ARGH! On my first outing of the year I tore my sail. I'm pretty sure it's because it must have been pinched by the upper and lower mast sections and then tore when I tightened the cunningham. Anyone ever repair this kind of damage? I don't race competitively and this is just a practice sail and from iSails, so I'm not looking for perfection.
Question B is if anyone in the Montreal area who can do this repair?
Thanks,
P.S.: The hand in the picture is my son's, not mine (the rip isn't that big)
You can fix that with dacron insignia tape, it won't need to be sewn.
If you can't find dacron insignia tape in the local boat store, try http://www.larsensails.net/index.htm - They look pretty close to Montreal
I have a tear just like it on my "practice" sail. Mine's a class-legal, but older sail that came with the boat when I bought it. I have used it many times, the shape is pretty good, the tear doesn't really affect it and I haven't bothered fixing it - but I've thought about it. If I tape it, will it not stick to the mast? And is that better than leaving it torn?
As long you are able to butt the two edges of the material together, it will not stick to the mast.
As far as load pulling it apart - the luff tube is not as loaded as you might think vertically in the middle of the mast, and the adhesive used on good dacron insignia tape is quite good in shear. IOW, the tube is not going to open up and the tape is not going to fall off.
As long you are able to butt the two edges of the material together, it will not stick to the mast.
As far as load pulling it apart - the luff tube is not as loaded as you might think vertically in the middle of the mast, and the adhesive used on good dacron insignia tape is quite good in shear. IOW, the tube is not going to open up and the tape is not going to fall off.