11/11/2021

Winter sail care advice

Brian Fennessy from OneSails GBR (East) shares his top tips for looking after your sails this winter. "If you are not using your boat over the winter, start by taking your sails off. Even if the boat isn’t being sailed for a month, best practice is to remove your sails. If you are sailing regularly over the winter, it’s worth making sure your furling sails are well secured against the elements; we recommend an extra tie around the clew of furling genoas. Well-fitted covers are essential for any boat and her sails during the winter months. Once removed, sails should be rinsed, any mildew should be cleaned off, and then they should be laid out to properly dry. Whilst the sails are laid out is a good time to thoroughly check for any chafes, tears, loose stitching, or any other maintenance issues. Pay particular attention to the high load areas such as near the head, tack and clew, as well as any batten pockets or patches. When out of use, sails should be neatly folded and stored in a dry, relatively warm environment, (i.e., not a cold, damp garage). Be careful storing sails anywhere that rodents could get in as they are partial to sails for food and bedding and can cause a lot of damage. If preferred, our team offers a sail removal, launder, maintenance check and storage service. We can fix any small problems as part of the service, or anything larger can be quoted for. Within a quote, we provide a sail condition report, which grades the sail’s general condition and gives detail on recommended repairs. If you have any concerns about your sails, we recommend having a chat with us early in the winter season. We can give you advice based on our significant experience, and help you plan ahead for any repairs or new sails, saving time, money and hassle at the start of next season." Contact east@onesails.co.uk