Sail Ties

[Ken Prichard]

This is probably obvious to most sailors but not to me. Why is there a twist in the loop of most sail ties? I have three I use from two different sources. Two have twists and one doesn't. I see no advantage to the two with the twist but virtually every package of new ones I've seen are twisted.One brand even mentioned the twist on the packaging like it was an important feature.

 

[Bob Todd]

The twist MUST be important!

The package says so.But really, I have some that do and some that don't. Both types secure the sail just fine. As a matter of fact, I have a couple that don't have loops at all that work just fine.Like the old joke goes:What do you call a fly without wings? A walk.What do you call a sail tie without a loop? Webbing.Cheers,Bob

 

[Ross]

You buy sail ties? Six feet of webbing

with a small leather patch sewn in the center makes a perfect sail tie and one size fits all.

 

[Ctskip]

OK I give... Whats the patch for?

The webing is great but the leather patch is what is throwing me off. Help me understand. I have webing with velcro and all three are at least two position on the velcro. Keep it up, Ctskip

 

[Ross]

Ctskip. the patch tells me where the

middle of the webbing is. I lay the patch on top pass the ends around the sail and boom and tie a slipped reef knot. nothing to wear out, I can find the center in the dark, I can release them with one hand.

 

[Monty Miller]

The twist

The loops with a twist are easier to thread the end into because the twist keeps the loop in an open position.

 

[Joe]

I would never use the loop....

Like Ross said, a six foot length of 1 inch webbing secured with a slipped reef knot (or bow tie) works fine. You can also use them to secure the reef cringles if you have taper cut the ends. That way you don't have those ugly reef ropes in the sail.I have plenty of sail ties around my boat, often carrying a few with me when working on deck for lashing stuff down.I don't see any advantage to using the loop method... maybe a bit easier to secure, using a slipped half hitch... but the non loop kind are easier to make yourself.. no sewing... and you can cut them to whatever length you want. I'm thinking the twisted loop straps would be useful as ladder rungs if you tied them to a stanchion and hung them over the side. But, I don't have the energy to make a test run on that idea...I'll wait till I can find a teenage guinea pig.

 

[HukilauMike]

I like the loops

I have several sail ties with the loops; they were given to me by a sailmaker, one or two when I had my old jib recut for a furler, and a few more when I bought new sails. I find them much easier to use than the bungee or snap/buckle types. Zip the end through the loop and secure with a slipped half hitch.

 

[Jacob]

Making Loops

I'll just share a quick tip that I learned while working at a sail loft.With most webbings if you hold a hot knife in between two pieces they will melt together. Lets you make loops without sewing. Just fold the loop size you want, hold a hot knife between them for a few seconds, remove the hot knife, and you've got a sail tie with loop.