Masterclass
Yachting World|June 2018

HOW TO REPAIR SAILS AT SEA

Pip Hare
Masterclass

Those who venture offshore understand the importance of self-sufficiency: if something breaks we fix it out of necessity. This is especially the case when it comes to sail repairs. In my experience, with enough time and the right materials, pretty much anything can be repaired well enough to get back to shore. But just as sail materials have changed, so have the materials we can use to repair them.

Preparation

Don’t rush at a repair; poor preparation will seriously affect the staying power of your handiwork. Aim for a flat, dry and clean surface. Smaller tears in spinnakers or headsails can often be fixed with a quick drop and repair on deck. Repairs to the lower portion of the mainsail can be reached by reefing. But if the damage is large or conditions too difficult don’t procrastinate – get the sail below decks to dry as soon as possible.

Once dry, rub the whole area with acetone or alcohol to remove the last moisture and any salt or dirt residues that may hamper adhesion.

Making a repair on a flat surface can be harder than it sounds, especially when performing the operation on deck. For smaller repairs use a chopping board underneath, or perhaps a locker lid for bigger fixes. It pays to get the biggest area possible laid out and flat to avoid puckering. When sailing short-handed, I use clamps to hold the sail in place around the board. If fixing a mainsail in situ, have one or two people on the opposite side of the sail holding a board in place.

Denne historien er fra June 2018-utgaven av Yachting World.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra June 2018-utgaven av Yachting World.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA YACHTING WORLDSe alt
5 EXPERT TIPS BOB BEGGS ON SAILING IN COLD WEATHER
Yachting World

5 EXPERT TIPS BOB BEGGS ON SAILING IN COLD WEATHER

As temperatures drop, Andy Rice gets tips on how to handle the cold from self-confessed Arctic weather fan and winning Clipper Round the World Race skipper Bob Beggs

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
SPECIAL REPORT EXTENDED CRUISING IN THE BALTIC
Yachting World

SPECIAL REPORT EXTENDED CRUISING IN THE BALTIC

Sweden offers cruisers a warm welcome for winter - Janneke Kuysters has advice on how to boost your sailing time in the region

time-read
6 mins  |
December 2024
NIKKI HENDERSON
Yachting World

NIKKI HENDERSON

SEARCHING FOR MORE SPEED? BEFORE TINKERING WITH TINY ADJUSTMENTS, MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT THE BASICS RIGHT THE POWER DRIVING THE BOAT

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
MATTHEW SHEAHAN
Yachting World

MATTHEW SHEAHAN

WHAT WILL THE BOATS OF THE 38TH AMERICA'S CUP LOOK LIKE? THAT'S THE $20 MILLION QUESTION IF BRITAIN OR NEW ZEALAND DECIDE TO DEPART FROM THE AC75

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
60-knot squalls hit Middle Sea Race
Yachting World

60-knot squalls hit Middle Sea Race

The 45th running of the Mediterranean offshore, the Rolex Middle Sea Race, saw a spectacularly random mix of conditions - even for a race which is famed for its variable weather patterns.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024
Italy win first Women's Cup
Yachting World

Italy win first Women's Cup

The first ever Women's America's Cup was won by Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli after a single, twoboat shoot-out final on 12 October.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 2024
'Three-peat' for ETNZ
Yachting World

'Three-peat' for ETNZ

As Defender, Emirates Team New Zealand came into this year's 37th America's Cup as clear favourites. But the Kiwi camp has far more than just the structural advantage of being the ones that wrote the Protocol for the competition, and the originators of the AC75 concept.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2024
ROOM WITH A VIEW
Yachting World

ROOM WITH A VIEW

SWEDISH DESIGNER GABRIEL HEYMAN POURED A LIFETIME OF IDEAS INTO THIS PILOT SALOON CRUISER, WHICH INCLUDES ARGUABLY THE LARGEST COCKPIT AVAILABLE AT THIS SIZE

time-read
10 mins  |
December 2024
LIVING HISTORY
Yachting World

LIVING HISTORY

THE ICONIC SEASON-CLOSING REGATTA LES VOILES DE SAINT TROPEZ WAS AN IMMERSIVE HISTORY LESSON FOR CROSBIE LORIMER

time-read
8 mins  |
December 2024
CHANGE OF PLAN
Yachting World

CHANGE OF PLAN

LEAVING AUSTRALIA, MARIANNE URTH NEVER PLANNED TO MAKE LANDFALL IN THE ISLANDS OF VANUATU, BUT THE EXPERIENCE WAS MAGICAL

time-read
9 mins  |
December 2024