Has anyone ever attempted to wash a sail? Now that I have a new main the rarely used jib does'nt look as good as before. Or are there any other suggestions? Marc
I've washed the sails for my little boat (18 ft LOA) by soaking overnight in a plastic trash can with OxyClean dissolved in water. Rinsed well with fresh water and hung to dry.
Worked great.
That's how Laura cleaned our jib. Worked fine.
Don't use any detergents... use a mild soap, oxyclean or woolite. A detergent will help strip out the resisns that stiffen the sailcloth IIRC.
The dirty devil is in the details :D
I think you guys are meaning the product "Oxiclean"
A google of "Oxyclean" will get you to an air filter site
just wanted to pass this on to everyone. i sent my mainsail to sailcare to have it cleaned and refurbished. i got it back today and i couldn't believe how good it looked. it was as white as snow and crisp as a new one. i cant wait to get my boat on the water to see how she sails. anyway anyone thinking about going this route can rest assured that it will be a good decision. jerry and his crew are a heck of a bunch of good people. very courteous and professional.
I have heard my recommendations for Sailcare. If you don't mind, what did it cost?
I thought about having this done also, thanks for the post. I have talk to them on the phone, seems like nice people. The wife is thinking about getting the sail making kit, maybe new sails on the old boat. I have been doing alot of reading on sails, to see if mine are blown out. thank again
I agree totally. I sent my soft, rust-stained working jib to Sailcare and it came back clean and stiff--like a new sail for a fraction of the cost.
My local sailmaker was kind of disparaging about them (no surprise), saying that their process was sort of like starching a shirt. But I have to disagree.
They are very easy to deal with.
--Joe
How long is the turn around on getting the sails done?
Depends when you send them in. I am sure you can call and find out. They get pretty busy right about now. I know the last time I sent some in it was before the first of the year and the turn around was good.
They usually offer a special rate if you send your sail in before the end of the year. I sent mine in November and got it back by March.
But call them, they are very responsive. I think it's a small operation--which is good.
--Joe
thanks for the information, will do!
They reconditioned my Main and Jib. The jib I was ready to throw away. I thought it wasn't able to be saved. I was wrong. They also did a lot of repair, and added a second reef point to the main (I should have had them add a third). My memory is fuzzy; but I think all of this cost around $550 or so.
They charge per sq. ft.
My Bristol 24 mainsail cost $325.00 for reconditioning, some repair and a second reef added. Turn around was about 6 weeks. Looked like new. I had them recondition and reset the bolt rope on a Santana 20 main for about $285.00 They also add tell tales. Good people.
I had a good experience with them and would highly recommend them.
Now this is very interesting, ask a question about spending money, and you all give this good advice. Where were you people when I was younger..., ok probably not born yet. :'(
it was 75 dollars plus shipping (about 15 for that ups) and it took six or seven weeks to get it back. they run a special in october. like the rest of you i cant wait to hit the water.
okay I just got some old sails, there are rust stains and slight spots of mold... best way to take care of this? and also cleaning, how do i bring them back to their whiteness?
Send them to SailCare in Pennsylvania, and they'll wash them, removing the rust stains, and restore some of their original stiffness and smoothness. I used their services on my old, floppy and rust-stained working jib, and it came back looking like new.
Call them and they'll answer questions. Jerry, the owner, often answers the phone.
www.sailcare.com (http://www.sailcare.com)
--Joe
okay joe sounds like that could work, i do live in PA.
though cost is an issue, tight budget. ill check it out.
I bought a very good condition used sail for my C-22 that has been to sail care at some point in the past but now needs cleaning and I was wondering if theres a way I can do to just to make it look better, or shpuld I just send it out?
What is wrong with it... is it just dirty...then a children's wading pool or bath tub and some oxi-clean will help straighten it right out. :)
Thank you very much Adrift the sails look so much better. I can't think of anything that will keep me from sailing soon.
What exactly is done when someone or some company says they can recondition a sail? I picture some guy taking them home home and hosing them off and scrubbing them on his lawn and then charging you 300 bucks for such a job, but I'm an extreme cynic.
3 of the 4 sails I got with my boat are in awesome shape... the main looks brand new, but the 150% is pretty beat. It lacks a solar protector as well. Is "reconditioning" worthwhile for a beat up old sail? I don't suspect this is the original as it fits the furlex and is made by Northsails, but it's definitely been used.
I sent mine to Sailcare a couple of years ago. Frankly, I thought the jib, at least, was beyond saving. Nope. Came back in GREAT shape. I don't know how long the process lasts; but it was a lot cheaper than new sails....
Sailcare's site does a pretty good job of describing the process.
http://www.sailcare.com/sail-cleaning.shtml
They did a great job on my jibs.
Nice! Do you recall what they charged? I have a 150 that needs work.
I don't (it's been a couple of years). However, I do remember that having them do a repair on the jib (an eight foot tear), adding a set of reef points to the main, and doing the sailcare process on both cost around half of a new main and jib from Fareast sails.
Quote from: mkeChris on December 07, 2009, 08:32:12 PM
Nice! Do you recall what they charged? I have a 150 that needs work.
If you take a look at their website you can get an idea of the cost
Aha - Found it! Very cool... so many expenses.. hard to know which ones to fight for justification with the accountant for.
Err, for the cheapskate (me) what do they do to recondition a sail? What could we do to emulate the same treatment? I can sew and wash (no- this is not a singles advertisement)
It looks like from their description the most significant phase of the process is the addition of resin and heat treatment which increases the stiffness and ability to hold sail shape and remove the wrinkles and creases.
That's what I was wondering initially too... do they just wash and sew the things and that's it? But it looks like they actually are able to restore at least some of the sails "crispiness".
Quote from: newt on December 08, 2009, 11:51:16 AM
Err, for the cheapskate (me) what do they do to recondition a sail? What could we do to emulate the same treatment? I can sew and wash (no- this is not a singles advertisement)
Sure...but do you clean windows too??? ;D :o
It's a re-resining process, not just cleaning. I seriously doubt that's a home repair. If your sails are in pretty good condition you could make any repairs yourself and give it a good cleaning with a garden hose and a mild detergent in your back yard.
The re-resining process, BTW, works magic. My sails looked (and felt) brand new. Well, almost. Very crisp. And I couldn't see through them anymore!
Merged these threads together to help anyone looking for info.
I know it is more work, but if we all do a quick search before starting a new topic all the benefits of prior discussion can be shared more easily.
THanks,
I'm sorry, but are you calling someone who can clean, sew and wash windows lazy? ;D
I may have said this earlier, if so please forgive me:
SailCare did a terrific job restoring my working/storm jib. The sail had dreadful rust stains on it, and it was limp and soft. For about $150, they put it through their re-resining process, cleaned it beautifully and added a new set of telltales.
Before sending off the sail, I called them and spoke with the owner, who is very approachable, unless he's at a boat show. I'd definitely use them again.
--Joe
It sounds like a good deal. Maybe when i can't stand the crinkles in my sail anymore.
For sure!
Looks like around 350$ for a similar sized Genoa.. I'll probably have to wait a season as my wife is already getting shocked at all the extra expenses. Boat hooks, dock lines, flares, ladder to access on the hard..
Funny thing is, my biggest concern is that my main is new and the genny is stained and wrinkled.. I'm more concerned with how bad it will look with a distant second being it's ability to hold shape or function.
I just got my sails back from SailCare and they look GREAT! Almost like new, crisp and clean.
The sails are probably 10 years and starting to get pretty dingy. The roller furler genoa also needed the head and tack webbing replaced.
I gotta say that I am very pleased with their service.
Warren
{moved post so STUPIDLY posted in the wrong thread to the right thread (http://sailfar.net/forum/index.php?topic=96.msg29821#msg29821)}
Instead of boat licenses, we need to talk about computer licenses...at least for me this week.
;D
Take THAT, Sesame Street Channelers.
Remember that song?
"One of these things does not go together....
...one of these things, just isn't the same.
One of these posts, is doing it's own thing....."
;D
Quote from: s/v Faith on February 11, 2010, 10:19:03 AM
Remember that song?
"One of these things does not go together....
...one of these things, just isn't the same.
One of these posts, is doing it's own thing....."
;D
LOL ;D
1
2
3
ah hah hah hah hah
Now what have you guys been smoking?
Wanted to add my praises for Sail Care.
They did a fantastic job cleaning and reconditioning my two headsails (genoa and working jib). I absolutely could not believe the difference in the genny. My main was beyond hope, so I had them make me a new one.
Here's what was in the box:
New main plus two reconditioned head sails, very neatly furled.
A full set of sail ties for the new main.
A brand new, very nice sail bag for the new main.
A copy of the most recent issue of "Good Old Boat" magazine.
They were VERY nice, professional and respectful in dealing with them on the phone and via email. I dealt with Jerry.
I have not sailed with the new main yet, so I cannot comment on performance. But she 'looks' cut very nice and all stitching and reinforcing looks very solid.
So far, I have no qualms giving them my best recommendation.