PROTECT YOUR SAILS.........

While processing used sails the following thoughts come to mind. I see a lot of totally useless damage to first class sails that with a little prevention doesn't need to happen. It seems most boaters are using roller furling head sails. They hoist them on the head foil etc. and then forget about them. They think the cover will protect them from the elements and all they have to do is give the sheet a "yank" and away they go. Surprise, the sail opens up and they discover what I call the "green grundge". All winter, rain water has worked its way along the luff of the sail and a greenish moss has sprouted and is growing nicely in their $5000.00 North 150% genoa. Sun damage is probably the biggest problem I see with the furling sails. Quite a few of you with white covers furl the sail backwards and cook the leeches and save the covers. Also, the covers take a horrible beating from the sun. The cover material seems to hold up well but the stitching gets sun rot and the cover starts falling apart. Last winter we had quite a few stormy days. On one of them I took my binoculars and on the hill above the Balboa Bay Club I looked down on the harbor and counted 14 boats that had their roller furling jibs un-furled and turning to shreds in the squally weather. I noted that our harbor police did nothing to protect your property. Two boats had what was left of their jibs flying all month. It seems to me that it's kind of a "no brainer" for boaters to lower their roller furling head sails in the winter to protect them. We've got quite a few great head sails that have the leeches totally sun rotted about two feet in from the leech. Get your sail maker to re-cut the leech and you can end up with a practically new sail for peanuts.......