Sun damage to sails

A forum for discussing topics relating to MacGregor Powersailor Sailboats
DaveC426913
Admiral
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:05 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Sun damage to sails

Post by DaveC426913 »

Holy carp!

When I dropped my genny off at the sail loft for repairs, I put up a 110 jib for the first time. It was still in its packaging, tied with a bow, and a note that said "Warning: if you are not going to take your sail down after every use, it will get sun damaged very quickly. It is a wise idea to put a solar cover on your new sail."

So I asked the sailmaker: "How quickly is 'very quickly'? A few weeks?"

He said: "A day."
I said "What kind of wear can happen in a day??"
He said: "Broken threads, etc."

He is telling me that one day on the halyard will likely damage my sail enough that it will need to be repaired.

Has anyone heard of / experienced this?

:o :o :o :o :o

(Well I guess that ship has sailed, since I put it up last weekend, and it's still up.)
MacX 2000 Honda BF50A 'SeaSaw'
User avatar
dlandersson
Admiral
Posts: 4931
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 10:00 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Michigan City

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by dlandersson »

Technically, every second in the sun causes damage to your sail. Practicaly, a day or several days isn't going to destroy it. Using UV protectant any time you aren't sailing is a good habit to get into. 8)
DaveC426913
Admiral
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:05 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by DaveC426913 »

dlandersson wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 12:57 pm Technically, every second in the sun causes damage to your sail. Using UV protectant any time you aren't sailing is a good habit to get into. 8)
All true.
dlandersson wrote: Mon Jul 04, 2022 12:57 pm Practicaly, a day or several days isn't going to destroy it.
This guy says a day is enough to damage it that it needs repair.

I dunno - maybe he's thinking in the context of racing, which is both more demanding and more in-need of excellent maintenance.

But that makes zero sense. He knew exactly what boat I had, just from the sail. It's not like he mistook me for a technical racer. Especially considering the blown-out Doyle sail I brought him.
MacX 2000 Honda BF50A 'SeaSaw'
User avatar
NiceAft
Admiral
Posts: 6698
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:28 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Upper Dublin,PA, USA: 2005M 50hp.Honda4strk.,1979 Phantom Sport Sailboat, 9'Achilles 6HP Merc 4strk

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by NiceAft »

You can just believe him, or not.

If you believe him, do something about it. That sounds harsher than my intent :o

You've got yourself in a Dirty Harry moment, "Do you fell lucky, punk." (not you, the character in the movie :D )
Ray ~~_/)~~
User avatar
Highlander
Admiral
Posts: 5995
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:25 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Maccutter26M 2008 75HP Merc. 4/S Victoria BC. Can. ' An Hileanto'ir III '
Contact:

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by Highlander »

who,s the sail loft ! , I,ve seen guy,s out sailing big expensive boats with UV protection on their sails & complaining about the cheap job that was done installing them at the end of the sailing season as all the stitching was broken & coming apart & most of the time it,s along the Leach & it,s not due to bad install , it,s mostly due to the fact these guy,s do not know or pay attention to their sail trim , when u have sails flogging like crazy in the wind improperly trimmed or just trying to cut ur angles of degree,s to tight that,ll due more damage to ur sails in one day than 1 month in the sun . I also know some guys with macs who left their furled sails on their boats all summer with no UV or cover sock protection & then left them on the furler covered with a tarp all winter & still got 8 yrs of lots of heavy sailing like at least 5-6 days a wk all summer long ! .
sails r like the tires on ur car if U brake hard continuously , run the corners as hard & fast as u can & burn the rubber off everytime U lay the pedal to the Metal then their life time will b cut in half , same with ur sails every time u use them U r wearing them out how long they last depends on how U look after them & what kinda sailing u do heavy or light but if u r flogging them to deaf continuously it won,t matter :o , same with guys who furl their sails wet & leave them to rot for for a wk or more before attempting to unfurl them & air them out to dry , acid rain & salt water is also hard on them ,
first thing I done when I bought my boat new was Jib & Genny sewed in UV , & matching main sail cover with two extra reefs & loose footed foot Mainsail & a 4-1 in boom outhaul & 4/1 traveller & 4/1 mainsheet a few yrs later .
so the fastest & easiest fix would b buy a new or used Jib sock for now unless ur sail loft can do a stitched on UV cover for u in a few days
J 8)
User avatar
kurz
Admiral
Posts: 1304
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2010 9:07 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Zürich, Switzerland, Europe

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by kurz »

My first (cheap) Genoa with NO uv stripe stayed 3 Years/ 365 days at the boat. Then it was so weak that it teared.

The new one I ordered with UV-stripe becouse I am fare too lazy to deal with sail socks... :|
PSNA
Engineer
Posts: 171
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 7:02 am
Sailboat: Other
Location: Florida

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by PSNA »

:D :D :D

As for Highlander's post. As per usual, I have no idea what he is trying to say. I have given up trying to decipher them.
User avatar
NiceAft
Admiral
Posts: 6698
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:28 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Upper Dublin,PA, USA: 2005M 50hp.Honda4strk.,1979 Phantom Sport Sailboat, 9'Achilles 6HP Merc 4strk

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by NiceAft »

PSNA said:
As for Highlander's post. As per usual, I have no idea what he is trying to say. I have given up trying to decipher them.
:D :D

He may have his way with words,verbose and round about, but he knows what he is talking about, even it others have no idea. :D

John knows his stuff 8)
Ray ~~_/)~~
DaveC426913
Admiral
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:05 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by DaveC426913 »

PSNA wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 8:54 am Folks that seriously race will have sacrificial sail cloth for UV protection. It weighs less than Sunbrella.
An expedient solution.

PSNA wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 8:54 am Not sure what this "sailmaker" was smoking the day he told you that the sail will be ruined if you use it for a day. That's just ridiculous and it's false.
I think so too.
PSNA wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 8:54 am If you live north of the Mason Dixon line, UV is less of a problem than south. However, the sail still needs to be protected.
45° North.
Up here, we get double the UV from all the sun bouncing off the igloos.


PSNA wrote: Tue Jul 05, 2022 8:54 am As for Highlander's post.
:o
I confess, I had trouble myself.
MacX 2000 Honda BF50A 'SeaSaw'
User avatar
Stickinthemud57
Captain
Posts: 786
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Contact:

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

I agree with those who say that a single day in the sun is enough to cause damage is hyperbole. If that were true, I would put the life of the average sail at less than a season. I would go on to say that any thread that shows damage after one day in the sun does not belong on a sail.

That said, it makes sense that every hour in the sun degrades the fabric and thread at least to some degree, and that sails should not be exposed to the sun except when sailing.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
DaveC426913
Admiral
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:05 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by DaveC426913 »

Not to mention the fact that, when furled, only maybe 5-10% is exposed to the elements. So a few hours of sailing (during the brightest hours of the day, no less) will logically do far more damage overall to a sail than many days furled at-dock.

This guy's got to be bonkers.
MacX 2000 Honda BF50A 'SeaSaw'
DaveC426913
Admiral
Posts: 1912
Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:05 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
Location: Toronto Canada
Contact:

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by DaveC426913 »

OK, another demographic weighs in: all the sailors at my club.

I just checked - maybe as many as 50% of the boats at dock have sun protection on their furled sails.
MacX 2000 Honda BF50A 'SeaSaw'
User avatar
NiceAft
Admiral
Posts: 6698
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:28 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Upper Dublin,PA, USA: 2005M 50hp.Honda4strk.,1979 Phantom Sport Sailboat, 9'Achilles 6HP Merc 4strk

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by NiceAft »

Look, it’s a matter of money.

We all know the definition of a boat, a hole in the water where you throw money. When you own a boat, you do triage. What needs to be done immediately; what needs to be done not so quickly, and what can wait. Sun protection on your rolled foresail falls into one of the three choices.

Will the protection make a difference, yes. Can it wait, personal decision. Sail tape can do wonders. It’s like face anti wrinkle cream for sails.
Ray ~~_/)~~
User avatar
Stickinthemud57
Captain
Posts: 786
Joined: Thu Nov 12, 2020 7:50 am
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Grapevine, Texas
Contact:

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by Stickinthemud57 »

Right next to me at my marina is a Colgate 26 owned by a man and wife whom I would term "serious" sailers, having owned many boats and being very "by the book" when it comes to sailing terminology and sailboat upkeep. They do not have a sacrificial cover on their furling jib.
The key to inner peace is to admit you have a problem and leave it at that.
User avatar
NiceAft
Admiral
Posts: 6698
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:28 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
Location: Upper Dublin,PA, USA: 2005M 50hp.Honda4strk.,1979 Phantom Sport Sailboat, 9'Achilles 6HP Merc 4strk

Re: Sun damage to sails

Post by NiceAft »

Stickinthemud57 wrote: Fri Jul 08, 2022 4:20 pm Right next to me at my marina is a Colgate 26 owned by a man and wife whom I would term "serious" sailers, having owned many boats and being very "by the book" when it comes to sailing terminology and sailboat upkeep. They do not have a sacrificial cover on their furling jib.
That’s the THREE S W Rule. Some Will, Some Won’t, So What. :wink:
Ray ~~_/)~~
Post Reply