Rips on the jib sail cover

[elvatoli]

Since I just bought this boat a month ago, I have been discovering a lot of things that needs work.
My next repair will be the jib sail cover.
I still dont know if the jib sail is oK, because the weather here havent let me to take the boat out of the ater to unfurl the sail, but the cover is loose everywhere.
I asked a local shop that do restitching, and they said that they can fix it, using the same worn cover, or replacing the cover with new sunbrella for $25 dlls/yard, plus labor.
Anther friend thinks that the total cost will be arounf $150 dlls.
Any ideas
Thank you
Hector
Port Isabel, Texas

[Nautek]

Hi Hector

Buying a second boat always comes with something that need repair or replacement. Hopefully all these things are small and can be sorted.
As for the jib. Are you talking about a jib sock or are you talking about the sun strip that is sewn to the sail??
I think $150 would be about right to replace the sun strip.
If the material is not too bad then I would go for a resew as the previous thread may not have been the best quality.

Allan

[dutchwinter]

if you have access to a sewing machine, you might consider sewing a jib bag. they are about as easy as you can get for a sailboat, except for duffles. they say you need a commercial sewing machine, but my trusty lil singer does the job quite well. just gotta make sure your needles are plenty sharp.

[Chinook]

I've had to do a few repairs on our jib cover. Early on, I managed to wear a hole in it by not properly securing it while trailering. It managed to move a bit, and rubbed a hole in it. I also have had to replace the middle section zipper, which stripped out and would no longer close. I find the easiest way to replace zippers is to simply cut off the plastic zipper teeth, still leaving the cloth tape stitched to the cover. This provides a place to sew the new zipper onto and saves a lot of tedious seam ripping. I took the cover to a canvass shop for the stitching, and the cost was pretty reasonable.

[bwygirl]

There are two types of headsail covers, 1) sewn on the sail on the foot and the outside edge and 2) the type you hoist up over the sail. Before recommending what to do with the ripped one I would ask what type is it? If it is sewn on the sail it would be best to take it to a sailmaker for their recommendation. If it is the hoist type it may be repairable, or you may just need a new one. We have found a great hoist up cover, that we now can offer but of course is not yet on the as much discussed web site, made by ATN. We have one on our boat and love it. It hoists up with a halyard, zipping as you go, but it has interwoven tightening lines that once the cover is all the way up on the sail you pull these lines tight. This stops the sail cover from fluttering in the wind, the fluttering does cause zippers to fail, and pulls to break. The down side to the ATN is that it is almost twice as expensive as our standard cover. You can call or email me if you are interested.

[elvatoli]

My jib is the one with sewn cover. We checked the sail yesterday and my friend Jim said that is not repairable, because the rips are getting bigger because the sail is toasted by the sun exposure during the last 3 years.
I know that if a changin the sail I can take advantage of a Genoa with cover instead of the jib.
Does anybody know how much are they, and where you can get it and if they sold in different colors.
Thank you for the help
Hector
Port Isabel, Texas

[bubba]

I find I use a 30 ft long line and wrap it around the jib and cover from the top down to stop the jib from floping around in the wind when up this causes less wear on the jib connections and keep it wraped when hauling our Mac and have had no problem. I usually put a broom handle with Round Smooth Ends inside the jib cover and wrap the rope around it snugley for stiffness on the jib roller furrler that protrudes out the front of the boat when trailering. So far this has saved our jib cover and the jib bow connections in breezy weather form wear.