........ sail mending?

[fatlazyless]

Looking for someone with a sewing machine to do a couple, three, small patch/repair jobs on an old sailboat sail in the Meredith, Laconia, Center Harbor, Moultonborough, Holderness area?

Prefer to use an individual who is fair to middling with a sewing machine as opposed to going to a boat cover, canvas business. ...

[NoBozo]

LESS: If this is a Sunfish or similar boat ...look for a seamstress. If you want to maintain the performance of a boat that was designed to perform...you need to go to a Sail Maker.

If this is a Laser.. go to a sail maker to have sail repairs or alterations.

NB

[Descant]

How small is "small" I patched my Sailfish sails with iron on patches. Easy color match, lasted for years. Iron ons can go to several inches. Of course, you can't spell "inexpensive" out of the letters in the word "boat".

[fatlazyless]

It's a 2002 Laser Pico which is a 11'10" sailboat just purchased today for $500 and both sails, main & jib, need some tears repaired ...... using iron on, repair patches is something I had not thought on ..... and probably sold at Wal-mart ......will probably give them a try.


Fay's has a big selection of expensive sail repair tape or patches or something too?

[fatlazyless]

For 7.95 each, Fay's has sail repair tape, 2" x 25' in about eight different colors that was easy to use. Using black Gorilla tape on the outside sail edge for strength with a sail repair tape color that blends placed on top of the Gorilla waterproof tape seems like a good fix......time will tell.

www.faysboatyard.com in Gilford has a store full of sailing repair/replacement items and is the place to go for parts when redoing an old, el cheapo, fixer-upper sailboat back to life but buoy .....let me tells ya ...... sailboat replacement repair items made by Harken, Hobie, Laser, and Sunfish are not cheap.....holy smokes!

[ApS]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

For 7.95 each, Fay's has sail repair tape, 2" x 25' in about eight different colors that was easy to use. Using black Gorilla tape on the outside sail edge for strength with a sail repair tape color that blends placed on top of the Gorilla waterproof tape seems like a good fix......time will tell. www.faysboatyard.com in Gilford has a store full of sailing repair/replacement items and is the place to go for parts when redoing an old, el cheapo, fixer-upper sailboat back to life but buoy .....let me tells ya ...... sailboat replacement repair items made by Harken, Hobie, Laser, and Sunfish are not cheap.....holy smokes!

Sail repair tape is the way to go. It's light, conforms well, can be stitched through, matches sail texture, and appears like the tough dacron material it is.

It can be shaped into circles, stars, letters, or numbers. (Spell something out with the excess, as sail repair tape's adhesive doesn't store well). I've repaired long rips on small, but expensive, racer's sails. Have a helper align the edges for you, and the repair will last the life of the sail. (Never use bleach for cleaning).

My experience with Gorilla tape is that it is slightly better than duct tape. Once Gorilla tape gets hot, it oozes-out its sticky adhesive along the edges. After a while, Gorilla tape falls off, and the adhesive hardens to the repair's surface. I don't know how to remove the old, semi-hardened and mottled adhesive. Perhaps by sanding?

Gorilla glue is also a disappointment. It's hard to determine how the finished product will appear; eventually, it will harden in its plastic dispenser—becoming even more useless. Don't buy the Gorilla glue hype, unless you have a repair job that will use the entire dispenser, and cosmetic appearance isn't important.

I guess FLL will simply roll (not fold) his sails for storage; but, as for Harken, I have a new Harken jib furler for sale. You can spend $2000 for a jib furler, but mine is priced at $150.

.

[fatlazyless]

Different Gorilla tapes: 1" wide; stronger, stickier and water resistant compared to 2" wide, duct tape style Gorilla.

[Descant]

Glad to hear you were successful for cheap. It's always good to hear the feedback.

[ITD]

Try forever stamps less, they last forever.

[fatlazyless]

And, I actually thought my good look'n sail repair would work and make it a functional sail. But, after sailing good in light to moderate wind for about 15-minutes, a slight gust had the boat heeling a bit, and the sail very quickly was all torn up and shredded badly. It may have been a new sail back in 2002? Good thing I had a canoe paddle for getting back!

No choice now but to purchase a new replacement sail? Maybe make an el cheapo sail using aluminum foil and duct tape?

[Descant]

Sounds like the patch held up OK and the rest of the sailcloth was beyond its useful life. A valiant effort, anyway, and in true Red Green fashion, you didn't waste a lot of $$.

[fatlazyless]

Intensity Sails in Warwick, Rhode Island's website says they have these in red-white-blue for the reduced sale price of $119.95 ....... which seems like a terrific steal of a deal ....... so's it is goodbye Fay's .....and hello Intensity Sails.

Who know's .....maybe I'll create a presidential political pitch with the left-over blue sail repair tape.....and use it to letter a HILLARY sign on the middle white section of this three stripe red-white-blue sail, and go sail it within sight of the crowded Mount Washington weekend cruises?

Do I feel bad about not paying $300 or something and buying local as opposed to paying 119.95 ....... I dunno .....ask me after I get the sail that's on sale?

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Descant

Sounds like the patch held up OK and the rest of the sailcloth was beyond its useful life. A valiant effort, anyway, and in true Red Green fashion, you didn't waste a lot of $$.

Not much stretch in Gorilla-tape!

Unless cleaned using bleach, panels of the sail still may be good enough for recycling into tents, fashion statements, sun shades, totes, covers, sleeves or grocery bags. Old or rejected sails can be donated for "repurposing":
http://newlifesails.com/

Sold in shops, including in nearby Maine:

"Often white or off-white thanks to the recycled dacron, canvas, and Kevlar they're made from, the bags feature nautically-themed embellishments like rope-prints and lobster claws as well as hand-spliced rope handles."

Some find their way to the Caribbean, to assist in driving sailboats used for sustenance fishing.

Come to think of it, I have a spare sail with a World Olympics acceptance-seal stamped on it. What a discussion item for a grocery bag...!

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Intensity Sails in Warwick, Rhode Island's website says they have these in red-white-blue for the reduced sale price of $119.95 ....... which seems like a terrific steal of a deal ....... so's it is goodbye Fay's .....and hello Intensity Sails. Who know's .....maybe I'll create a presidential political pitch with the left-over blue sail repair tape.....and use it to letter a HILLARY sign on the middle white section of this three stripe red-white-blue sail, and go sail it within sight of the crowded Mount Washington weekend cruises? Do I feel bad about not paying $300 or something and buying local as opposed to paying 119.95 ....... I dunno .....ask me after I get the sail that's on sale?

Check with Neil Pryde sailmakers first. They're cheaper and more colorful—but specify the colors of the sail you order, as you can get a mish-mosh of colors!

If you feel the need to "make a pitch", how about "150-Foot Rule" emblazoned on your new sail. The message won't be passé after November 9th.

.

[fatlazyless]

Got a very brief email reply back from Intensity Sail saying their on sale $119.99 sail is out of stock for 2-3 months.......so's I am back to scanning the internet horizon for a Pico Laser replacement main sail? That price was too good to be true, or something. Funny how a low priced item is a super low price and is also out of stock?

Like yes, we have that for 119.99, except we are currently out of stock. And, what will it cost when it is in stock?

Nice thing about buying in a retail store like Fay's is you get to see it before you buy it.

[Descant]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Like yes, we have that for 119.99, except we are currently out of stock. And, what will it cost when it is in stock?

I understand completely
I've been trying to replace a particular Field & Stream bag. Two places had it one for $19, one for $26. Both out of stock. Amazon has it in stock for $44.95 plus 2 day shipping cost (not a Prime item).