazon link).

Rather than sewing, use a grommet to hold the loop.

 

[Head Sail]

Go to a boat show (if they do that anymore). They give them out as props.

 

[PaulK]

Go to REI or some other outfitter. Buy bulk one inch wide nylon webbing in 6 foot lengths. Take one end, flip it into a loop and hand sew it into a tie. Two bucks apiece!

We buy the roll so we pick the color and can make them longer if we want. No loops for us. The tubular webbing is easier to untie and seems to hold up longer than the straight, flat kind.

 

[jnorten]

I prefer not to "squeeze" my sail tight with bungees, but I can be a bit anal retentive. When flaking, sailmakers do say keep the folds loose to as to not permanently crease the sail.

I too use old spare line around the boat and tie a simple square knot--tight enough to just ever so slightly pull up on the bottom of the flakes that hang below the boom.

If I were going the webbing route, then I wouldn't sew the loop; I'd tie a small bowline and feed the loose end through the bowline's loop. I've done this for other applications and it works well.

 

[jssailem]

I have found this webbing with clips to be convenient as sail ties.

Come in a variety of colors. I have a couple of long ones for the 2 near the mast a couple of mid length and a couple of short ones near the end of the boom. They are quick to apply and do a good job of holding the flaked sail on the boom.

Available from a number of the usual resources.

Sail Ties, 1" Wide X 62" Long, Polypro Webbing w/ Quick Release Clip 4 Pc. Set at Amazon.​

 

[Terry Cox]

Made my own sail ties out of bungee cord like these: https://www.amazon.com/Bungee-Qtima...d=1&keywords=sail+ties&qid=1612051604&sr=8-24

I've tried the regular sail ties that use nylon webbing with a loop sewn in one end. Dislike them. The ones I make are much easier to handle, take less time to install and remove. I made them in different lengths, longer to fit the main toward the mast, then shorter towards the end of the boom. Each one is marked for the correct boom location, one through four.

 

[quadrille38]

Made my own sail ties out of bungee cord like these: https://www.amazon.com/Bungee-Qtima...d=1&keywords=sail+ties&qid=1612051604&sr=8-24

I've tried the regular sail ties that use nylon webbing with a loop sewn in one end. Dislike them. The ones I make are much easier to handle, take less time to install and remove.

Funny story - well funny now, at the time was seriously not funny
I had some similar to these on previous boat. One day after a sail I was tidying up when we returned to the marina. Took those wonderful sail ties and wrapped one around the sail and boom and went to hook the ball through the loop. Ball slipped and with high velocity swung away from me and under the boom. It was magically just the right length that is struck me high up right between the legs. Knocked the wind out of me and I doubled up and fell to the deck.

When I recovered I took the whole bunch and deposited them in the dumpster.
From then on used webbing - it’s not a loaded weapon LOL

 

[MikeHoncho]

Amazon- Polypropylene 1 “webbing sold by Country Brook Design is the cheapest. I did a bunch of research on it for a project. The a square knot with a bight. No need for a loop sewn in the end

 

[garymalmgren]

Nobody mentioned a centipede.
Will take a photo and post next time I get out to the boat.
gary

 

[thinwater]

With full batten sails you don't use sail ties or reefing ties in many cases. They are just not needed. Just sayin'.

• With lazy jacks the reefed sail will stay in place in gale conditions. Done it many times. More than that, the sail would be down.
• Furled the cover will hold it. But the lazy jacks are enough at anchor.
• My F-24 rolls on the boom. Special case.

My Stiletto did not have lazy jacks, so yeah, I used ties (straps with clips). Bungees are harder to get right and don't hold as firmly.