[Alberg30] Sail Cleaning
Larry Morris
larmor at myexcel.com
Sat Sep 27 17:03:35 PDT 2003
Option No. 4 seems the most sensible. The cleanliness of the sails has
nothing to do with their effectiveness.
Larry Morris
Solstice #501
-----Original Message-----
From: public-list-bounces at alberg30.org
[mailto:public-list-bounces at alberg30.org] On Behalf Of Roger L.
Kingsland
Sent: Saturday, September 27, 2003 11:12 AM
To: Alberg 30 public list
Subject: [Alberg30] Sail Cleaning
Albergers (how I learned to stop worrying and love the cholesterol),
I have a 130 Genoa by North made of some form of laminated Mylar, I
think they call it "NorLam." It probably was expensive and is in pretty
good shape; plus, it is my only sail that fits the roller fuller.
Problem is that must of been rode hard and put away wet because it has
so much mildew (apparently between the layers) the sail is completely
grey (almost looks like it was intended to be that color).
I seem to have several options; 1) sell the boat, buy a Whaler and go
fishing, 2) risk ruining the sail by cleaning it with harsh chemicals,
3) dye the sail a dark color (no, really, this might work if I can
figure our how to dye Mylar without "dying" the sail or dying the deck
after it rains), 4) live with it till I can afford to replace it then
make it into some kind'a weird tent.
Since it involves no expenditure of time or money, the latter option may
prevail by default. Of course, the Kingsland family risks our A30 peers
saying among themselves during cockpit cocktails, "that sure is a pretty
boat but have you ever seen her with the 130 flying, yuk." Maybe I
could add some windows and a bunch of telltales and pretend it is some
sort of secret, high tech, experimental sail I am test driving for North
(of course, since their development team now consults with me on a
regular basis, it would be an easy sell).
There is also an opportunity to use the mildewed Mylar as the conceptual
basis for renaiming the boat (our other conundrum). Instead of "My Last
Boat II" (thanks to Bill Mahony for that one) or "Dad's Money Pit"
(thanks to some motor boater's wife for that one), we could name her
"Grey Lady" or "Mal de Mylar." How about, "Genoa-a-Go-Go" or
"Jib's-a-Joke" (do you think the bridge tenders will be able to figure
out the hyphens?).
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. The thunderstorm has passed
and the sun comes forth, so back to rubbing and scraping the nameless
boat (please, Gord, don't even think usurping naming responsibility).
All for now
Roger Kingsland
Chief Financial Officer (AKA, check writer)
The sailing artist formally known as Mahina Manu, A30 #148
N40° 29.288'
W79° 54.228'
Author's Disclaimer; This email was produced exclusively by the sender
and, in the interest of expediency, without the benefit of editing by
others. The sender, thank goodness, is a much better architect/sailor
than speller/editor and, frankly, constantly laments an obvious flaw in
"spell check," it does not know what the author is thinking. Please
accept the sender's sincere apologies for any "typos" that may appear in
this document. If present, they are certainly unintended and hopefully
do not cloud the message, or spawn any unnecessary lawsuits.
>
>
> > Hi Christos,
> >
> > Depending on how much of the sail is soiled you can spot clean it or
> stretch
> > it out on a clean lawn and hand wash and rinse the whole thing - it
is
> time
> > consuming but your sail will keep it's structural integrity. The
other
> thing
> > is to make sure it is dry when you put it away. Don't hang it in a
breeze
> to
> > flap about as some people do as it again breaks down the resins.
> >
> > We are on the Great Lakes so rinsing salt off is not an issue.
> >
> > Very soft brush or cloth only.
> >
> > Try to walk on it as little as possible - it's really quite straight
> > forward.
> >
> > You can talk to good sailmakers about more aggressive cleaners if
you have
> > to have them absolutely clean but avoid those commercial cleaning
> companies
> > like the plague. I saw a beautiful suit of A-37 sails (Murphy Nye's)
> ruined
> > by a commercial cleaner and was with the sailmaker when he unbagged
them
> and
> > the first words out of his mouth were - "oh no, they've had them
cleaned."
> > He then showed me what it had done to the cloth.
> >
> > I have only spot cleaned my sails when something was really yucky
like
> bird
> > poop or limited area of dirt. They don't stay absolutely white
forever -
> but
> > a little discoloration is normal. I do rinse them from time to time
to get
> > any airborne grit off so it doesn't work it's way in, but the resins
do a
> > good job on their own of keeping grit out, and an occasional rinse
is
> mostly
> > all I do.
> >
> > Best of luck
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Christos Katehis" <GreekSailor at worldnet.att.net>
> > To: "Alberg 30 public list" <public-list at alberg30.org>
> > Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 7:09 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Alberg30] Sail Cleaning
> >
> >
> > > John,
> > >
> > > Have you washed your sails? Other than lots off space to hang and
wash,
> > what
> > > else is important?
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > Chris
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "John Birch" <Sunstone at cogeco.ca>
> > > To: "Alberg 30 public list" <public-list at alberg30.org>
> > > Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 1:43 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [Alberg30] Sail Cleaning
> > >
> > >
> > > > As a rule of thumb - never clean your sails with anything
stronger
> than
> > > > detergent and a very soft brush or cloth - and do the work by
hand.
> > > > Commercial washers put them in machines which breaks down the
resins
> and
> > > > ruins them. The cloth becomes much more "stretchy" as the resins
that
> > help
> > > > bind the threads & fibres and are broken down in the commercial
> cleaning
> > > > process. I've seen this damage first hand - sail looks great but
you
> can
> > > > stretch the cloth by hand off the bias - something you can't do
with
> > cloth
> > > > in good shape.
> > > >
> > > > I have no specific knowledge of the company you are referring
to.
> > > >
> > > > My source is my sailmaker and every sailmaker I've talked to and
books
> > > I've
> > > > read.
> > > >
> > > > Thx.
> > > >
> > > > John
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "Christos Katehis" <GreekSailor at worldnet.att.net>
> > > > To: "Alberg 30 public list" <public-list at alberg30.org>
> > > > Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2003 12:42 PM
> > > > Subject: [Alberg30] Sail Cleaning
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Has anyone used "The sail Cleaners" in Ft. Lauderdale, FL ?
> > > >
> > > > Christos Katehis
> > > > Kasia #383
> > > >
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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