Tore My Main AGAIN

[E.L.Green]

well after having my main tear during a 20-35 knot small craft advisory, i had it repaired by a local sailmaker, no biggy.. today on a downwind run with 10 - 12 knots, it tore AGAIN in a different spot about 8 inches above the outhaul. luckily my friend had a spare seafarer sail i was able to fit to it. im assuming the sail i had on there had reached its lifespan after 18 years of use.

[daddle]

It reached it's expected lifetime 13 years ago. You've made the most of that investment.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by daddle

It reached it's expected lifetime 13 years ago. You've made the most of that investment.

He's in New Jersey, not the tropics. I suspect sails last a bit longer with out all the UV there.

But yeah, 18 years is working on overtime.

[MarkJ]

See if you can rip your sail with your fingers.

If so its UV damaged and you will need a new one.

It doesn't take a strong pull...

[E.L.Green]

after comparing the genoa i have ( 155 and never used ) you can obviously tell the difference. a friend who races said all the resin is gone and the past few years were just borrowed time. oh well you play you pay at some point. im just happy he was able to lend me a sail for the time being.

[Jim Cate]

Loosing the resin in sailcloth has little effect on the strength, but a lot of effect on the bias stretch. What causes tearing such as your sail experienced is UV damage to the Dacron fibres in the cloth.

The lifetime of Dacron sails can reach your 18 years and more... if the sail is used little and well protected from UV when not in use. One finds that POs often have not done these things. I reckon that a new main is in your future!

Cheers,

[E.L.Green]

got a price from a local sailmaker next town over. 750 for a new main as compaired to the other big companies which wanted 1200- 1600. 4 weeks it will be ready...till then im using a spare seafarer main.

[hellosailor]

An 18 year old sail? Reminds me of the old joke about the Scotsman bringing a tattered old condom in to the pharmacist and asking how much to fix it, or how much for a new one?

Maybe you know the punch line, he comes back a week later and says "The regiment voted for a new one!"

(No offense to any Scots here, that's simply the way it is told in the US.)

18 years. ROFL.