Has anyone ever tried to clean Dacron sails with a pressure washer? Used carefully, with a spray setting, and at the right angles it would seem that a pressure washer (1500 psi) would really do the trick. I doubt it would damage a healthy sail. Would it drive the resin out of Dacron? Has anyone ever tried this? If so, would like to hear the result. Thanks, Pete
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cringe
Never tried it personally but it's a pretty safe bet that it would knock the resin out of the sail and destabilize the fabric. You would likely end up with a sail that looked cleaner but with the porosity and stretch characteristics of a wool sweater. On second thougth, guess I should encourage it... sells more sails!
Never tried it personally but it's a pretty safe bet that it would knock the resin out of the sail and destabilize the fabric. You would likely end up with a sail that looked cleaner but with the porosity and stretch characteristics of a wool sweater. On second thougth, guess I should encourage it... sells more sails!
Well
why does everyone want to pressure wash everything? I woundn't; but I think it might make sense for you?
why does everyone want to pressure wash everything? I woundn't; but I think it might make sense for you?
I'm not sure that I would....
A pressure washer would, at vitually any setting or angle, have the ability to push water between the threads of sailcloth, which would in effect create new holes. That is one more hole for air to go through and not be captured by the sail so as to propel your boat. And with constant wind pressure, those holes will grow larger until you have an ineffective rag hanging from your mast. Most all fabric manufacturers, Dacron or otherwise, will call for as light of a cleaning process as possible. If you want clean, try spreading the sail out in your driveway or yard and scrub with a brush and then rinse very well. For stubborn stuff, you might try a spray bottle with diluted Clorox, but I'd be careful there. Personally, I'd rather sail than make my boat beautiful.
A pressure washer would, at vitually any setting or angle, have the ability to push water between the threads of sailcloth, which would in effect create new holes. That is one more hole for air to go through and not be captured by the sail so as to propel your boat. And with constant wind pressure, those holes will grow larger until you have an ineffective rag hanging from your mast. Most all fabric manufacturers, Dacron or otherwise, will call for as light of a cleaning process as possible. If you want clean, try spreading the sail out in your driveway or yard and scrub with a brush and then rinse very well. For stubborn stuff, you might try a spray bottle with diluted Clorox, but I'd be careful there. Personally, I'd rather sail than make my boat beautiful.
Waffle...
If you have ever pressure washed the deck of your boat you'd know the answer to your question. Some folks like to get down on their knees and scrub for hours. A pressure washer makes the job simple, fast, and the deck is clearner. In short, pressure washing stuff gives you more time to sail, which is what it's all about...;D
If you have ever pressure washed the deck of your boat you'd know the answer to your question. Some folks like to get down on their knees and scrub for hours. A pressure washer makes the job simple, fast, and the deck is clearner. In short, pressure washing stuff gives you more time to sail, which is what it's all about...;D
AIR DRY WET SAILS
I wouldn't power wash my sails but this is what I do. I have a pole along my backyard fence about 10 foot high with an eyebolt at the top. There is another eybolt at the corner of the house also about 10 foot high. I tie off the sail between these two points and tie off the clew to the fence. Spray on a little mild detergent and just hose it off with the garden hose. This year however, the sail just wasn't drying off and the sun was going down. Daylight savings messes up the afternoons up here. I didn't want to leave the sail out over night and just then my wife says, "why don't you just get the leaf blower and blow dry it?" What a great idea. In ten minutes I was folding up a completely dry sail!
I wouldn't power wash my sails but this is what I do. I have a pole along my backyard fence about 10 foot high with an eyebolt at the top. There is another eybolt at the corner of the house also about 10 foot high. I tie off the sail between these two points and tie off the clew to the fence. Spray on a little mild detergent and just hose it off with the garden hose. This year however, the sail just wasn't drying off and the sun was going down. Daylight savings messes up the afternoons up here. I didn't want to leave the sail out over night and just then my wife says, "why don't you just get the leaf blower and blow dry it?" What a great idea. In ten minutes I was folding up a completely dry sail!
SOUNDS like a disaster event....
Pressure Washing DACRON (or any SAILS) sounds like a Mishap Waiting to Occur. Wetting them down, beating them with a large piece of board would be about the "SAME"...Just kidding ! But, maybe not....HA....Happy Sailing ! !
Pressure Washing DACRON (or any SAILS) sounds like a Mishap Waiting to Occur. Wetting them down, beating them with a large piece of board would be about the "SAME"...Just kidding ! But, maybe not....HA....Happy Sailing ! !
Sail Maker Recommendation
...to me was to put them in a wading pool with a sail cleaning solution. I did so and let them soak for 24 hours and agitated them gently with a broom handle from time to time. I purchased the sail cleaning detergent from WM. RD
...to me was to put them in a wading pool with a sail cleaning solution. I did so and let them soak for 24 hours and agitated them gently with a broom handle from time to time. I purchased the sail cleaning detergent from WM. RD
NO pressure washer !!!!!!!!!
A pressure washer will remove all the 'filler'/plasticizer thats callendered in between the fibers/weave. This filler/plasticizer is added to dacron sailcloth to make it less air permeable. If you remove it, all you'll have is limp dacron that will be as soft as a babys blanket and will leak air 'through' the fabric. OR pressure wash them ..... and then go buy new sails. OR put them into a washing machine ..... and then go buy new sails.
A pressure washer will remove all the 'filler'/plasticizer thats callendered in between the fibers/weave. This filler/plasticizer is added to dacron sailcloth to make it less air permeable. If you remove it, all you'll have is limp dacron that will be as soft as a babys blanket and will leak air 'through' the fabric. OR pressure wash them ..... and then go buy new sails. OR put them into a washing machine ..... and then go buy new sails.
A test
Well, naysayers, I've done a little test yesterday. I took an old Dacron blade that I've had for years (probably 8 oz white Dacron)and used on a number of boats and "pressure washed it." Now maybe all the doubters were assuming one would use a pin-point setting and hold the wand directly over the sail and inches away from it. Nada. I used a spray setting. Held the wand about 2 ft up from the sail and at about a 45 deg angle. This sail looks great. It had a number of the tiny black spots (spores?) on it that now have been blown away. I can detect no harm to this old sail. I have to admit that I was pretty careful doing this test even though I didn't really care if I destroyed the sail. Rather than jump to conclusions about something you haven't tried, you may want to give this another look.
Well, naysayers, I've done a little test yesterday. I took an old Dacron blade that I've had for years (probably 8 oz white Dacron)and used on a number of boats and "pressure washed it." Now maybe all the doubters were assuming one would use a pin-point setting and hold the wand directly over the sail and inches away from it. Nada. I used a spray setting. Held the wand about 2 ft up from the sail and at about a 45 deg angle. This sail looks great. It had a number of the tiny black spots (spores?) on it that now have been blown away. I can detect no harm to this old sail. I have to admit that I was pretty careful doing this test even though I didn't really care if I destroyed the sail. Rather than jump to conclusions about something you haven't tried, you may want to give this another look.
Cool that it worked!
but I won't try it on my sails. 1. If I goof in just one small area, it's bye bye sail and 2. It may have put tiny holes that you can't currently see but will open to larger holes later. I really am pleased that it worked for you, but I won't try it. The time saved is not worth the potential risk to me. Great topic/thread.
but I won't try it on my sails. 1. If I goof in just one small area, it's bye bye sail and 2. It may have put tiny holes that you can't currently see but will open to larger holes later. I really am pleased that it worked for you, but I won't try it. The time saved is not worth the potential risk to me. Great topic/thread.
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