Sail Repair

[BobT]

Have been rinsing my sails as I put Escape to bed and have noticed that in some places the stitching is coming undone (they are 6+ yrs old).  Once a line of stitching has been broken a pull can cause the whole line to pull out.  Can anyone provide some guidance on type of thread and size of needle to use to effect a repair or if there is a better way?

Regards
Bob

[Graham W]

Bob,

If I have a problem with my sails, I get a professional to sort it out, not trusting my sewing abilities.  I use the Boatshed at Y Felinheli on the Menai Strait.  My mainsail was unpicking and also suffering bad chafe in the gooseneck area.  They did a great repair job in addition to washing out the salt and other grime from the sail.

[BobT]

Graham,
Thanks for the advice. The Menai Straits are a bit of a trek from Kent but there appears to be a number of sail makers in the area so will look to get some quotes.
Cheers
Bob

[Graham W]

Bob (and anyone else),

Perhaps we should post something here when we find a local company that does reliable sail repairs?

[Rory C]

Just to add my recommendation for the work of The Boatshed. Although they haven't done any work for me personally, I've spent 3 separate weeks in the the last 12 months helping my cousin do a major refit of his 38ft tandem keeled sloop immediately next door to the Boatshed. Their work is of the highest standard especially for new sprayhoods covers etc as well as sail repairs in their newly fitted out loft. Anyone visiting Victoria Dock in Caernarvon should just look at Danny Jo whose new paintwork was prepped and applied by one of the boatshed guys in his spare time to say nothing of the new sprayhood.
Rory C

[martin scott]

On the subject of sail repair, following it's autumnal wash the uv strip on my jib is showing a number of splits due to decay. It's the original from Hyde Sails, a little over 4 years old and exposed to the elements for only 7 months a year. There's no sign of rot in the mizzen sail's uv strip. While it's good to know the uv strip is doing it's job in protecting the jib, it seems much too early for it to be rotting away. The jib is now in my local sail loft  for a replacement uv strip (W Sails in Leigh-on-Sea). What sort of life span should we expect from uv strips?
Martin Scott
BRe Blue Moon

[TimLM]

Good point Graham, Moat sails on Portland, built my sails, and has modified them to a very high standard. They also made boom bag and overall covers for Papagena. Really helpfull and very reasonably priced.

[Graham W]

I wouldn't recommend the Sail Register in Market Rasen.  They have previously done good jobs for Peter (code zero) and Andy (flying jib) but more recently have gone almost entirely unresponsive, despite phone calls and numerous emails.  If they don't want the job, the professional thing would be to say so, rather than leaving the punter to guess whether to find an alternative sail loft or not.

[Matthew P]

http://www.goachersails.co.uk in Windermere did a great job cleaning and repairing Gladys's musty sails and canopy a few years ago.  The boss took time to discuss my job and posted the sails back afterwards.

Slightly off-sails but on-kit, the chandler recommended by Claus has some attractive stuff.  I particularly fancy the fog horn at http://www.toplicht.de/en/shop/geschenke-und-nuetzliches/pfeife-und-nebelhorn/tyfon-pumpnebelhorn-nachbau but I expect its beyond Santa's budget, plus too tempting to use when it's not really foggy and I can think of better uses for that sort of money anyway.  Nice though.

Matthew
Gladys BR20