UV sail damage

[Justin_NSA]

Not a question really. More like a "be sure to inspect this" item. Every time I go out to get my boat ready for the season, some new problem arises. I was inspecting my headsail and I saw some damage at the head of the sail. It looks like UV damage. This sail is not that old. I think the small area is not protected by the sacrificial edge when the sail is furled. You can see in the pics that the fabric is deteriorated. Even some exposed luff cord at the very end.
I am going to have to take my sail down to Tulsa to get repaired, but also see if they can figure a way to protect the end from damage in the future

You may want to inspect your own headsail for damage and make sure it is protected from the sun.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

If you keep your boat in Kansas and have the sails exposed outdoors 8 months a year, I'm guessing that polyester in your image is about 7 or 8 years old?

 

[Gunni]

That area of the head sail is not protected and it deteriorates like yours. I once had my webbing release from the luff tape and sail, the sail collapsed onto the deck. Web stitching failed. Have your sailmaker rebuild the top of your sail. This the kind of thing you want to look for in the fall when you down rig, giving your sailmaker plenty of time to fix, and no down-time in the spring.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I'm not sure how old the sails are. The PO partnered with Wolf Sails at Perry lake and made these. They said it was the last set they made. I take them down every Fall, but I don't know if they did. You are right, I wish I had seen this damage in the Fall!

 

[SG]

If it's polyester thread (vs. Goretex, or some other thread) it's more susceptible to dry-rot and/or UV damage. Canvas work often shows this because it tends to be up year-around or much more consistently exposed.

As Gunni, and others suggested, you should just have it re-sewn and maybe reinforced. You can use a Spectra reinforcing and thread. That will last a a number of years, if done right.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Some of the fabric holding the bolt rope is actually gone. I called Kerr Sails in Tulsa and they are closed today. I sent him these pics. If he says he can do this I will personally drive it down there. It's about 3.5 hours away. I need to show some forward progress on this season. Every time I go out to her, something else needs work. Is this what they call a love-hate relationship?

 

[Gunni]

You could also bag it, stretch wrap it and ship ground. You have quite a bit of wear on the bolt rope cover too. It may be a good time to have the entire bolt rope tape replaced. Have your sailmaker do a thorough inspection of the sail. You can also do your own testing. Punch a fat sail needle through your sail, flex the sail and see if it pulls back together or disintegrates to a larger wound. Worst case at this point, repair it to last the season and plan on replacing it in the fall when the lofts offer off-season discounts.

 

[justsomeguy]

Is this what they call a love-hate relationship?

"Shipfitter's disease"
Seems to cover this ailment.

 

[Justin_NSA]

So, can anything be done to prevent this in the future? Is every furled headsail vulnerable to this, even with a sacrificial edge? Maybe Kerr sails will have a fix. I think we assume that since we have the edge, the sail is protected.
I posted this so others can avoid my situation.

 

[Gunni]

Every time I go out to her, something else needs work.

And always will. The labor effort and material cost of boat maintenance is the most overlooked, least prioritized aspect of boat ownership. You should see the maintenance requirements for the folks who got talked into +50ft cruisers.

 

[Gunni]

So, can anything be done to prevent this in the future? Is every furled headsail vulnerable to this, even with a sacrificial edge?

This is a wear item. Like tires on your car. The luff load on your sail resolves to that little strip of bolt tape, and the halyard attachment. So some of this is just material failure. I've seen guys pull the top right off a relatively new sail by getting all froggy with halyard tension and low-stretch lines. Especially the one's who run their halyards through powered winches!

 

[EV21]

Just reading and curious, is the consensus here that the deterioration is primarily result of UV or mechanical loads ?

 

[Justin_NSA]

Just reading and curious, is the consensus here that the deterioration is primarily result of UV or mechanical loads ?

I have contacted the loft I'm taking it to. He looked at the pictures and said it was UV damage. Typical, he said it it is not protected.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Just reading and curious, is the consensus here that the deterioration is primarily result of UV or mechanical loads ?

Definitely UV.
Polyester thread has an outdoor weather life of 5-8 years depending upon loads and latitude. It’s a wear item, as others have noted and needs to be replaced on a variable schedule based on annual inspection.
If you have canvas work done you should require the shop to use Goretex (Tenara) thread. It doesn’t degrade like polyester (although it’s not as strong initially, for equal diameter). Sunbrella fabrics will far outlast the thread unless you use Tenara.