Sacrificial Cloth on Head Sail

[DinoKanuck]

Ahoy from Balmy New Brunswick:

Got a first look at a potential boat yesterday and saw that a headsail on a furler that had a number of rips in the cloth that remains exposed to the sun.

I was wonder, is this sacrifical cloth and if so any guesses at cost to redo this cloth on a 110 headsail with a 30 foot luff.

DinoKanuck

 

[justsomeguy]

If that's the "UV resistant" or sacrificial part your thumb is probing, yes, it can be redone. Sorry, no idea what it would cost.

 

[RichH]

What youre looking at is probably light weight 'insignia cloth' that has become UV burned. Insignia cloth sun covers usually only last a few years before the adhesive backing comes loose and the cloth degrades.

If you have or access to a heavy duty sewing machine, you can easily replace it yourself .... just press the pre-glued panels down and sew across the seams/edges.
There are other materials available: example - http://www.sailrite.com/Sleeve-Furling-Cover-Kit-22-28-Luff-Surlast-Fabric.
Insignia cloth is very light weight.
Sunbrella is quite heavy but long lasting
Sunbrella Sur-Last is a very lightweight grade of Sunbrella ... used especially for 'sun covers'.

The sailrite website also offers sewing instructions on how to do this.

;-)

 

[Warren Milberg]

Depending on the material used, I think you are looking at $300 - 400 to have it replaced. Check with your local sailmaker or call Sailcare and they'll tell you the exact per foot cost. Don't forget to include foot dimensions....

http://www.sailcare.com/sail-repair.shtml

 

[caguy]

Last I check it was $450 for my genoa, at a loft here in MDR. I ended up doing it myself. If that is the only tear you can probably patch it with some sail tape available from WM. It sticks like crazy and no need for sewing.

 

[Rick D]

Cost for Sacrificial Jib Cover

I didn't like the heavy Sunbrella cover on my old jib because it wouldn't fly well in light air. When I replaced the jib, I went with a light Dacron UV protective leech cover.
The cost to replace the cover on mine four years later was over $500. Having done that once, I decided a protective jib sock was a good investment and I purchased one through this site. I just hoist it by the spinnaker halyard.
Good luck.

 

[Merlin Clark]

$8/ft down here last spring when I checked.

 

[alexco38]

I spent a little less $$ and got a zippered sock made instead. Now I use it on 2 sails. No more replacement of UV tape and the sail fly much better.

It's a little extra work to put it up and down, only take minutes. I sprung the spinnaker halyard around it so it won't flop around in the wind at night.

 

[rardiH36]

I thought I read once on the North Sail website a paint on coating along the foot and leach was an offered option. I was unable to find it again, but came across the following form Sail-World.com. Might be worth a call to your local North Sails?:

" ... On a few larger sails we have recently developed a painted UV cover. This idea has been considered by Northsails Nevada and laboratory tests ran. This can be initially the best protect and still very good even if the paint flakes. With Northsails CapeTown we have worked on additives to an acrylic UV paint continuing the earlier work done within our group and we and our customers that have wanted to try this idea are delighted with the results. We continue to work on this project."