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One of the most common questions we get asked is about the stitching. The concern is understandable as the integrity of your sails and canvas depend on stitching. In no way does the Vacuwash process have any detrimental effect on the stitching in sails and canvas. This best way to prove this is to highlight that every sail/canvas washed is put into a bag, these bags over the past 5 years would themselves have been through the Vacuwash process thousands of times, well more than any sail over its lifetime. The bags are still in perfect condition and can still easily hold the weight of your wet sails as they are lifted out of the Vacuwash tank. You are more than welcome to inspect the bags at the North Curl Curl factory, and there are pictures attached below. Over half of our customers are returning ones, that says a lot of their satisfaction. My own sails have been Vacuwashed three times, they handled Bass Strait in 40 knots, easily proving that the stitching is not affected. Canvas is slightly different as it always in the UV, it is the UV that kills the stitching in dodgers, biminis etc, these need to be re-stitched every 3-5 years (also depending on the stitching thread used). It follows that when I receive canvas to clean the stitching has been in the UV for a while, and thus will need re doing. Putting canvas back on the boat without having it restitched will usually result in it coming apart as point loading a zip will exert pressure on the stitching that is not normal, causing it to fail. UV is the killer of stitching, not cleaning.
Cruising Sails SAILKOTE Plus prevents mildew growth. Obviously the primary benefit to Sailkoting your cruising sails is the prevention of mildew. We probably dont need to mention mildew any more except to say that if SAILKOTE Plus is applied to your sails, you will have very little, IF ANY, mildew growth on your sails. Furling and unfurling sails will be much easier. In addition to limiting mildew on furling sails your sails will operate with much less friction, and therefore will be easier to furl and unfurl. Sailkoted sails roll tighter. This is a real boon on systems such as roller masts/roller booms (where there is a limited cavity for the sail to fit in) the sail will fit better and not chafe as much when furling/unfurling. Also larger sails can be fitted or heavier more durable fabric used. Cruising spinnakers will raise/lower more easily. A Sailkoted spinnaker/asymmetrical will be easier to raise and douse, especially when using a spinnaker sock, due to less friction. Often times when the nylon is wet, use of the spinnaker sleeve is made difficult by friction between the sleeve material and the nylon from the spinnaker (ever try to separate 2 pieces of wet glass?). If there is SAILKOTE Plus on at least one of the surfaces, friction is significantly reduced, creating an easier running spinnaker sleeve. Key Benefits for Cruisers
Racing Sails SAILKOTE Plus prevents mildew growth. Nobody wants ugly mildew on their sails, whether you race OR cruise. Less porosity and less water absorption on spinnakers. SAILKOTE Plus can decrease the porosity (less wind blows through the sail) of a nylon sail. This is particularly effective with older sails that you are trying to breathe new life into, as it will decrease the water absorption as well. Spinnakers that get wet during take-downs will dry much faster, keeping them lighter and faster. Better spinnaker handling. Sailkoted spinnakers and asymmetricals are easier to raise and lower. In addition, asymmetrics are easier to gybe, due to less friction as the sail rides over itself during a gybe. Genoas tack more easily. Sailkoted genoas will glide across the rigging and mast during tacks much more easily and sustain less spreader damage than un-koted sails. You should also consider spraying the lower rigging and mast as well. Telltales fly more freely, especially when sails are wet (or have you just been pinching all this time?). Key Benefits for Racers
Winter in Australia is nearly here, and for some that means less time out on the water. Those in the Northern hemisphere have to remove their boats from the water as it becomes ice, yet herein Australia they are just left at their moorings soaking up the UV's and pollution in the air. As a result our boats will age a lot quicker as we perform less maintenance on them. This need not be the case, call us and we will remove your sails and canvas off your boat, clean and treat them, then put them back on when you are ready to go sailing again. All sailmakers recommend yearly washing of sails, and canvas manufacturers state as part of the warranty that the canvas must be regularly washed. Sails that look white and canvas that looks clean are not after a year of use, I'm always amazed at the dirty rinse water that comes out of 'clean' sails and canvas. All you need to do is call us and the job will be done, one less boat worry and completely hassle free to you.  Sydney weather in March is perfect for turning your sails green. Rain, hot and humid. You will be amazed at how fast those green lines of mould will appear on your nice white and expensive furled headsail. Even sailing regularly is no guarantee of a mould free sail, the only thing that works is cleaning, once a year is the maximum time between cleans. My own sails are used every week, yet even I find black spots of mould appearing, a yearly clean though has stopped it from becoming an issue. Here is a recent picture of a sail before cleaning, I suspect that there was not much sailing going on here. Luckily this sail was sailkoted from new and has cleaned up looking that way again.  Modern yachts are fitted with a combo deck and steaming light, they look great yet the black plastic they are made from quickly becomes a black crayon in the UV. You probably don't notice it from the deck, yet I see the damage done to the sail up close. Those black marks don't come off either, as in the first picture, the second pic the marks came off, but look at the damage on the sail. What to do? put a wear patch on the sail like you do for the spreaders, or put a nice smooth stainless bracket over the light.   Hot in January, hot and wet in February, wet and humid in March. As much as you probably have had enough boating over the summer months, the recent weather we are having on the East coast of Australia will give you the excuse to get back to your boat and dry her out. For many it is already too late, I heard a conversation on the club tender the other day, 'the engine was half underwater as the bilge pump stopped working' there is always something on a boat! A sail came in last week to be cleaned, and the owner said he had only left it for a month, i'm afraid that that is all it takes in this climate. If you are not going to be using your sails for any more that a month, then take them off the rig and store them below, and off the floor to just in case the bilge pump stops working. Sail below, clean to crappy in just one month, and yes the sail is spotless again after Vacuwashing.  Tis the season for SailkotePlus, a day doesn't go by now that we aren't spraying McLube onto some sail. Spinnakers both old and new, from Manly Juniors (2 sqm) to 30 meter maxi yachts (450 sqm), the word is out there on the benefits of sailkotePlus.
If you are buying new sails, then have them sailkoted. If you race a centerboard boat, get the spinnaker sailkoted. If your mainsail furls in the mast, get it sailkoted. Happy to discuss any application and describe the benefits. In the meantime, checkout this cool video I just did of a sailkoted spinnaker going back into its sock. If yes is the answer, then there is a high probability that your boat has been an excellent nesting site. We have already cleaned numerous sails and canvas that have nurtured some new chicks, the Vacuwash process is excellent at removing most of the evidence. Pictures of bird stained sails are upsetting, so instead in This post I will give you a cute pic of a seagull chick so that you don't get too mad when the sticks/mud and other crap falls on your head as the main is hoisted.  Last weekend Australia's east coast was smashed by an what is termed an 'East Coast Low' other parts of the world they are Cyclones or Hurricanes, whatever they are called the results are usually similar. We haven't had that much rain since the last time we had that much rain, and records were broken for the number of stories/news programs talking about records being broken. So we have all dried out our garages/wet carpet, cleaned out the green swimming pools, grated the fallen trees, most households are back to normal, all except for boat owners! These guys will be down on their boats this weekend, taking advantage of the 21C winter weather to dryout their boats. Boats leak, even new ones, there are no open windows, so that damp interior will be going moldy as I type. Any sails stored below will need to be aired, as will bunk cushions and anything/everything else. Then there are the sails furled around the forestay, or stacked on the boom. These will still be soaking wet even a week after the rain. Only one thing to do, Go Sailing. Any boat that doesn't go sailing this weekend will be a Vacuwash customer within the next couple of months, that's all it takes for those green stripes of mold to form on your nice white sails. If you don't want you sail to look like the one in the picture, get down to your boat and go for a sail. See you on the water, I'll be out there.  |
Mark HunterEveryone has an opinion, here are mine on sails and canvas, or whatever else I feel a need to rant about. Archives
December 2018
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