When you haul your sails in, do you fold them up and put them away? Or can you store them down below for a few days until you use them again? Why is it important to fold them and not just stuff them in the bag? Thanks, Mac
Sail Care
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Pat Royce's "Sailing Illustrated"
is a good book that covers a lot of subjects, including this one. The fabric breaks down if it is handled roughly. Would you just dump a dress shirt in a drawer, or would you fold or hand it up neatly? Some people don't like folds because they are concerned about the repetitive breakdown of the material at the fold, so they roll the sails. It's a matter of mom's old saying: "Kid, neatness counts." If it's neat, you can store 'em anywhere, don't understand the difference between "...put them away? Or can you store them down below for a few days..." What's the difference between away or down below. If you have hank on sails, you'll need the different sizes ON THE BOAT.
is a good book that covers a lot of subjects, including this one. The fabric breaks down if it is handled roughly. Would you just dump a dress shirt in a drawer, or would you fold or hand it up neatly? Some people don't like folds because they are concerned about the repetitive breakdown of the material at the fold, so they roll the sails. It's a matter of mom's old saying: "Kid, neatness counts." If it's neat, you can store 'em anywhere, don't understand the difference between "...put them away? Or can you store them down below for a few days..." What's the difference between away or down below. If you have hank on sails, you'll need the different sizes ON THE BOAT.
Always practice good seamanship....
especially with your valuable sails. You can flake them down or roll them up... but do not just stuff them in the bag. And always remove the sheets. The sail is much easier to deploy if it is properly folded. Starting at the foot, flaking 24-30 inch panels accordian style till the head is resting on top of the folds facing the same direction as the tack and clew. Now roll, or loosely fold, the sail up from clew to tack and slip it into the bag with all three corners on top. When it's time break it out, all the connections are easily found and you can just roll it out on the foredeck ready to hank on and hoist. If you have the sail just stuffed into the bag, not only is it bad on the cloth, you have to fumble around with it to find the corners and get it oriented correctly on the deck before hooking it up for hoisting. Can you imagine making a sail change out on the water by having to pull a wadded up mess of bulky dacron on a pitching deck... rather than just folding the sail out with everything in the right place? Proper care of your sails is a fundamental of good seamanship.
especially with your valuable sails. You can flake them down or roll them up... but do not just stuff them in the bag. And always remove the sheets. The sail is much easier to deploy if it is properly folded. Starting at the foot, flaking 24-30 inch panels accordian style till the head is resting on top of the folds facing the same direction as the tack and clew. Now roll, or loosely fold, the sail up from clew to tack and slip it into the bag with all three corners on top. When it's time break it out, all the connections are easily found and you can just roll it out on the foredeck ready to hank on and hoist. If you have the sail just stuffed into the bag, not only is it bad on the cloth, you have to fumble around with it to find the corners and get it oriented correctly on the deck before hooking it up for hoisting. Can you imagine making a sail change out on the water by having to pull a wadded up mess of bulky dacron on a pitching deck... rather than just folding the sail out with everything in the right place? Proper care of your sails is a fundamental of good seamanship.
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