Is there any particular way to fold a sail when it is not being used? They always look so nice when I get them back from the sail repair shop!
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Robert W. Bonney
Folding a Sail
I have always been told NOT to fold a sail because it will put creases in the material. I don't know if this is true or not. I hope someone else here can give me some insight as well. I am pulling my boat out for the winter soon and this is one of the questions I had as well.
I have always been told NOT to fold a sail because it will put creases in the material. I don't know if this is true or not. I hope someone else here can give me some insight as well. I am pulling my boat out for the winter soon and this is one of the questions I had as well.
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Gary Jensen
Fold your sail
When you fold a sail, you do what is called an "acordian fold". Having the sail laying flat, you position yourself opposite someone else at both ends of the foot. You both place one hand at about 1 1/2 feet "UP" the sail and take your other hand up higher and fold it over your hand that is placed on the sail..Continue the process till you have the head. (If you keep the luff line straight it will be better).. When you have it all folded on top of itself, roll it from the clew to the tack and place it in a bag. Rotate the bag weekly and re-fold the sail with different fold lines every 6 weeks. This will prove to be a good method as I have had very good luck with my sails using this method...Good luck......
When you fold a sail, you do what is called an "acordian fold". Having the sail laying flat, you position yourself opposite someone else at both ends of the foot. You both place one hand at about 1 1/2 feet "UP" the sail and take your other hand up higher and fold it over your hand that is placed on the sail..Continue the process till you have the head. (If you keep the luff line straight it will be better).. When you have it all folded on top of itself, roll it from the clew to the tack and place it in a bag. Rotate the bag weekly and re-fold the sail with different fold lines every 6 weeks. This will prove to be a good method as I have had very good luck with my sails using this method...Good luck......
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Jeff Bacon
Why Fold ??
Mostly everyone I know folds their sails, but, I have always asked why without a better response than "I've always done it that way, or "Everyone else does". I have always rolled my sails to prevent creases, and, maybe, avoid permanant damage to the sail by crushing the material at the fold. I admit, I have no support for the damage claim, but it seems reasonable. Any thoughts. Am I all wet.......Jeff
Mostly everyone I know folds their sails, but, I have always asked why without a better response than "I've always done it that way, or "Everyone else does". I have always rolled my sails to prevent creases, and, maybe, avoid permanant damage to the sail by crushing the material at the fold. I admit, I have no support for the damage claim, but it seems reasonable. Any thoughts. Am I all wet.......Jeff
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Jay Hill
Rolling vs. Folding
Rolling a sail for storage became more popular when battens were introduced. It's a bit tough on the batten to fold it, as you might guess. Rolling also makes it easier to hoist a sail on a small boat that has boltrope only, no slides. Folding got started on the tall ships where it was easier to fold the sails for storage (they had to have spares as well) and stack them neatly in a corner as not to take up precious cargo space. In doing this, they discovered that accordion folding served two purposes: 1) It's a heck of a lot easier to unfold and hoist. 2) The "creases" made by the fold were in a consistent direction throughout the sail so when the sail was full of wind, the crease did not sustain a great deal of stress and therefore weaken the sail. Any other folding (especially the "stuff it in the bag anyway you can method") places creases at odd angles to the cloth and therefore introduces "stress fractures" when the sail is full of air. At least that's the story my sailmaker told me when I gave him a six-pack of Shiner Bock for "us" to drink while discussing jibs. Buy your sailmaker a six-pack and see what cocomaimey (sp?) story you get.
Rolling a sail for storage became more popular when battens were introduced. It's a bit tough on the batten to fold it, as you might guess. Rolling also makes it easier to hoist a sail on a small boat that has boltrope only, no slides. Folding got started on the tall ships where it was easier to fold the sails for storage (they had to have spares as well) and stack them neatly in a corner as not to take up precious cargo space. In doing this, they discovered that accordion folding served two purposes: 1) It's a heck of a lot easier to unfold and hoist. 2) The "creases" made by the fold were in a consistent direction throughout the sail so when the sail was full of wind, the crease did not sustain a great deal of stress and therefore weaken the sail. Any other folding (especially the "stuff it in the bag anyway you can method") places creases at odd angles to the cloth and therefore introduces "stress fractures" when the sail is full of air. At least that's the story my sailmaker told me when I gave him a six-pack of Shiner Bock for "us" to drink while discussing jibs. Buy your sailmaker a six-pack and see what cocomaimey (sp?) story you get.
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MJ
I rolled my jib once;
And then when I went to set it the next time I sailed, I realized the problem with rolling. I basically had to unroll the jib at the foredeck before I could hank on the jib to the stay. What a pain. I never rolled it again.
And then when I went to set it the next time I sailed, I realized the problem with rolling. I basically had to unroll the jib at the foredeck before I could hank on the jib to the stay. What a pain. I never rolled it again.
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Mike
Loosely stuff 'em
I loosely stuff my sails into their storage bags when not in use. I know the common wisdom says to fold the sails, but some wise old salts have told me that they would rather not create creases in the sail cloth, and that stuffing the sails "evens out" the wear. It's also a heck of a lot easier to stuff a jib into a sack than to try and find the space on the foredeck of a 23' boat necessary to neatly fold the sail. Is this practice sacrilege?
I loosely stuff my sails into their storage bags when not in use. I know the common wisdom says to fold the sails, but some wise old salts have told me that they would rather not create creases in the sail cloth, and that stuffing the sails "evens out" the wear. It's also a heck of a lot easier to stuff a jib into a sack than to try and find the space on the foredeck of a 23' boat necessary to neatly fold the sail. Is this practice sacrilege?
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Rick Webb
Jib Folding
I do the accordian fold horizontaly with it still hanked on. I then unhank the sail and roll it towards the sheets wrapping the sheets around the rolled up sail. When we get in late it just gets stuffed into the v berth wich makes it much more of a chore to get it staightend out enough to raise on the next trip.
I do the accordian fold horizontaly with it still hanked on. I then unhank the sail and roll it towards the sheets wrapping the sheets around the rolled up sail. When we get in late it just gets stuffed into the v berth wich makes it much more of a chore to get it staightend out enough to raise on the next trip.
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Jim
Creases and air flow
I've folded the sails on my day sailer for 16 years and never had a fold related problem. Horizontal creases will not cause much disturbance in air flow because the creases run in the same direction as air flow. Don't ever fold a sail vertically though. I now have an H-22 and I still fold.
I've folded the sails on my day sailer for 16 years and never had a fold related problem. Horizontal creases will not cause much disturbance in air flow because the creases run in the same direction as air flow. Don't ever fold a sail vertically though. I now have an H-22 and I still fold.
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