Shipping sails made easy
Even with Evolution Sails lofts popping up all over the map here in the United States, it’s not always easy or convenient to get your sails to one of our service lofts in a timely manner. At Sailing Inc. we know that regular sail care and maintenance is important to protecting your investment and getting the most our of your sails well into their lifespan. As such, we’ve put together some quick and easy steps that make shipping your sails to a service loft easier than ever. It’s as simple as putting your sails in a box and waiting for your local delivery guy to pick them up.
size matters
The first step is to to find a shipping box that meats your needs. You want to find a box large enough that limits the amount of creasing or folding of the sail, while meeting the standard dimensional parameters for most shipping companies. At Sailing Inc. we ship via UPS, and their shipping parameters are as follows:
Packages can be up to 150 lbs.
Packages can be up to 165 inches in length and girth combined.
Packages can be up to 108 inches in length.
Once you’ve identified the right size box to use, there are two well tested methods to fold the sail for shipping.
flake & Brick
The Flake & Brick method is the most common method of folding a sail.
Start by laying the sail out flat on the ground, ideally someplace clean and dry.
Flake (fold) the sail horizontally starting at the bottom (foot), ensuring the first fold is just shorter than the widest part of the box.
Continue flaking the sail, keeping each subsequent fold uniform in size with the first fold.
Pro Tip No. 1: Be careful not to fold the sail on a window, as this will cause permanent creasing.
Once the sail is flaked, brick (roll) the sail just shorter than the shortest part of the box to ensure proper fit.
Once the sail is bricked, tie it snuggly with a sail tie or small piece of line and place it in the box.
tri-fold & roll
The Tri-Fold & Roll method is perfect for shipping small dinghy sails, or sails with elements (battens, windows, etc.) that you need to accommodate when folding.
Start by laying the sail out flat on the ground, ideally someplace clean and dry.
Fold the sail vertically from the clew towards the tack, then the tack towards the clew until you have the sail folded vertically roughly the width of the length of the box.
Pro Tip No. 1: Be careful not to fold the sail on a window, as this will cause permanent creasing.
Pro Tip No. 2: Ensure that the folds are slightly shorter than the length of the box, as the sail will get wider as you roller in a later step.
Once the sail is tri-folded to a length that will fit the box, begin rolling the sail from the bottom (foot) to the top (head). Again the sail will start to get wider, but that is expected.
Once the sail is rolled, tie it snuggly with a sail tie or small piece of line and place it in the box.
what to do with accessories & hardware
Unless repairs or maintenance is needed on accessories & hardware (battens, sheets, etc.), it’s best for customers to keep those items are their house or boat instead of shipping them. If you need to ship any accessories or hardware, ensure you get a large enough box to accommodate them (especially battens).
when in doubt, reach out
Remember, our expert team of sailmakers, service technicians and sailors are only a click away. If you have questions about shipping your sails in for service, feel free to reach out to one of many locations or contact us.
