UK Sails

[JohnEh]

We have a 2004 Hunter 36 with UK Sails. Last week I was sailing the boat to Pensacola, Fl from Madisonville, LA when the loop on the top corner of the jib broke and the sail came down. The next day, the clew on the main sail gave way. I understand that there was no UV protection so the material that is stitched to the sails just broke. Has anyone else had a similar experience?:cry: I notice that some of the replies may be from boat owners who live in the north so they may take their sails off for the winter. Ours just stays out all the time except for when we may be concerned about a hurricane. Let me know if your sails stay on your boats year round. The sailmaker that is fixing our sails said that some sails are protected from UV but ours were not.:cry: Thanks for the comments. I contacted UK and they informed me that there was no recall and that the webbing may only last three years because there is no UV protection and the further south that you are the faster it will break and that the boat owner needs to monitor this like having an oil change on the engine.:cry:

 

[IanJ]

I have a UK cruising chute and I love it. Always thought they were top class, so really surprised to hear of this. Watching with interest

 

[Rich Stidger]

Have original 1997 UK sails and have not had this problem. I don't think my sail-maker ever reinforced the loop.

 

[Roy10289]

I have the original 1995 UK sails on my boat and have never had any problems.

 

[FastOlson]

I have used UK Sails for three boats in a row for the last 30 years without a problem.
Oddly enough though, I remember reading (and cannot recall where...) about some sails that were recalled sometime in the last couple years because a vendor had supplied some webbing material that was not UV-resistant.
You need to check with your local UK loft.

Good luck and fair winds,

L

 

[Jim Seamans]

My tack just broke

We were in 25 kts and preparing to reef when the tack loop broke. It's at the UK sailmakers under repair as I type. Will have the head loop replace also. Inmast furling on a H356 that is coming up on its 9th year of being in the water.

WHAAAAHOOOOOO

 

[Mulf]

Same thing happened to me......

Summer before last, sailing out of the Magothy River under full sail in about 20kts, when there was a loud pop, and suddenly my roller furling main was on the deck! Once we'd crawled out from under neath and determine the mast was still standing (and changed our underwear!), inspection showed the top webbing loop had simply snapped in two where it wrapped over the upper furling fitting. That was our 7th summer on the original UK sails. Sailmaker replaced the existing webbing and sewed a second one slightly looser as a backup. With the inmast setup, that strap is never in the sun, so it was simply fabric failure.

 

[seadaddler]

Surprised

I have 2007 H-36 and both my sails have the blue UV protection on them and been in Florida 3 season's but I do take my sails off in July,August,Sept when I go up north to visit family.
My sails both look like new so I am surprised that your sails don't have the blue UV protection like I see on most other Hunters.
Nick

 

[JohnEh]

Blue Sumbrella

The problem is not that the sail does not have the blue sumbrella. The sails have that protection. However, the webbing is attached on the outside of the blue sumbrella that is attached to the clew of the main and the webbing is exposed to the sun and this is what broke because UK says that it has no UV protection.

 

[Bob R.]

John,
We have a 2002 Hunter 356 that we sail on the Chesapeake and take the sails off each winter. The top webbing loop on our jib blew out a couple of years ago in 15-20 kt wind while heavily loaded. We took the sail to the UK/Halsey sail loft in Annapolis for repair and the sailmaker recommended strapping in stainless steel rings to replace the head strap and the tack strap. They have worked fine with the furler. I happened to have the sails at home and have attached a photo of the 3 stainless steel loops (the clew already had a loop).

 

[Buck420]

Ditto Mulf's experience.
The top loop of the UK main (on my '01 H420) snapped during the Summer of '02,
(second season), in 15-20kts of wind.
Original loop was simply inadequate. After being repaired and strengthened, I have not had a problem.
Althought it never broke, (at the sail maker's recommendation) I also had the top loop of my UK jib replaced and strengthened a few years ago during routine sail maintenance .... it was almost worn thru.