To take down or not to take down

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L

La Bella Vita

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Jul 19, 2009
17
2 2001 410 Rock Hall
Hello

Last weekend I was informed at the dock by a fellow sailor that manufactures of sails recommend that you should not take down infurling
sails :). I have taken mine down for storage every season:neutral:. Has anyone heard of this before?
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
There are many ways to change the intent of someone's advise. I could say it is not necessary to remove the sails to storage and the listener may hear me say that it is good to leave them up.
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,695
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
On it's face, this is silly as it is always better to remove them for cleaning and proper storage at a sail loft, regardless of how they are fitted to the boat. Having said that, if the sail is free from salt, dirt and moisture and you can somehow keep it that way on the furler over winter storage, I know many folks who do just that without apparent problems.
 
NotCook

NotCook

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Dec 29, 2008
806
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Ross, good answer. I think I would ask my sailmaker.

On the other hand, I'll never forget walking through a marina in Annapolis in January several years ago and seeing a squirrel darting in and out from under the sail cover of a boat up on the hard...
 
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dscribner

dscribner

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Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
I'm with NotCook. If it's an hour job to keep some cold critter from using a bit of insulation for his nest, it's a no brainer. I have a trailerable, but during the winter anything worth chewing is in the spare bedroom. I wont' even trust them to the basement, 20 feet away.
 
C

COOL

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Feb 16, 2009
118
Islander 30 mkII Downtown Long Beach
La Bella Vita said:
Last weekend I was informed at the dock by a fellow sailor that manufactures of sails recommend that you should not take down infurling
sails.
Click to expand
In the case of a 'in the mast furling' main,
the furler's extrusion will bang around inside the
mast when the sail is removed. Your neighbors
will not appreciate that.
Otherwise, in the case of a roller furling headsail
or behind the mast furling main, I would remove
the sail anytime the boat will not be in use
for a period of a month or so. If I lived a great
distance from my boat, I would remove a furling headsail
when ever I left the boat.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,760
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
COOL said:
In the case of a 'in the mast furling' main,
the furler's extrusion will bang around inside the
mast when the sail is removed. Your neighbors
will not appreciate that.
Otherwise, in the case of a roller furling headsail
or behind the mast furling main, I would remove
the sail anytime the boat will not be in use
for a period of a month or so. If I lived a great
distance from my boat, I would remove a furling headsail
when ever I left the boat.
Click to expand
This is very easy to stop. Simply tie a hefty dock line to the bottom of the head board car with a nice bulky knot and raise it up the extrusion about half way. Tie of the dock line to the mast to hold it there and no more extrusion slapping.
 
C

COOL

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Feb 16, 2009
118
Islander 30 mkII Downtown Long Beach
Maine Sail said:
This is very easy to stop. Simply tie a hefty dock line to the bottom of the head board car with a nice bulky knot and raise it up the extrusion about half way. Tie of the dock line to the mast to hold it there and no more extrusion slapping.
Click to expand
That sounds like excellent advice,
for those that can stand to own such a device.
...and rig a 'flute stopper' as well.
 
Johnb

Johnb

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Jan 22, 2008
1,505
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
What about damage from freezing, especially during times when the water melts during the day and freezes again at night? Somehow you have to believe that sails removed, dried and put away are going to keep better than ones left out for several months.
 
Scott B

Scott B

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Sep 20, 2006
2,953
Hunter 33 Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada
La Bella Vita said:
Hello

Last weekend I was informed at the dock by a fellow sailor that manufactures of sails recommend that you should not take down infurling
sails :). I have taken mine down for storage every season:neutral:. Has anyone heard of this before?
Click to expand


Can't imagine any sail maker recommending leaving sails out to get wet and freeze / thaw for several months. In-mast does not protect the sail from getting wet. Only takes less than half hour to drop and bag the sail....
 
R

Ray Bowles

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Oct 6, 2008
857
Hunter, Island Packet, Catalina, San Juan 26,38,22,23 Kettle Falls, Washington
The best way to assess the condition of your sails at the end of the season requires holding them in your hands to inspect all seams, slugs and hanks.
After that why not fold/roll them up, bag and take home?
May we have a very brief winter my friends.
Ray
 
Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,323
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
If you want to take the manufacturer's advice..... contact the manufacturer... not your dock neighbor. If it was me... I'd remove it... that said I leave my main on year round... because I sail year round.
 
G

Gail R

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Apr 22, 2009
261
Pearson 34 Freeport, ME
dscribner said:
I'm with NotCook. If it's an hour job to keep some cold critter from using a bit of insulation for his nest, it's a no brainer. I have a trailerable, but during the winter anything worth chewing is in the spare bedroom. I wont' even trust them to the basement, 20 feet away.
Click to expand
Same here. Virtually every piece of fabric -- sails, dodger, interior cushions, even our sport-a-seats -- are stored indoors, in our gues bedroom. It got especially interesting this year with two boats being put away for the season. We have a just a little ranch and the spare bedroom is... full.

Not only is this better for the sails and material, it makes it easier to do boat projects on board as there is no worry about trashing the cushions when parts, tools, and what not are strewn all over the interior of the boat.
 
FastOlson

FastOlson

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Apr 8, 2010
2,238
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Gail R said:
Same here. Virtually every piece of fabric -- sails, dodger, interior cushions, even our sport-a-seats -- are stored indoors, in our guest bedroom. It got especially interesting this year with two boats being put away for the season. We have a just a little ranch and the spare bedroom is... full.

Not only is this better for the sails and material, it makes it easier to do boat projects on board as there is no worry about trashing the cushions when parts, tools, and what not are strewn all over the interior of the boat.
Click to expand
"Plus One" for this plan. Same thing we do. Same reasons.

LB
 
C

COOL

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Feb 16, 2009
118
Islander 30 mkII Downtown Long Beach
Joe said:
... that said I leave my main on year round... because I sail year round.
Click to expand
Precisely.
What exactly is this 'Freezing' thing everyone is citing?
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,695
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
COOL said:
Precisely.
What exactly is this 'Freezing' thing everyone is citing?
Click to expand
I vaguely recall doing this once or twice a few years ago. As I recall, the ritual involves removing the sails while handling cotter pins as the wind blows when temp is in the 50s or less and you can't feel your hands. Think it was in the Fall sometime.

Or maybe it was it a bad dream...:redface:
 
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