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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Cleaning Sails

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Tanglefoot
1st Mate

Member Avatar

USA
76 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/28/2006 : 12:13:46

Hola a Todos!

Hey guys, wondering the best way to clean sails. My Main needs a good washing but I am not sure what to use, do not want to compromise the integrity!

Thanks,

J.T.

Tanglefoot

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 12:32:39

Hey JT, I just give mine to my sail maker. I don't know what he does but they came out looking fantastic. You might want to call a sail loft near you. Cheers.

Edited by - on

Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 19:02:42

A very big barrel (Plastic) filled with a solution of 50:1 bleach and water. Soak for a couple of days. Treat any rust stains with seperate product. Scrub mildew or other satins with simple green. Be sure all work surfaces are clean. After the bleach soak rinse well with water.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/28/2006 : 22:22:33

Geez Doug, you must need huuuuge barrels for your Formosa sails. I always wanted to ask you, do your decks leak into the cab? I always heard that and the wiring was big problems for the Formosas. Cheers.

Edited by - on

Tanglefoot
1st Mate

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USA
76 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 09:36:38

Thanks to both of you for your help. I am a " do-it-yourself " person so I am inclined to the barrell idea, but the sail loft is also a safer alternative knowing my recent luck. Thanks guys!

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:38:52

Jonathan, easier still is to just go sailing in the rain(washes them) and then go sailing in the sun( bleaches them)...mother nature at her best.

Val on Calista # 3936, Patchogue, N.Y.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 08/29/2006 : 11:44:00

Anybody ever tried Oxi-Clean on sails?

I also use the rain and sun method Val mentioned.

Edited by - on

Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 10:52:12

I waited too long to get my sails to the sail cleaner. Has anyone tried the 'big barrel and bleach' approach. My main is a bit mildewed and it has some mud dauber stains but it is in fantastic physical shape (crisp, no worn spots, no loose threads). I can use it like it is, it's just embarrassing but I would rather be embarrassed than ruin a good sail. BTW, the 8 week turnaround quote was from Sailcare, the place in Ohio (I believe) that got high marks in other posts.

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 20:04:18

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Ed Cassidy
 I waited too long to get my sails to the sail cleaner. Has anyone tried the 'big barrel and bleach' approach. My main is a bit mildewed and it has some mud dauber stains but it is in fantastic physical shape (crisp, no worn spots, no loose threads). I can use it like it is, it's just embarrassing but I would rather be embarrassed than ruin a good sail. BTW, the 8 week turnaround quote was from Sailcare, the place in Ohio (I believe) that got high marks in other posts.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

They are in Pennsylvania actually. You waited too long. Sailcare was pleading with people to get their sails in over the winter when they are slow. I just talked to them about another matter. If you have ever seen the work they do, you would be amazed. They have a process that brings the crispness back to the fabric. Sails are as white as snow when they are finished with them. Talk to them again, see if you can get a break.

Edited by - on

Turk
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 20:08:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dlucier
 Anybody ever tried Oxi-Clean on sails?

I also use the rain and sun method Val mentioned.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've tried Oxiclean! You mix up a paste and brush it on a stain then let it set for an hour. It will not hurt the fabric or the stitching. It is a form of hydrogen peroxide I believe. It worked very nicely on the blood stains on my mainsail. Don't ask!

Edited by - on

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 20:31:32

I sent my Daysailer II sails to them (Sailcare) last fall they were back in a couple of weeks and they look like new sails. The lost my jib sheets though. They've since fired the shipping person.

Edited by - on

pete454ss
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
24 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 22:32:04

I sent my sails to Sail Care in PA. They did a great job cleaning my sails. I also had them repair and recondition the sails. If you choose to let them recondition, look over the estimate carefully and choose the necessary repairs.

My sails arrived in great shape and I am extremely satisfied with the work they did. For those folks who are using bleach and 'oxi cleaning' using barrels you are wrecking your sails! They won't hold their shape properly using these home methods.

Sail Care and other reputable sail lofts will clean and re-resin the sails which will allow them to hold their shape which translates to better performance in the wind. So if you want to keep and maintain the integrity of your sails let the pros clean them.

Edited by - on

pete454ss
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
24 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 22:36:59

The best time to send your sails out for cleaning is when you pull your boat out for the season. I sent mine out to Sail Care in December and got them back in February.

Edited by - on

dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 04/14/2007 : 21:55:20

don
i use the liqiud oxyclean
works great!!

both liquid and powder contain hrdrogen peroxide and soda ash.
neither will not hurt the polyester resins in sail materials.

dave holtgrave
5722 sk/tr
hard and dry till the end of the month
near carlyle lake in southern illinois

Edited by - on

tinob
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 04/16/2007 : 10:18:49

Just as an aside, I once used Sailcare to clean my sails but the only obvious difference in the sails was that they shrunk, and so I have decided that using nature is free, environMENTALLY safe and cheeper. How can you argue with such benefits? OH, and another aside, some folks prefer washing their sails in the family bath tub, a bit over the top for me though. The ADMIRAL will tolerate anything to do with sailing as long as I don't bring anything boat related into the house larger than pictures.

Val on the hard, DAGNABIT, Patchogue, N.Y.

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