Hi, I have an old North Sails Ego 3,7 sail that I'm rigging for my kid to learn. It has some broken spots close to the second from the top batten. It looks like shredded, as the thread remains in place but the panel is displaced 1 cm or so from the natural place, along 10cm. My question is, what can be used to fix it temporarily? I don't mind if looks ugly, I want to prevent it getting worse and maintain usability for my kid to learn (he is 11 years old and weights 41KG so the size is just right to make him feel and enjoy the pain of learning something hard but rewarding as uphauling a windsurfing sail (I would have to think hard to find another thing that a kid could enjoy being hard and rewarding these days). The plastic in this sail feels "rubberish"... is it PVC? I could use any tape (tried clear Gorilla Tape and seems to be falling off in 3 seconds), I have the black fabric tape supposed to be used to repair sails... a have a hot melt gun, a metal soldering machine... I just want advice on how to repair it in the ugliest and practical way :-)

Thanks!

If there is a sailmaker around, "stickyback" which is dacron sail cloth with ultra good adhesive would be best. Big square of it. Permanent.

If not, the cloth reinforced duct tape is pretty close.....
Just clean well first with some isopropanol, methylated spirits etc to give yourself the best chance of adhesion

If the clear Gorilla tape does not stick after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun, try the silver or black Gorilla tape (after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun), it will stick, but will not look as nice. I have black Gorilla tape that was stayed on for 3+ years in salt water and hot Florida sun.

But a picture or two of the sail and area that needs repairing would help.

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Mark _australia said..
If there is a sailmaker around, "stickyback" which is dacron sail cloth with ultra good adhesive would be best. Big square of it. Permanent.

If not, the cloth reinforced duct tape is pretty close.....
Just clean well first with some isopropanol, methylated spirits etc to give yourself the best chance of adhesion

Thanks Mark! I have the black Dacron tape that has a powerful adhesive in the back. I will attach some pictures next.

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Sandman1221 said..
If the clear Gorilla tape does not stick after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun, try the silver or black Gorilla tape (after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun), it will stick, but will not look as nice. I have black Gorilla tape that was stayed on for 3+ years in salt water and hot Florida sun.

But a picture or two of the sail and area that needs repairing would help.

Hi Sandman, there you are the images from both faces. I'm about to power wash it with care to remove sand and debris from yesterday. The difficulty for the stickiness is the cease and change of materials in between. I'm wondering if can't I just stitch something there. I have other ugly repair in a sail that I stitched using fishing nylon and has been working for 5 years now :-) The first clear Gorilla Tape try failed: I've cleaned it with isopropanol but water entered from small cracks and it felt off. Would you try with the black Gorilla next? Thanks!

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JPBARNA said..

Sandman1221 said..
If the clear Gorilla tape does not stick after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun, try the silver or black Gorilla tape (after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun), it will stick, but will not look as nice. I have black Gorilla tape that was stayed on for 3+ years in salt water and hot Florida sun.

But a picture or two of the sail and area that needs repairing would help.

Hi Sandman, there you are the images from both faces. I'm about to power wash it with care to remove sand and debris from yesterday. The difficulty for the stickiness is the cease and change of materials in between. I'm wondering if can't I just stitch something there. I have other ugly repair in a sail that I stitched using fishing nylon and has been working for 5 years now :-) The first clear Gorilla Tape try failed: I've cleaned it with isopropanol but water entered from small cracks and it felt off. Would you try with the black Gorilla next? Thanks!

"Vertically" applied "white" Gorilla tape will work good, just clean area with isopropanol, let it dry completely in the sun for 1 hr or more, then apply 2" wide white Gorilla tape with 1/2-1" overlaps on BOTH sides of the sail. I repaired similar damage on a sail with black Gorilla tape and it has held up good.

Start the tape at the top of the batten seam (just before upper panel) and go down 6-10" below the tear on the lower panel.

Really press hard on the Gorilla tape as you apply so it moulds to the sail, and an hour later press down hard again, while also pressing from the backside.

Apply Gorilla tape to both sides of the sail, and then let the sail sit laid out flat for a day or two, before rolling it up.

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Sandman1221 said..

JPBARNA said..

Sandman1221 said..
If the clear Gorilla tape does not stick after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun, try the silver or black Gorilla tape (after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun), it will stick, but will not look as nice. I have black Gorilla tape that was stayed on for 3+ years in salt water and hot Florida sun.

But a picture or two of the sail and area that needs repairing would help.

Hi Sandman, there you are the images from both faces. I'm about to power wash it with care to remove sand and debris from yesterday. The difficulty for the stickiness is the cease and change of materials in between. I'm wondering if can't I just stitch something there. I have other ugly repair in a sail that I stitched using fishing nylon and has been working for 5 years now :-) The first clear Gorilla Tape try failed: I've cleaned it with isopropanol but water entered from small cracks and it felt off. Would you try with the black Gorilla next? Thanks!

"Vertically" applied "white" Gorilla tape will work good, just clean area with isopropanol, let it dry completely in the sun for 1 hr or more, then apply 2" wide white Gorilla tape with 1/2-1" overlaps on BOTH sides of the sail. I repaired similar damage on a sail with black Gorilla tape and it has held up good.

Start the tape at the top of the batten seam (just before upper panel) and go down 6-10" below the tear on the lower panel.

Really press hard on the Gorilla tape as you apply so it moulds to the sail, and an hour later press down hard again, while also pressing from the backside.

Apply Gorilla tape to both sides of the sail, and then let the sail sit laid out flat for a day or two, before rolling it up.

OK! I will do it as you describe. Now I'm fixing the batten that was broken inside, separated at the spot where the sail crack is mostly apart, because the batten in place will help it maintain the shape (and the broken batten must have been pressing out for sure). Thanks again!

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JPBARNA said..

Sandman1221 said..

JPBARNA said..

Sandman1221 said..
If the clear Gorilla tape does not stick after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun, try the silver or black Gorilla tape (after cleaning with isopropanol and drying in the sun), it will stick, but will not look as nice. I have black Gorilla tape that was stayed on for 3+ years in salt water and hot Florida sun.

But a picture or two of the sail and area that needs repairing would help.

Hi Sandman, there you are the images from both faces. I'm about to power wash it with care to remove sand and debris from yesterday. The difficulty for the stickiness is the cease and change of materials in between. I'm wondering if can't I just stitch something there. I have other ugly repair in a sail that I stitched using fishing nylon and has been working for 5 years now :-) The first clear Gorilla Tape try failed: I've cleaned it with isopropanol but water entered from small cracks and it felt off. Would you try with the black Gorilla next? Thanks!

"Vertically" applied "white" Gorilla tape will work good, just clean area with isopropanol, let it dry completely in the sun for 1 hr or more, then apply 2" wide white Gorilla tape with 1/2-1" overlaps on BOTH sides of the sail. I repaired similar damage on a sail with black Gorilla tape and it has held up good.

Start the tape at the top of the batten seam (just before upper panel) and go down 6-10" below the tear on the lower panel.

Really press hard on the Gorilla tape as you apply so it moulds to the sail, and an hour later press down hard again, while also pressing from the backside.

Apply Gorilla tape to both sides of the sail, and then let the sail sit laid out flat for a day or two, before rolling it up.

OK! I will do it as you describe. Now I'm fixing the batten that was broken inside, separated at the spot where the sail crack is mostly apart, because the batten in place will help it maintain the shape (and the broken batten must have been pressing out for sure). Thanks again!

You are welcome!

Hmmm. I have made a few sails now and my mind is saying take it to a sail repairer. Looks like two panels and a seam are bust. It also looks like it is in an area of the sail, which is under tension. I understand wanting a cheap repair, but you can buy a decent cheap second hand sail for ?50 and the sail repair tape PSA or patching cloth, while it will fill the hole, won't give the sail the shape and tension it needs and the sail may flagellate itself to death.

Love a good flagellate to release the sail tension

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Overner said..
Hmmm. I have made a few sails now and my mind is saying take it to a sail repairer. Looks like two panels and a seam are bust. It also looks like it is in an area of the sail, which is under tension. I understand wanting a cheap repair, but you can buy a decent cheap second hand sail for ?50 and the sail repair tape PSA or patching cloth, while it will fill the hole, won't give the sail the shape and tension it needs and the sail may flagellate itself to death.

I made a repair down closer to the foot, where wind pressure is high when the sail is raked over, how do know that?, because the wind was steady and I could foil fine before the split opened, but with the spit seam I had no power to get up on the foil. Yes, the Gorilla taped area has a small depression in it from wind pressure, but sail works great and the depression in the Gorilla taped area has not increased after I first noticed it.

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Overner said..
Hmmm. I have made a few sails now and my mind is saying take it to a sail repairer. Looks like two panels and a seam are bust. It also looks like it is in an area of the sail, which is under tension. I understand wanting a cheap repair, but you can buy a decent cheap second hand sail for ?50 and the sail repair tape PSA or patching cloth, while it will fill the hole, won't give the sail the shape and tension it needs and the sail may flagellate itself to death.

That's a possibility! I have already taped it and looks sturdy, I'm letting it stick one day before rigging and testing. I agree with the economics of it but, by its size, it seems ideal for my kid, so I'm trying to make it work. For a few days, the maximum forces the panels will be affected by will be bangs into a 20 year old F2 Comet, my kids head, or water drag when I tow him into the ocean with my ancient Mistral Competition.

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Sandman1221 said..

Overner said..
Hmmm. I have made a few sails now and my mind is saying take it to a sail repairer. Looks like two panels and a seam are bust. It also looks like it is in an area of the sail, which is under tension. I understand wanting a cheap repair, but you can buy a decent cheap second hand sail for ?50 and the sail repair tape PSA or patching cloth, while it will fill the hole, won't give the sail the shape and tension it needs and the sail may flagellate itself to death.

I made a repair down closer to the foot, where wind pressure is high when the sail is raked over, how do know that?, because the wind was steady and I could foil fine before the split opened, but with the spit seam I had no power to get up on the foil. Yes, the Gorilla taped area has a small depression in it from wind pressure, but sail works great and the depression in the Gorilla taped area has not increased after I first noticed it.

The tape feels really sticky into it now. Let's see if it works tomorrow. Today it was a no wind day so that was my windsurfing related activity for the day.

Select to expand quote

JPBARNA said..

Sandman1221 said..

Overner said..
Hmmm. I have made a few sails now and my mind is saying take it to a sail repairer. Looks like two panels and a seam are bust. It also looks like it is in an area of the sail, which is under tension. I understand wanting a cheap repair, but you can buy a decent cheap second hand sail for ?50 and the sail repair tape PSA or patching cloth, while it will fill the hole, won't give the sail the shape and tension it needs and the sail may flagellate itself to death.

I made a repair down closer to the foot, where wind pressure is high when the sail is raked over, how do know that?, because the wind was steady and I could foil fine before the split opened, but with the spit seam I had no power to get up on the foil. Yes, the Gorilla taped area has a small depression in it from wind pressure, but sail works great and the depression in the Gorilla taped area has not increased after I first noticed it.

The tape feels really sticky into it now. Let's see if it works tomorrow. Today it was a no wind day so that was my windsurfing related activity for the day.

Did you tape both sides? And I would of used longer pieces of tape, especially below the batten sleeve, like 6-10". But, hey if it works you are good!, if it starts to open up, remove old tape and retape using longer pieces.

Maybe run a horizontal piece of tape at the top and bottom to hold down the ends and give it a clean look.

Now I remember why my repair had a small depression in the taped area, I hit it again with my hook! and it held.

I don't think that's going to stay stuck on. It'll unstick from the sleeve first then spread.

^^ agreed. My advice was assuming it was in the panel. You can't really stick seams back together, its not flat enough.
Be OK for teaching kids though

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Mark _australia said..
^^ agreed. My advice was assuming it was in the panel. You can't really stick seams back together, its not flat enough.
Be OK for teaching kids though

Exactly. I don't care if it fails in a few days once he is already holding a line. The main problem is that to rig it properly, that sail has a lot of tension there.

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Mark _australia said..
^^ agreed. My advice was assuming it was in the panel. You can't really stick seams back together, its not flat enough.
Be OK for teaching kids though

Exactly. I don't care if it fails in a few days once he is already holding a line. The main problem is that to rig it properly, that sail has a lot of tension there.

Select to expand quote

Sandman1221 said..

JPBARNA said..

Sandman1221 said..

Overner said..
Hmmm. I have made a few sails now and my mind is saying take it to a sail repairer. Looks like two panels and a seam are bust. It also looks like it is in an area of the sail, which is under tension. I understand wanting a cheap repair, but you can buy a decent cheap second hand sail for ?50 and the sail repair tape PSA or patching cloth, while it will fill the hole, won't give the sail the shape and tension it needs and the sail may flagellate itself to death.

I made a repair down closer to the foot, where wind pressure is high when the sail is raked over, how do know that?, because the wind was steady and I could foil fine before the split opened, but with the spit seam I had no power to get up on the foil. Yes, the Gorilla taped area has a small depression in it from wind pressure, but sail works great and the depression in the Gorilla taped area has not increased after I first noticed it.

The tape feels really sticky into it now. Let's see if it works tomorrow. Today it was a no wind day so that was my windsurfing related activity for the day.

Did you tape both sides? And I would of used longer pieces of tape, especially below the batten sleeve, like 6-10". But, hey if it works you are good!, if it starts to open up, remove old tape and retape using longer pieces.

Maybe run a horizontal piece of tape at the top and bottom to hold down the ends and give it a clean look.

Now I remember why my repair had a small depression in the taped area, I hit it again with my hook! and it held.

Yes, did both sides. Was thinking about cutting off the ugly parts with an x-acto knife but if I'm able to do that without ruining the sail underneath, I would be a surgeon and not a software seller. Maybe I will use the horizontal ones.

From the first two pictures it looks like it is broken all the way inside the mast pocket, that is the real problem. No tape can hold that together, the tension is simply too high there.

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SurferKris said..
From the first two pictures it looks like it is broken all the way inside the mast pocket, that is the real problem. No tape can hold that together, the tension is simply too high there.

Yes, the seams are in place but the panel has been shredded.

As far as I know, the mast/luff pocket itself is not meant to take the tension from the downhaul, the tension is instead meant to be in the "luff roach" and doesn't look to be intact?

For teaching kids, the tape you put on should be fine. The question is how well the tape will hold on the cloth-like material (Dacron?) of the mast sleeve and batten pocket. You may find that dacron sail repair tape holds better there, since it's made to repair similar materials.

The other thing to do when you tape a sail is to round of the edges of the tape you put on. That's a tip I got from professional sail repairer a few years back.

You may want to run several long horizontal pieces of tape starting from the inside of the vertical repair tape on the panel and going all the way around to the other inside vertical repair tape, to make sure the mast pressure on the luff sleeve, and batten pressure, does not pull it all apart. Those long horizontal pieces of tape would also hold down the upper and lower edges of the vertical pieces of tape.

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boardsurfr said..
For teaching kids, the tape you put on should be fine. The question is how well the tape will hold on the cloth-like material (Dacron?) of the mast sleeve and batten pocket. You may find that dacron sail repair tape holds better there, since it's made to repair similar materials.

The other thing to do when you tape a sail is to round of the edges of the tape you put on. That's a tip I got from professional sail repairer a few years back.

Thanks! Yes, I do round the edges in other repairs I did. I found the Gorilla Tape hard to manoeuvre as it is too sticky and I wasn't able to cut it round so there it is squared. I will see if it lasts, if not, I will reapply rounded stripes.

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Sandman1221 said..
You may want to run several long horizontal pieces of tape starting from the inside of the vertical repair tape on the panel and going all the way around to the other inside vertical repair tape, to make sure the mast pressure on the luff sleeve, and batten pressure, does not pull it all apart. Those long horizontal pieces of tape would also hold down the upper and lower edges of the vertical pieces of tape.

Haha it will weight more in the Gorilla zone than the rest of it but will endure! I will do it! Thanks!

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JPBARNA said..

Sandman1221 said..
You may want to run several long horizontal pieces of tape starting from the inside of the vertical repair tape on the panel and going all the way around to the other inside vertical repair tape, to make sure the mast pressure on the luff sleeve, and batten pressure, does not pull it all apart. Those long horizontal pieces of tape would also hold down the upper and lower edges of the vertical pieces of tape.

Haha it will weight more in the Gorilla zone than the rest of it but will endure! I will do it! Thanks!

let us know how it holds up

Note, after I clean the area to be repaired with 70% isopropanol, I use a hair dryer to dry it off before applying the Gorilla tape, any moisture will prevent a good bond.

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boardsurfr said..

The other thing to do when you tape a sail is to round of the edges of the tape you put on. That's a tip I got from professional sail repairer a few years back.

Yep, I always do that, also use a roller if you have one.

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musorianin said..

boardsurfr said..

The other thing to do when you tape a sail is to round of the edges of the tape you put on. That's a tip I got from professional sail repairer a few years back.

Yep, I always do that, also use a roller if you have one.

Yeah, thanks for the roller tip and rounded edges, just went over a tape repair with a screen window spline roller, definitely got the tape down more.

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Sandman1221 said..
Note, after I clean the area to be repaired with 70% isopropanol, I use a hair dryer to dry it off before applying the Gorilla tape, any moisture will prevent a good bond.

I did not had to use it yet. Changed size of learning kid :-) will keep you informed!