Slamming and Rinse of the Sail. However great is durability of synthetic fabric, it's unable to stand dynamic loadings for a long time which a slamming sail is subjected to. Sail fraying out consists of its surface damage, sutures burst or fray through, connection between weft and fabric basis collapses, a sail loses the form. It is necessary to explain that a sail synthetic fabric, for decrease of porosity, is saturated with a resin filler and then is subjected to mangling - rolled between two heated rollers, as a result threads of the basis and weft melt and weld between themselves, decreasing of fabric disposition to stretching, fabric becomes more dense and its surface smooth and glossy. A filler becomes fragile and disposed towards bursting with time. If to examine attentively used dakronsail, it is possible to see thousands of small cracks. Naturally, that this senescence of canvas, which happens the faster, the worse is sail handling, spoil its surface and reduces efficiency. Therefore, for example, at berthing when a fresh wind blows, one should avoid useless sail rinsing and take them away.
Folds and Wrinkles. Wrinkles appear at wrong gathering, packing, fastening (for example, lowered grotto to whoop) and storage of sails. They not only spoil outward appearance of the sail but also worsen its aerodynamic qualities. The crumpled sail needs to be wet and then hang it freely up for the front liek. In no circumstances hang a sail for a leech, otherwise
it will deform! Wrinkles, which stay after such handling, is possible to delete by ironing, however iron can not be heated higher then 70°C.
Humidity, Dirt and Mould. In spite of the special treatment, the surface of fabric still has some surface imperfections, where moisture, dirt and different small parts, weighted in an air, are accumulated. These are the smallest centers of mould origin and development. Mould does not strike synthetic fabric and does not decrease its durability, however it leaves spots which are removed hardly.
Moisture stays longer than in any other place of a sail in batten pockets. It's necessary to judge by humidity of batten pockets whethera sail is dry enough and if it can be taken away for storage. It is necessary to look after the cleanness of sparring and rigging that the sails were not getting dirty. It is
recommended to wash a deck, if possibility, before every work with sails.
Sea Salt. The layer of salt, which remains on sails after drying of sea water out, absorbs moisture from the air and makes sails raw, hard and heavy. Salt and sand,which are accumulated in sutures, contribute to their abrasion. Rinse sails with fresh water at every possibility.
Setting of Sails. Fabric suffers most deformation while stretching at bias. Everybody can easily make sure of that, stretching a piece of fabric by hands at bias. Inexpert setting of sails will lead to uselessness of sails in short period of time.
Wearing of Sails
- Do not wear a sail in conditions not corresponding to their destination.
- Decrease area of sails i proper time. Have a set for high wind on board always.
- Don't let your sails be rinsed without a necessity, do not sail under a motor with set sails.
- Do not break sails on halyards. An obvious sign of this is a vertical fold along the front liek.
- At the damage of a sail in motion, immediately replace it. Have a a set of materalfor repair on board. However it is better not to try to repair sails made of laminates independently manually, as holes made by a hand needle can only worsen the situation.
Striking of the Sail. When halyard of the main sail is released, the sail must go downward under the action of its own weight. It is prohibited to pull it for the leech! If a sail stuck, it is needed, pulling alternately for a halyard and front liek, to lower it carefully and to find out a reason of jamming at once. As soon as a sail will be lowered, weaken the tension of the lower liek, it is necessary for the maintenance of its resiliency.
Packing and Storage of Sails. Sails must be kept clean, dry and minimum rumpled. While folding sails, do not allow breaks at windows and edges of cross rope tabling.
The main sail is folded like an accordion so that the lines of bends were parallel to the lower liek, and then it's rolled in a roll from front the front like to the clew. It is recommended to watch, that bends of a sail were not always in the same places. It is necessary to avoid vertical bends in all cases, because they spoil more the aerodynamics of a sail, than horizontal. If a sail remains fastened on a whoop, it is very important to cover it with a case from the influence of the sun, dust, dirt etc.
Before packing of a sail into a bag it is necessary to make sure that the sail is dry, and bag (as well as the sail pantry on the whole) is spacious enough. It's necessary to choose dry and well ventilated place while storage of sails on a ship. all All synthetic sails have to be washed carefully, dried, rolled and taken away for winter storage in a clean, dry and well ventilated room upon finishing of the season.
Cleaning of Sails. Small sails with an area not more than 12 square meterscan be washed with soap and brush in a bath with hot (as far as your hands can stand) water. If a sail is too large for this purpose, it is necessary to spread it out on the clean cement floor and wash with a mop, after that it is necessary to rinse a sail with clean water. Use neutral substances at washing. Avoid substances which contain chlorine while cleaning dakronsails.
This is the part of the article based on the materialfrom American annual "Sailboat Directory". The author is a president of the Institute of sailing sport researches. This article describes an influence of different factors on the quality of sails. The article is supplemented with recommendations for sails made of the newest fabrics.
