Preventative and regular maintenance go a long way towards protecting your investment in your sails. With proper care, you can expect your sails to perform well into their lifespan. The Sailing Inc. service team has locations around the United States ready to assistant you with proper sail care. We’ve asked some of our experts from our Service Team for some advice on how to identify potential issues.
during the season
When not in use, ease the control lines and halyards to excessive tension overtime on the luff and foot of the sails. If possible, ease the tension on the battens.
Ensure the sail is properly secured to eliminate any issues caused by excessive weather, and covered to limit the amount of time your sail is exposed to harmful UV rays and moisture.
When sailing, avoid excessive flogging by proper sail deployment (reefs / furling), and control line trim, such as pulling the leech cord on to eliminate leech flutter.
When sailing, ensure correct trim and headsail / traveler car position for the angle of sail.
Ensure there are spreader and stanchion patches in areas of high chafe.
Roller furling sails left on the headstay should always have a protective UV cover along the leech and foot.
If possible, rinse with freshwater to remove excess dirt and saltwater.
DURING THE OFFSEASON
Inspect all attachment points and edges of the sail - Look at corners, the luff / leech / foot tapes and reefing systems.
Inspect the body of the sail for damage and chafe.
Inspect all accessories and hardware - Look at the control lines, batten tensioners, slides / slugs, windows, etc.
When storing, avoid folding the sail the same way each time to limit creasing.
Store in a cool, dry location that limits exposure to moisture, extreme temperatures, and rodents.
When in doubt, contact your local sailmaker and have them perform a multi-point inspection. A trained eye goes a long way in identifying issues early.
