Sail condition

[madmax]

I bought a Catalina 320, and it came with, I think, six bags of sails. Two of them seemed to be in poor condition. I am posting pictures of Genoa. The color is very beige. I think it used to be white when it was new. The stitches looked okay. Should I keep it? or should I trash it? Or should I bleach it? (just kidding).

What are your thoughts. Thanks.

 

[kappykaplan]

I would take it to your local sail loft to inspect, then figure out if it's worth keeping.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Donate to your local sail loft? One here recycles them.

 

[dlochner]

They are probably pretty old and blown out. If the boat is in the water you can hoist them to see what the shape looks like. Or if you can hang them horizontally to see the shape.

Sails are toast when the fabric stretches and the sail becomes baggy. It is not possible to trim the bagginess out and the boat will sail poorly, heeling too easily and won't point as high going up wind. Stitching and small tears can be repaired and sails can be cleaned, but stretched and baggy, the sail has reached its retirement age.

 

[thinwater]

I bought a Catalina 320, and it came with, I think, six bags of sails. Two of them seemed to be in poor condition. I am posting pictures of Genoa. The color is very beige. I think it used to be white when it was new. The stitches looked okay. Should I keep it? or should I trash it? Or should I bleach it? (just kidding).

What are your thoughts. Thanks.

No reason not to try them. Yes, they have probably lost some shape, but I would certainly go sailing first. Learn more about the boat before making decisions. You're not crossing an ocean or racing.

Google washing sails. You can probably do them in the tub, one at a time. Soaking is more important than agitation. Not bleach, but Oxiclean is safe for sails. Don't try to get them very clean, just better; Oxiclean starts the process, and then they will lighten further after some time in the sun.

 

[Davidasailor26]

That doesn’t really look like Dacron to me. Could it be Kevlar? That would explain the color - Kevlar laminates usually have exactly that yellow shade, and the cloth texture looks pretty similar.

If it is Kevlar, it’s less likely to be blown out than an old Dacron sail. Dacron tends to age gradually, and eventually that gradual wear means it’s blown out to the point where it’s not efficient enough to be usable. Kevlar tends to fail more spectacularly - it still sails ok until it suddenly delaminates, weakens, and self-destructs. If it’s not showing signs of delamination then it’s probably still serviceable.

 

[dlochner]

That doesn’t really look like Dacron to me. Could it be Kevlar? That would explain the color - Kevlar laminates usually have exactly that yellow shade, and the cloth texture looks pretty similar.

If it is Kevlar, it’s less likely to be blown out than an old Dacron sail. Dacron tends to age gradually, and eventually that gradual wear means it’s blown out to the point where it’s not efficient enough to be usable. Kevlar tends to fail more spectacularly - it still sails ok until it suddenly delaminates, weakens, and self-destructs. If it’s not showing signs of delamination then it’s probably still serviceable.

The head and clew look like they are reinforced with Kevlar, the rest of the sail looks like a Dacron laminate. If it is a laminate sail, then as you stated they hold their shape much longer than Dacron cloth. When the mylar starts pealing off the sail, then it is time for the dumpster.

 

[Calif. Ted]

Color, PHRF number, tell tale window and wear panels at spreaders make it look like a laminate 150 someone got for racing.

 

[shemandr]

No one seems to ever throw sails away. That's why you see ads for sailboats that include many sails. Most of them are useless but they still hang around and take up space on the boat or at home.
I have no idea from those pictures if the sail has any value. When hoisted with the rig tuned the sail should have a maximum chord depth of 10% of chord length and be able to be flattened to around 3%. The fore-aft maximum chord depth should be at worst 50% of the chord length. If the maximum depth of draft is aft of 50% it is shot and would make better luggage than use for driving a sailboat. You can take pics of the set sail in moderate wind looking up from the foot to the head. Posting those pics would give forum members a chance to comment on the sail shape.
It is true that different sail materials fail differently. I had a tape drive kevlar sail that had excellent shape. But it was like a sieve.

 

[Calif. Ted]

No one seems to ever throw sails away. That's why you see ads for sailboats that include many sails. Most of them are useless but they still hang around and take up space on the boat or at home.

After giving a few to a gardener for use as tarps I still have the Mylar sail in this photo and a dacron 110 in storage.

 

[madmax]

Thanks for your response. To be honest with you, I don't think I'll use those beige-colored sails on my boat. Sometime within the next year or two, I plan to buy a new set of sails.

I know there are several types of sailcloth available, including Dacron, Kevlar, Mylar, and carbon. I understand that carbon sails are primarily used for racing. I don't think they last more than five years because they aren't very UV-resistant.

Which type of sailcloth - Dacron, Kevlar, or Mylar - has the longest lifespan? I think Dacron???

 

[jssailem]

How are you going to define lifespan?

Are you talking about General function or sail shape?

How you use your sails, and how you care for them, both have a material effect on their lifespan. I suggest you discuss the subject with a good local sail loft. They can help with selection of cloth for your sailing needs and recommend a care procedure that may include having the sails checked each year and repairing as needed.