Winter Care Of Sails

[Don Guillette]

Rich H suggested this topic and it's a good one. It was not a problem for a sailor like me who had the boat in the water 12 months a year, but you cold weather guys have to deal with it.

Sooo, how do you guys prepare your sails for winter storage, as I assume you don't leave them on the boom -- or maybe you do? If you remove them do you fold them or roll them? Where do you store them -- I assume the last place would be inside the cabin but what do I know??

After we finish this topic, I have some more topics on sail care.

 

[Bosman]

I basically follow what I have been thought in a sailing school many vintages ago. Is it a correct way? Let's find out.

In essence, before sails are taken down (I do not leave the sails on the boom/roller), day or two before I wash down the sails with fresh water spray and let them dry thoroughly.

Jib:
Remove from the furler and lay down flat. I create rectangular shape by folding the sail. Fold iin half, and then make a flatt-ish roll which goes into the sail bag. Sail is stored indoors in the upright position, sail bag is partially open at the top to allow for ventilation.

Main:
Instead of a sail bag, I have a long "sail tube" that is longer that the foot of the sail. I loosen all the battens, but leave battens in their pockets. Sail is folded on top of the boom with large radius folds (stays in place thanks to the sail pack variant). Then, the sails slides directly into the sail tube. I store main indoors as well.

During the winter storage no items are placed on the sail bags.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

I know quite a few northerners who keep their roller furling mains on the mast all winter with no apparent problem and the advantage of not have stuff rattling around in the mast all winter.
Despite conventional wisdom, As long as it's clean and protected, I doubt it makes much difference where sails are stored if their experience is any indication.

 

[Nom De Guerre]

Main comes off of the boom, 150 genoa comes off of the roller furler, 110 jib comes out of the under berth storage. I wait for a nice sunny day and then for each; lay them out on the lawn for inspection and to make sure they're dry, flake them, roll the end result, and drop them in their sail bags.

Take them all inside and stack the bags on top of each other on a shelf in the dry basement living space of the house.

In the spring, I open the swimming pool before launch day and unflake the sails, and give them a lightly chlorinated water soak in the pool. The pump provides gentle whirlpool motion. After an hour of that they head back to the lawn for a freshwater rinse and sun-dry, then it's back to the boat for another season.

 

[shemandr]

Sorry, sail bags completely cinched, to keep vermin out, and stored on hung plywood sheets a foot off the attic floor for the same reason. Cushions too.
Folded, out of space and transport necessities, not sail care.
Sometimes the sail loft for the winter and service (They fold them and keep them in bags). I don't like to launder them too much. Rinse, yes.

 

[kappykaplan]

My main and 150 genoa are removed, folded, bagged, and delivered to the sail loft for inspection/repair as necessary. The 100% jib moves into my finished basement.

 

[Don Guillette]

How about this?? Next summer, wait until your wife leaves to have her nails done and then wash the sails in the bathroom tub and then lay them out on the kitchen floor to dry!! When she comes home, make like nothing is out of the ordinary and ask her what's for dinner!!

 

[RichH]

When I first contacted Don about this topic, what I had in mind was a discussion of folding vs. rolling up sails, what 'methods' applied to prevent mice, etc. from chewing into sail bags and making a home for the winter, careful inspection to see if there is any repair needed, etc.

Wanna share some of your 'techniques' ... and why. ;-)

 

[Ken Prichard]

My sails are laminate and they get inspected, rolled and bagged. Then stored in a heated basement. I'm fortunate that I have the facilities to do this. I know not everyone does.
The dacron sails that the laminates replaced were treated the same way.
Given a choice I would always roll rather than fold. Rich and a lot of others will know much more about this than I do but I just feel better if I can avoid creases.

 

[melliott0352]

I have laminate sails, so would get rinsed, not washed, then dryed. Sails are removed and folded to size with the final act rolling and placed in the bags. I leave the sails on the boat. The boat stays in the water and dosent have mice. the garage and cellar at home both have winter rodents. Dont want nests in my sails.

 

[thinwater]

If the sail covers fit well and are water repellant, why do anything?

I've been leaving the sails on the spars for 25 years and I just don't see significant weather damage. The running rigging and halyards, yes, some. But the sails are covered and stay clean and dry. The covers look like hell, but the sails don't have a spot of mold. They always die, after long service, from stretch.

Honestly, for polyester sails at least, I see more damage potential horsing them around and worrying about pests. I also sail in the winter when it's fair, but even if I did not for 6 months my practice wouldn't change.

 

[D.L.Bland]

I guess I could ask 10 or 20 dock mates in our harbour, an get more specific ideas pertaining to our geogr. area, but I guess I was hoping for an instructive session from Don Gillette himself, any way, many thanks to all an good on ya

 

[Don Guillette]

dlblandjr: Over the years on this forum I've made it my custom to only comment on matters I know something about and winter storage of sails is something I know nothing about because since the late 60's I lived in So Ca and the only time I removed my sails was to take them sail maker for cleaning or repair. As soon as I received them back from the sail maker, they were hoisted into place and the mainsail was covered.

My advise is keep ones sails protected from the sun and repair any damage promptly. One way to avoid damage to the sails is to learn proper sail trim.

 

[RichH]

I roll and bag my sails, then store them suspended from a high loft/ceiling.

Before rolling, etc. I inspect every inch of stitching and webbing for repairs needed; plus 'spot' cleaning.

I live in 'the woods' where chewing little rodents are an anathema to stored sails, etc. When finally bagging the sails, I take absorbent cotton balls soaked in in 'oil of peppermint' and with a few clove 'buds' or essential oil of cloves soaked in absorbent cotton ... and place them in a small opened plastic bags inside the roll-up, so that the powerful MICE/RODENT DETERRENT will emit its 'fragrance' all storage season long.

 

[All U Get]

I take absorbent cotton balls soaked in in 'oil of peppermint' and with a few clove 'buds' or essential oil of cloves soaked in absorbent cotton ... and place them in a small opened plastic bags inside the roll-up, so that the powerful MICE/RODENT DETERRENT will emit its 'fragrance' all storage season long.

Rich where do you find the different oils?

All U Get

 

[RichH]

Oil of Cloves - drugstore/pharmacy (toothache remedy)

Oil of Peppermint - Cooking supply / specialty food store - used as a 'spice'.
- health and personal care store or section of drugstore

ditto available via internet

Use these on anything you dont want chewed - inside or outside. Also keeps the 'boarders' out of false ceilings.

;-)

 

[Doc_holiday]

I'm pretty careless with proper sail care and I wish I were better. I do flake my main when I bring it down and try not to tie it tight to the boom before covering. However last year. I left it flaked on the boom, sans the cover and chunked it, boom and all in the cabin. The jib is flaked and rolled and kept in its bag for the winter but to be honest, when I take it down (hanked on) at the end of a sail, I usually kick open the forward hatch and stuff it in the v-birth loosely.

I really would like to do the right thing. Maybe this year, I'll flake and roll both of them and take then to be inspected and let them store them for me for the winter. My garage is now a garage mahal and as part of the new home design trends which basically says "Round up anything that belongs to the husband and throw it in the garage". I guess since it's now conditioned, they can sit out there with me.

 

[sinnettc]

Main and blade are rolled, bagged and hung above the guest bedroom window via 3 straps. The main is still plenty stiff, the blade is getting pretty "soft" so wants to slide around a bit until i get everything cinched up.

Genoa (laminiated kevlar ex-racer) was folded by the PO so it gets folded by me, too, and goes under my bed for the winter.

Gennaker is in its bag in the guest bedroom; didn't even get on the boat this year since all we did was 8 days in the San Juan Islands.

Blown out factory main and furling 155 are in their original bags on a top shelf in our closet. At least I think that's where they are.

 

[25yearslater]

I wipe any soil with a damp rag, dry, fold, put in bags and store on the sail loft. What the heck, you folks didn't build one into your homes. The cars are on their own, we don't need no stinking garage.