A small hole or tear in your windsurfer or dinghy sail can often be temporarily repaired with a peel-and-stick patch—no need for a heavy-duty sewing machine. It’s a quick fix (if you have the right materials) and will prevent further damage until you can get your sails to a pro for permanent repair.
I always keep some adhesive-backed sail repair tape on hand for emergencies. It comes in various widths, weights, and fabrics, including Dacron, ripstop nylon, and laminate (try to match your sail material). Sailrite, a sailmaking supplier, has a wide selection of repair tapes available online—be sure to buy the adhesive-backed kind.
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Most short tears, less than a foot or so, are simple to temporarily patch with sail repair tape. One exception is a rip in a high-load area, near the leech (the back edge) of a mainsail or jib—a tear there may require additional reinforcement.
How to make it stick
1) Wipe the damaged surface to remove any dirt or salt, and allow it to dry.
2) Cut the sail repair tape into a patch that overlaps the tear by about one inch all around.
3) Apply the patch: start on one side and work your way to the other, peeling off the tape backing as you go. Work out any areas of creasing or bubbling.
4) Vigorously rub the surface of the patch, pressing it down and paying particular attention to the tape’s edges or anywhere it crosses a seam.
One patch should be enough for most ripstop nylon repairs. But for Dacron sails, repeat the process on the other side, so the tear is sandwiched between two patches. Â
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How long can it last?
Sailmakers recommend using repair tape as a temporary measure. However, I’ve seen Dacron tape repairs last for years—one patch I applied survived more than 10,000 nautical miles on a Pacific crossing. So, if your dinghy’s sail is 20 years old and feels like a T-shirt, you’re probably due for a replacement—but a tape repair may extend its operable life by a few more seasons. If you’re not willing to risk a blow-out, take your sail to a sailmaker at the end of the summer and have it properly patched up.
This article was originally published in the May 2023 issue of Cottage Life.
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