Sacrificial cloth on both sides of sail

[Gary_H]

May be a silly question but, does anyone have sacrificial cloth on both sides of their jib? Would having it like that compromise the sails performance?
The reason I ask is that my jib has dark lines along the stitching of the sacrificial cloth but on the inside. I thought it was mildew at first but soap and water doesn't clean it and on close inspection it almost looks like glue. like a Previous owner had glued the seams before sewing or something. It's danged ugly. I have thought that I can either
A. Ignore and just have an ugly sail.
B. Cover it by having both sides covered with sacrificial cloth (expensive probably)
C. use sail tape to just cover the seams
D. find something that will remove unknown stain without destroying sail.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Barnacle Bill]

The reason for sacrificial cloth, I am sure you know, is so the sun chews on it instead of the actual sail cloth when the sail is furled. Therefore, you only need it on the side that is exposed to the sun. In your photo you have Sunbrella material, which, I am sure, matches your sail cover, so it looks good, but Sunbrella is heavy and if just a white sacrificial cloth of sail material (designed for that purpose) is used, it won't weigh the sail down which helps on those light winded days. One problem with furling, especially in tropical areas, where the sail is not used very often, and hence remains furled for longer periods of time, is that mildew can accumulate on the sail and maybe that is what you are experiencing. As I read your post again, it is the glued seams that are bothering you. Must be an old sail. I have seen this before. The glue methods used currently don't leave that sort of look. Maybe you should just buy a new sail.

 

[Gary_H]

You may be right about a new sail but it still feels pretty crisp and was trying to get a little more use out of it. The problem is really just esthetic as far as I can tell. The real solution for now might just be solution A.

 

[wflowe2]

Sounds like someone installed it on the wrong side and then removed it. Check with "Sailcare" and see what they recommend. Agree with a previous statement that the sunbrella is already heavy on one side of a sail and it would really be problematic on both sides.

 

[Gary_H]

Didn't think of that

Sounds like someone installed it on the wrong side and then removed it. Check with "Sailcare" and see what they recommend. Agree with a previous statement that the sunbrella is already heavy on one side of a sail and it would really be problematic on both sides.

But you could be right. espectially since some of the lines don't actually match up to where the real seems are.

 

[Don12364]

For cases where the additional weight of UV resistant cloth might cause the leech to flog, some sailmakers offer a white painted UV strip.
You might care to enquire into this for cosmetic reasons.

 

[RichH]

These 'dark lines' are fungus that is 'eating' the glue/adhesive used to temporarily bond the cover material to the sail before sewing. Quite common with 'cheap imported' sails of the late 80's and early 90s. A few 'bargain' offshore lofts were/are quite infamous for this.

Your choices: new cover material, new sails, live with it.

Adding an 'inner cover' will only add 'weight aloft' and wont remedy the 'feasting fungals'. The cost to add an inner cover will be exactly the same as a 'new' or replacement UV cover.
Adding a UV cover is an easy DIY project if you have access to a 'robust' sewing machine. Go to www.sailrite.com for 'details'.

 

[caguy]

It looks like the the new cover was put on the opposite side of the old one. The dark lines are from double face tape that is used to hold the panels in place when sewing. It is more likely dirt sticking to the glues residue. I used that technique when sewing my sacrificial strip on. Most lofts use this technique. I would try a glue remover. If that doesn't work and it really bothers you you could cover it with narrow strips of sail tape, though it will probably show through the sail tape. The other possibility would be to sew narrow strips of matching material either white or red.
The lines probably are more noticeable to you than anyone else.

 

[Gary_H]

Thanks Fellas for all the suggestions I will try a few of them and see what happens. Besides just being ugly it doesn't seem to be causing any troubles. It's been like this since I bought the boat, I was just kinda getting sick of looking at it. I have the sail at home to make some small repairs to the cover and thought I would try to do something about the stain at the same time. I might even get a new one sometime this coming season. This one is a 100% and I was thinking about trying a 135%

 

[Bill Roosa]

acetone dissolves most things water doesn't
Just test it on a small spot first to make sure it does not dissolve sail cloth. My recollection is it does not bother Dacron but I honestly don't remember.

 

[Joe]

Well, I agree with Bill Roosa, in that soap and water isn't going to get rid of mildew, or fungus. Acetone works really well on chemical/petroleum type stains.... grease, rubber marks, etc... but your stain is biological, according to RichH... so I would look at an acid based cleaner.... toilet bowl cleaner comes to mind.... and test it on a small area. diluted of course, with an immediate fresh water rinse to stop any damage to the cloth. (uh, I thought the cloth was sacrificial though, heh, heh)

 

[RichH]

.... if indeed the staining is from biological cause, and you dissolve the 'double sided' adhesive on this 'tape', the adhesive is now going to become 'free to migrate' and will probably become a faded tie-dye job.
Id try 'goo-gone' (OK with woven dacron) to dissolve the goo (both sides), then rinse, then soak the area in a caustic detergent to dissolve the now 'free' fungal cells (use on woven dacron ONLY, not laminates), rinse, then soak in a solution of oxalic acid to beach out the 'shadows'.
Usually doesnt work as you wont be able to 'dissolve' all the 'goo' on the 'sailmakers seam tape' thats under the UV cloth ... and the fungus may have penetrated the 'tape' between the 'goo'.

As stated previously, a LOT of sails from Hong Kong and SE asia had this 'problem' in the 80s/90s ... the only reliable way to remove it is to remove it and start over.
If the sail's broadseams (panel stitching) are affected the only way is to remove all the stitching, clean out the 'goo', reseam-stick (more double sided goo covered tape) and restitch the sail.