Hi everyone,
I bought a second-hand sail and it was delivered today. Right price (cheap), young (2017), a brand I have been using for 7 years (Gaastra), from the pictures it looked in decent condition, the right size, and cheap. As per the subject the webbing has been ripped through and there is no head cap. I have contacted the seller and I can return it. I feel that they might not have known, as something like this, is a little bit hard to miss and that they might be a thrift shop rather than into windsurfing (really does not matter, he is obligated to take it back).
I live in Japan and I have been watching the 2nd hand market for about 6 months and I have just not seen anything that I want. It is usually well overpriced and junk. I sometimes check out the Seabreeze buy and sell just to come back to reality on price and selection.
Has anyone replaced or have another solution (besides returning it) that might get me on the water with this sail?
I have included some pictures. I do not have a long arm sewing machine, the nearest sailmaker is over in Yokahama (6hr drive total and a cost of about $100 in tolls), courier costs, and sail repair would make it just better to send it back.
I do have a second webbing strap which came with an Ezzy sail, I can get my hands on a mast cap tomorrow (thanks to a friend) and I have some saddlers waxed thread (if that is at all useful). I also have plenty of free time and don't mind a challenge.
Please I am a little bit frustrated on the gear I have, I have to work very hard just to get planning whilst all those light Japanese zip past me with smiles on their faces. I want to race and have fun not putt putt around and this 7.1 camber would really help me out. Thank you all in advance.

A quick repair would work with a soldering iron or 1 mm drill punching holes on each side near top, about 6 mm apart. Get some fine spectra and thread back and forward across top, pulling tightly. Otherwise you could use a version of this method binding the head cap in. Or punch an eyelet in each side and lace a head cap in, does not matter if mast projects past sail.

If you don't have a sail repair facility near, or shipping to and from is reasonable, send it back.

A place that has heavy machines , as a horse tack repair shop " could sew a new strap in, maybe.

When it sounds too good to be true, it may be

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plywoodboy said..
A quick repair would work with a soldering iron or 1 mm drill punching holes on each side near top, about 6 mm apart. Get some fine spectra and thread back and forward across top, pulling tightly. Otherwise you could use a version of this method binding the head cap in. Or punch an eyelet in each side and lace a head cap in, does not matter if mast projects past sail.

What a great idea, thank you so very much plywoodbuy,
I do have a few more questions, can you humor me a bit as well I'm a bit of a newbie with sail repair?
When they sail manufacturers stitch the webbing in, is it in a load-bearing position? A bit like a car has jack points.
Do you think it will work long term?
Should I put the eyelets lower? I was thinking about 10mm into the sleeve as that might be the limit of the eyelet tool.
I found some 1mm dyneema line do you think it will be okay? (item.rakuten.co.jp/mic21/1906527006/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1qL6BRCmARIsADV9JtZmLxUPPWLCVdW7BDTiD5RKNXisTa0g1aL3UEFXm05MrnqBGaYrS2saAngPEALw_wcB&scid=af_pc_etc&sc2id=af_113_0_10001868&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1qL6BRCmARIsADV9JtZmLxUPPWLCVdW7BDTiD5RKNXisTa0g1aL3UEFXm05MrnqBGaYrS2saAngPEALw_wcB)
Thank you again.

If you put the eyelets there they might be ripped off, depends how strong is the top. I would use the soldering iron method and stitch the webbing outside. You might need a curved sailing needle

I had a similar problem on a 7m race sail. A sail repairer replaced the webbing for $30.

As a quick fix I would sow a length of webbing on to the broken bit of webbing and attach that to the head cap. Would make the luff a bit longer but would be strong and easy to do.

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John340 said..
I had a similar problem on a 7m race sail. A sail repairer replaced the webbing for $30.

Thanks John, encouraging as it might not be a time consuming job. Did the sail repairer put the new webbing in the same place? Did the sail look the same as before?

Are there any sail makers out there shaking their heads ?
What if I just took the time and did the job properly.
Using the last picture for reference.
Remove the zig zag stitch from the black material, remove zip zag stitch from left hand side that creates the sleeve. Remove stitches from the rubber protector piece. Remove webbing and replace and then stitch it back up. I found this hand stitcher called a speedy stitcher which looks heavy duty enough to do the job.
Bit of a bone head question, if I remove stitches is there any problems with the remaining thread becoming unraveled?

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forceten said..
If you don't have a sail repair facility near, or shipping to and from is reasonable, send it back.

A place that has heavy machines , as a horse tack repair shop " could sew a new strap in, maybe.

When it sounds too good to be true, it may be

I hear you. I will go and see a friend today who may know someone who does this sort of thing. Japan has this weird culture with mini workshops. In my local area there is a guy who manufactures parts for cat and another bloke who just finished off a job for a microprocessor oven. But due to there super polite respect for others privacy they never seem to know what each other does.

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Henners said..
In my local area there is a guy who manufactures parts for cat

Seems pretty niche

I'd get a sewing awl. A sail repair kit with a leather palm would do the job but it would be more difficult. Waxed thread or sail makers thread will do the job. If you cant drive the needle through all the fabric on the head, then I might resort to a very fine drill or soldering iron.
In any case I'd remove the remains of the strap that's there and replace it in the same place.

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Henners said..

John340 said..
I had a similar problem on a 7m race sail. A sail repairer replaced the webbing for $30.

Thanks John, encouraging as it might not be a time consuming job. Did the sail repairer put the new webbing in the same place? Did the sail look the same as before?

He replaced the webbing. The repair looked good. See the photo below. The new webbing is the white bit at the end of the luff.

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John340 said..

Henners said..

John340 said..
I had a similar problem on a 7m race sail. A sail repairer replaced the webbing for $30.

Thanks John, encouraging as it might not be a time consuming job. Did the sail repairer put the new webbing in the same place? Did the sail look the same as before?

He replaced the webbing. The repair looked good. See the photo below. The new webbing is the white bit at the end of the luff.

The lawn needs more love John

^^^
Nice walls , just goes to show that people , not aliens , built the pyramids.

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John340 said..

Henners said..

John340 said..
I had a similar problem on a 7m race sail. A sail repairer replaced the webbing for $30.

Thanks John, encouraging as it might not be a time consuming job. Did the sail repairer put the new webbing in the same place? Did the sail look the same as before?

He replaced the webbing. The repair looked good. See the photo below. The new webbing is the white bit at the end of the luff.

Looks great.

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musorianin said..

Henners said..
In my local area there is a guy who manufactures parts for cat

Seems pretty niche

I was kind of shocked about the bloke making the microprocessor oven as a month before I dropped in to say hi and he was making a motorcycle exhaust. And last week he was over at a chip factory making their stainless steel conveyor belt.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments and suggestions. I have been watching this forum for a few years now and I have always found it very interesting with most of the discussions to be nice and friendly.

Hi Henners and everyone!
I just faced the same problem with my 7 size sail last Monday and searching for a repair method I found all these instructions.
Now, with the covid lockdown conditions, here in Greece all stores are close. Thus, I will try to find a way to repair it by my self.
If I try to add a webbing length after purchasing a top cap.

This forum is a really good one and everyone has a nice willing to help.