Life expectancy of a sail?

[Hardcrab]

AWKIII,
My sail in question has been sacked and stowed in the guest bedroom for the last two years.
Dealer was never a concern, as I was going to a Genny anyhow.

Perhaps it was a bad fabric batch spread out over three model years.
Perhaps we get "stronger" sunlight because of a more southern latitude.
Perhaps it was the LA smog added into the mix.
Jet fuel from LAX next door.
I don't know.

What I do know is at least three of us at MDR mast up storage have had the same issue with about the same exposure lenghts and results.
Nice Aft also mentioned a problem with his sail in this thread.

So far, no one has reported the "rot "with socked or UV striped sails, in fact, just the opposite it seems.
Anyone?
Main or foresail?

In good faith and limited experience, I would never advise someone that no need exists to cover sails if out in the elements 24/7.

Besides, if main sails get covered without argument, why not the foresail?

[Trouts Dream]

Decided to go with a sock when I bought my genny. Two reasons, 1) lighter sail and 2) I can change future sails and same sock will work.
It is a bit of a pain to put on but when I am using the boat a lot or living aboard it stays stowed. It also protects the sail when trailering. All it will do is extend the sail a bit and does provide protection in big winds. A lot os sail boats are stored mast up at ghost lake and every year at least one foresail is caught by the wind and flogged to death.

I sock it and then wrap the haulyard around the sock several times to minimize the harmonic sway.

[frisbee_ten]

I had a sock on my genny... and it still only lasted about four years before rotting. I suspect that having the mast down for extended periods while in my driveway and then driving for five hours periodically helped agitate the rot. My replacement genny has UV cover on it!

[Terry]

If the mast is down, wether it be for storage or travelling the headsail should be removed and bagged, not left out to be exposed. I always remove my headsail, even after a daysail because one time I got lazy because I was on vaction for a few weeks and was at the slip every day so I left the genny on the furler for convenience. The leach threads started fraying within a couple weeks and I regretted being lazy. The CDI does not lend itself to easy headsail removal like the snapfurler but even so one needs to weigh the cost/benefits to regularly removing the sail off the furler, especially while on the trailer.

[DaveB]

I have a roller furler and just bought a Jib that is heavier weight than stock and came with a 12" protective luff strip. It only covers bottom part and I made a cover from a old sail that covers half way around the mast so air can dry out sail under. This I have been useing even on sunbrella luff protection and works great here in SW FL.
Personnaly I don't like any protection on Headsail as weight and air flow is bad aloft. It's on the trailer that counts for protecting the sail.
Have Sails sewed with the latest high wear and UV protected stitching.
The Main is kept on boom in cabin with small fan going during winter and I run AC during summer to get rid of humidity.
Dave

[Finn]

I fixed the sail!

The admiral and I took the sail down yesterday for a closer inspection to try to determine what to do with it. We found that a strip of about 12”-14” wide the length of the leech was weak and not repairable. The material was very brittle and we saw many new smaller tears which would soon have developed into larger ones all the way from the head to the foot of the sail.

So, we went to over Mike Inmon and bought a new sail and a windsock! That was an easy fix and we can get underway with the grand kids between Christmas and New Year – weather permitting.

I want to thank all of you who took time to respond to my original query, your help and suggestions are indeed very much appreciated. As you can see, we decided to learn from our experience and from yours.

Happy Holidays

Finn

[pokerrick1]

You COULD have just used DUCT TAPE

Rick

[NiceAft]

Finn,

Thanks for letting the forum know what you decided. Send a picture with the new sock.

And Rick, Duct tape

Duct You

You stayed to long in that Mexican sun.


Ray

[RandyMoon]

I have a 2004 M and my factory jib (uncovered/unprotected) is brittle and cracking. My original main is protected and is in very good shape.

When I bought the boat, the dealer recommended against the extra cost of protecting the jib so I did not. I wish I had spent the extra money to put a leading edge of protection on the jib.

I called the dealer the other day to get a bid on the cost of a replacement jib WITH protection sewn in. The feedback was that it is cheaper to replace a jib every few years rather than spend money on the labor required to sew UV protection on the stock jib's leading edge. That is a cost/benefit analysis.

So it gets down to a cost benefit analysis. I would much rather have a foresail that is going to last many years and not require me to change the sail every few years. I am lazy and I am in a mast up situation and want sun protection. I do not want a sail to blow out while sailing. That is scary and makes lots of noise.

I guess if you are going to keep your sails stored in a cave and not take advantage of UV protection technology, then don't spend the extra money to protect sails.

My next foresail will have mucho macho UV protection.

[Finn]

Randy,

I completely understand your situation!

I spent $220.00 for a Headsail Sock that I will use when the boat is in mast up storage. I'm expecting that using the sock will greatly extend the life of the sail. Judging from the many replies in this thread and the condition of my main sail - which has been covered all the time, I must deduct that a covered sail last longer than one that is left uncovered. I'm not sure how your dealer's calculations conclude that it is cost effective to cover the main sail and not foresail. My sail "burned out" in 11 months and the main sail looks almost like new even now 18 months after I got the boat.

I chose not to get the UV strip added for two reasons. (1) I noticed that the old sail with the UV strip added in May 2008, needed a bit more wind to fill than before due to the additional weight of the UV strip and (2) should I ever want to get a jib or some other sail, I would have to add the UV strip to that sail as well.

Mike Inmon advised me to get a Headsail Sock made of rather heavy sunbrella material because the ones made of lighter fabric would be prone to damage when fluttering in the wind. The heavy duty plastic zipper is continuous from top to bottom.

Finn

P.S.: Pokerrick1, From now on, I'll stock additional duct tape on all journeys! I should have thought of that!
Finn

[mikelinmon]

Rick,
You can duct tape your boat back. or did you already do that. I remember seeing another Mac duct taped and sailing! Welcome back!
MIke

[pokerrick1]

Finn,

Thanks for letting the forum know what you decided. Send a picture with the new sock.

And Rick, Duct tape

Duct You

You stayed to long in that Mexican sun.


Ray

Si!

Rick

[bastonjock]

I have a 7 year old main sail,whilst it is past its best,its still intact.I would therefore think that the Stronger UV that the guys in the southerly climates,causes the greatest damage to a sail.My jib disintigrated this year,i put that down to a combination of age and me giving it too hard a time.

[ronacarme]

Main and jib on my 1988 26 D had no noticeable sun rot after 12 years when I sold the boat in 2000. However, the boat was in MI and thus sailed only 4-5 months a year on weekends. More important, when not sailing, the sails were out of the sun, ie the main was under its light blocking Sunbrella cover and the headsails were bagged and stored down below. So the answer to avoiding sun weakening of Dacron sails is to always, always keep them out of view of the sky, except in those moments when you need them to push the boat.

[Trouts Dream]

And if your really cheap, only sail on cloudy days or at night.