Cleaning Old Sails

Mar 31, 2012
139
Nord Cantieri 38 St Marys
I have a few sails that came with our boat that have not been used in many years. We actually had them in a storage closet where it was not the best conditions for them. A bit damp and musty.

What would be the best solution to clean them in. I am thinking of soaking them in warm soapy water in our large jacuzzi tob.

Thanks,
S
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,085
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Other people will weigh in, and the search function is your friend. I have two thoughts.

1) If you are in a hurry, contact a local sail loft and ask them for advice.
2) Your jacuzzi has chlorine in it (I assume), and I don't know what, if any, detrimental effect that could have on sailcloth, or the thread used in the sewing.

Good luck.
 
Jul 14, 2015
840
Catalina 30 Stillhouse Hollow Marina
I had green mold on a sail when I bought my boat. Ispread it out on the driveway and cleaned it with Oxyclean and a push broom. Let it soak for an hour and rinsed it twice.
 
Jun 2, 2004
153
Beneteau 393 Lake Texoma, Texas
We just received our 12 year old sails back from SailCare. I cannot compliment the results enough. As we are blessed with a 12 month sailing season here in Texas, SailCare expedited the cleaning, resin treatmentf, and several repairs in a. Dry short period. The sails look and feel like new. Given your description of the condition of your sails, I would highly recommend that you have them reconditioned by SailCare. I have no connection with SailCare other than being a highly satisfied customer.
 
Dec 1, 1999
2,391
Hunter 28.5 Chesapeake Bay
To me, it all depends on the basic condition of the sailcloth. If the cloth is still basically sound and the sails have not been blown out, I, too, would recommend SailCare. They do a really good job, but are somewhat pricey. If the material is really soft or the shape blown out, I'd spread them out on the driveway and clean them with a mild liquid soap and soft brush and let them dry thoroughly before folding.
 
Mar 31, 2012
139
Nord Cantieri 38 St Marys
The problem with sending them to Sail Care is that shipping them there and back is going to be EXPENSIVE!!!
 
Jun 21, 2007
2,117
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
Forum members probably are getting tired of me posting about one of my favorite products, but here I go again.

If your sails also have rust stains in places, normal soap/detergent and water won't lighten them at all. Instead "The Works" tile and tub cleaner from Dollar Tree has oxalic acid as one of its ingredients. (https://www.dollartree.com/The-Works-16-oz-Tub-Shower-Cleaner/p6065/index.pro) It will lighten/remove rust stains from sails. Might take a few applications, but after each one, the stain will be lighter. I haven't noticed any degradation to my Dacron sail fabric or threads. (Dacron/Polyester are a type of plastic after all and The Works comes in a plastic bottle). I just squirt some of The Works into a jar or glass or plastic cup and then dab it on the rust-stained area. I rinse the sail afterward just to remove any remaining residue.
 

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Damp, musty and a bit mildewed - sail them more, a few days in the sun and the breeze, put away dry does wonders. My PO did not sail much and was a big proponent of, and used Sail Care. The sail appearance was good. I looked at SC, talked to their very pleasant folks, and couldn't figure out what it was that they do beyond a branding "de mauney" or some such. I couldn't find a single local sailmaker who endorsed their process, or even the notion that sails should be scrubbed/washed white and resin treated. By the way, my oh-so-white crisp mainsail came to pieces the year after I took possession.
 

MitchM

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Jan 20, 2005
1,031
Nauticat 321 pilothouse 32 Erie PA
Sail Care for sail cleaning, sail repair, new sails, roller furlings and ...
www.sailcare.com/
Count on Sail Care for sail cleaning, sail repair, new sails, roller furlings and sailing ... Sail Care - 410 9th Street, Ford City, PA 16226 * Phone 800-433-7245 or ...

i used this company 's service on a main and jib that were 20 years old when i bought the boat. the price to redo them was quite reasonable, shipping was not bad. they also do quality repairs. they have a proprietary treatment they put on after cleaning that really renews the strength of the fabric. it was pretty amazing how clean and good those sails were when they came back, both in performance and in looks.. and when i sold that boat 10 years later, the surveyor rated the sails ' good.' !
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
I have got my sails looking brighter and whiter soaking them in Oxyclean. I would probably get a wading pool to do it outside, with a plastic top buffet table (you know the ones with the molded resin plastic that looks like a Suncast plastic shed or deck box? Not the ones with a laminate over particleboard top surface. You'll ruin those soaking them with wet sails) to pull the sails up over and examine stitching, holes for repair, and stains to scrub with a brush and Bartender's Friend for rust stains (easy to get oxalic acid with detergent.) Note that if you try to do it in the bathtub, bronze piston hanks WILL scratch a porcelain finish with grey marks. (Ask me how I know! :D)

Most sailmakers do offer cleaning services. As far as Sailcare goes, many people are thrilled with their service, which also includes repairs as part of the package, which they will provide a quote before work begins. However, I am completely skeptical of their re-resining process. Not sure what it is really going to do for you.

Remember that old sails are usually blown out. They are stretched, and do not respond well to sail controls. Therefore, they will be constantly over-powered, slow, cause excessive heeling, and probably won't point as well as they ought to. Any kind of re-resining process will not put a blown sail back into good sailing shape. Sometimes, you might be able to have a moderately blown sail re-cut for better shape, but for how long?

I think 2 determined people with a wading pool, buffet table to pull the sails up over, and a weekend, can get better looking sails on the cheap.
 
Jan 22, 2008
80
Gulf 29 Little Current, ON
+1 for Sailcare. I was very satisfied with their services and the results.
 
Jul 5, 2010
161
Oday 22, Mariner, Challenger 15 Michigan
I wouldn't send a sail to Sailcare for cleaning. I once sent them a newer sail to have reef points installed but they also cleaned it even though I had asked them not to. When I got it back, all of the crispness in the fabric was gone. It now feels and handles like an old worn out sail. I have also tried their re-resining of used sails. They may look nice afterwards, but they don't perform anywhere near like a new sail does.
 

Pat

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Jun 7, 2004
1,250
Oday 272LE Ninnescah Yacht Club, Wichita, Ks.
I concur on the use of Sailcare, in Ford City, PA....We've used them several times and the sails come back like new. Pat
 
Oct 6, 2007
1,121
Hunter H30 1982 Chicago IL
I sent my not so old and in pretty good condition sails to SailCare about eight years ago and was satisfied with their work. They made some repairs and the sails looked like new. I used those sails another seven years, until they were clearly losing their shape, and bought a new set of sails last spring. Sending them old blown out sails would be a waste of money because their process is mostly cosmetic and can't fix sail shape.

P.S.: If I were doing it again, honestly, I would probably just save the shipping cost and use one of the local sail lofts, but not everyone has that option.
 
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