I washed my main sail today and notice a small pinch with a hole about 3/32 in it. Is this something I should be concerned about. Any recommendations DIY repairs? I'm sending my Jib to Sailcare this winter and will send the main next winter.
Small hole in sail
- Thread starter Bob S
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Sew it or tape it
but do something before it gets bigger. Not a bad way to learn to sew. Ask the Admiral, she'll help you learn...
but do something before it gets bigger. Not a bad way to learn to sew. Ask the Admiral, she'll help you learn...
Stu is Right
Definitely repair it. A temporary repair can be done using a "sail repair" tape, but the best way, is to sew on a patch of sailcloth over the hole. The patch should be about 1 inch by 1 inch (or a bit bigger) in this case (at any rate the patch must well overlap the hole). Try to ensure that all wrinkles are out of the sail in the area of the repair prior to doing the sewing.
Good luck.
Definitely repair it. A temporary repair can be done using a "sail repair" tape, but the best way, is to sew on a patch of sailcloth over the hole. The patch should be about 1 inch by 1 inch (or a bit bigger) in this case (at any rate the patch must well overlap the hole). Try to ensure that all wrinkles are out of the sail in the area of the repair prior to doing the sewing.
Good luck.
Check to see if there are any threads broken.
It could be an awl hole from when the sail was made. 3/32 isn't much bigger than a needle used to sew the sail.
If there are no threads broken, I wouldn't touch it.
r.w.landau
It could be an awl hole from when the sail was made. 3/32 isn't much bigger than a needle used to sew the sail.
If there are no threads broken, I wouldn't touch it.
r.w.landau
Patch Method
In order to stabilize the patch and sail while you sew it, use spray adhesive you can get at a store like Michaels or maybe hardware stores, Wal Mart, etc. Made by 3M called Super 77 Spray Adhesive. With the sail flat and no wrinkles spray the adhesive on one side of the patch then glue it to the sail. Now you can sew it without the sail or patch shifting around. If it is just on a single ply section of the sail a regular machine should work but you will need UV thread. A zig zag stitch will be prefered to lock the threads on the edges so they don't fray. I have some scrap sail material, I can throw a little in an envelope if you send me your address as a personal message.
In order to stabilize the patch and sail while you sew it, use spray adhesive you can get at a store like Michaels or maybe hardware stores, Wal Mart, etc. Made by 3M called Super 77 Spray Adhesive. With the sail flat and no wrinkles spray the adhesive on one side of the patch then glue it to the sail. Now you can sew it without the sail or patch shifting around. If it is just on a single ply section of the sail a regular machine should work but you will need UV thread. A zig zag stitch will be prefered to lock the threads on the edges so they don't fray. I have some scrap sail material, I can throw a little in an envelope if you send me your address as a personal message.
Any tear or hole along the leech, luff or foot or any of the 'corners' and seams should be immediately repaired before further usage as these are the areas that are highly stressed. Less so in the 'middle' of the sail.
Ripstop nylon patching material is worthless for temporary repair of woven dacron sails.
A quick fix for 'small' holes/tears can be made by using equivalent weight sail material using 3M fast cure 5200 .... but such a 5200 repair will have to be 'cut' from the sail before permanently being patched; small tears in the 'middle' can be temporarily patched by using PECO sail 'seaming tape' and equivalent sail material. Any tear that is in an "L" shape will usually continually 'grow' and can possibly tear across an entire panel; small 'round' tears/punctures especially in the 'middle' of the sail or in the middle of 'panels' and not near the luff/leech/foot can be ignored. This info is for WOVEN dacron sail materlal.
Ripstop nylon patching material is worthless for temporary repair of woven dacron sails.
A quick fix for 'small' holes/tears can be made by using equivalent weight sail material using 3M fast cure 5200 .... but such a 5200 repair will have to be 'cut' from the sail before permanently being patched; small tears in the 'middle' can be temporarily patched by using PECO sail 'seaming tape' and equivalent sail material. Any tear that is in an "L" shape will usually continually 'grow' and can possibly tear across an entire panel; small 'round' tears/punctures especially in the 'middle' of the sail or in the middle of 'panels' and not near the luff/leech/foot can be ignored. This info is for WOVEN dacron sail materlal.
repairing a small hole in sail
Ive always used a sail repair tape that comes in a roll and peels off leaving a stick on side.
I stick the tape over the hole on both sides of the sail and sew around the edge. Ive found this simple quick repair to work for the life of the sail
Ive always used a sail repair tape that comes in a roll and peels off leaving a stick on side.
I stick the tape over the hole on both sides of the sail and sew around the edge. Ive found this simple quick repair to work for the life of the sail
A hole as small as the one you describe
should be of no great concern. The best
fix would be a small round dot of adheisive dacron
on each side to keep the hole from spreading.
In general I think the Sail Care process is a great
waste of money, better spent on a deposit for a new sail.
They may restore the 'white-ness', but you are still left
with a baggy blown out sail.You would be better off,
if the sails are still servicable,just giving the sails a soap
and water wash with a light scrubbing.
should be of no great concern. The best
fix would be a small round dot of adheisive dacron
on each side to keep the hole from spreading.
In general I think the Sail Care process is a great
waste of money, better spent on a deposit for a new sail.
They may restore the 'white-ness', but you are still left
with a baggy blown out sail.You would be better off,
if the sails are still servicable,just giving the sails a soap
and water wash with a light scrubbing.
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