Select to expand quote2keen said..boardsurfr said..
It's all in how you handle the sail (except for bad crashes). I always thought I handled my sails well, until a semi-pro who sold his quivers every year pointed out a key element I had missed: never put your sail on the ground while rigging or de-rigging, unless it is downhauled well or the boom is on. In addition, when putting the mast on or taking it out, minimize the creases in the sail. If you put a sail down, for example to get the mast extension from your car, you're just putting pressure on the creases, and shorten the life of your sail dramatically. It always pains me when I see people handle their sails like that.
When following these guidelines, most sails can last 100 or 150 session before the first panels need replacing. For most weekend warriors, that's more than 2 or 3 years.
That said, there are some pretty big differences between brands and types. The material and width of the mast sleeve is one big factor. On one extreme are race sails with deep luff sleeves that make it easy to rig and de-rig without wrinkles. One the other extreme, some types with thin mast sleeves and "wrinkly" mast sleeve material make it impossible to avoid wrinkles. Ezzy's are in a world of their own - you need special talents to break them, and there are tons of details that help them outlast other brands. Just don't bring them to the current sail repair shop in Hatteras if they need repairs...
Ummmm
"never put your sail on the ground while rigging or de-rigging, unless it is downhauled well or the boom is on"
Isn't step one of rigging, roll out your sail on the ground?
Its when the mast is in place that the batten tension puts some curve into the material next to the luff curve and its scrunched up under the mast. I always put the mast in with the tack off the ground, then the extension in place and enough downhaul to pull the panels flat before putting the sail on the ground to put the boom on.
Select to expand quotePhilUK said..2keen said..boardsurfr said..
It's all in how you handle the sail (except for bad crashes). I always thought I handled my sails well, until a semi-pro who sold his quivers every year pointed out a key element I had missed: never put your sail on the ground while rigging or de-rigging, unless it is downhauled well or the boom is on. In addition, when putting the mast on or taking it out, minimize the creases in the sail. If you put a sail down, for example to get the mast extension from your car, you're just putting pressure on the creases, and shorten the life of your sail dramatically. It always pains me when I see people handle their sails like that.
When following these guidelines, most sails can last 100 or 150 session before the first panels need replacing. For most weekend warriors, that's more than 2 or 3 years.
That said, there are some pretty big differences between brands and types. The material and width of the mast sleeve is one big factor. On one extreme are race sails with deep luff sleeves that make it easy to rig and de-rig without wrinkles. One the other extreme, some types with thin mast sleeves and "wrinkly" mast sleeve material make it impossible to avoid wrinkles. Ezzy's are in a world of their own - you need special talents to break them, and there are tons of details that help them outlast other brands. Just don't bring them to the current sail repair shop in Hatteras if they need repairs...
Ummmm
"never put your sail on the ground while rigging or de-rigging, unless it is downhauled well or the boom is on"
Isn't step one of rigging, roll out your sail on the ground?
Its when the mast is in place that the batten tension puts some curve into the material next to the luff curve and its scrunched up under the mast. I always put the mast in with the tack off the ground, then the extension in place and enough downhaul to pull the panels flat before putting the sail on the ground to put the boom on.
Yeah , but it's going to scrunch anyways before pulling the downhaul ?
It has to go through the scrunch faze .
Would it matter if it was scrunched for 10 seconds or sit there for 2 minutes after scrunching , in scrunched position ?
Once scrunched , it's scrunched .
Been through few brands over last 10 years. Loft Sails, Naish and now been on Severne for a while. Naish Force 5s and Loft Sail wave sails had lot of curve to it, Blades not much at all. Anyhow, all of these sails are still going fine as I know people who bought em from me. Unless damaged in waves not single one has given up yet.
Simmer blacktips much have better visibility on waves than icons super tough but so tightly strung that any damage to nose or tail of board will blow out widow in waves, when de rigging always release out hall before downhall but have downhall ready for quick undoing, I shred on average two sails per year but sail the spot, perth where few dare to go and never come back, so i sail it by myself with a few high end kiters who just rip. Only criticism of the black tip is the inability to de power in the bottom turn, used an old delta soft sail at gnaraloo recently and was amazed how much better it went on the waves, allthough the upwind tacking abillity of the blacktip is hard to beat.would love to hear of sails that de power in the bottom turn better for this reason, for high performance wave sailing get used too trashing your gear and if your not sailing waves then get into it.
