Anyone suggest a good way to transport a sail on car roof racks without crushing it?

Just a short term fix as need to transport one of my sails 400km to Perth and back for repairs soon, with no room in station wagon for sail (which is where I normally transport them to the water).

Was thinking of buying a length of rigid PVC tubing along with end caps to put the sail in, then tying the tube onto my roof racks, with kayak cradles (already fitted to racks) on either side to stop tube from moving from side to side.

Any other suggestions?

courier ?

Take your kayak and put the sail in it?

Cloth reinforced duct tape with a littttlleeee bit of tightness to sliggghtttlyyy squish them. But not crush....
Around 3 or so times in an X shape

If the bags are not dusty or wet it will hold them nicely. Safety measure, occy strap from handle to racks so they cant slide if you have a major deceleration moment.....

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GazMan said..
Anyone suggest a good way to transport a sail on car roof racks without crushing it?

Just a short term fix as need to transport one of my sails 400km to Perth and back for repairs soon, with no room in station wagon for sail (which is where I normally transport them to the water).

Was thinking of buying a length of rigid PVC tubing along with end caps to put the sail in, then tying the tube onto my roof racks, with kayak cradles (already fitted to racks) on either side to stop tube from moving from side to side.

Any other suggestions?

I carry a lot of sails in bags but rolled around PVC tubes. Pretty standard in the dinghy sailing world.

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Chris 249 said..

GazMan said..
Anyone suggest a good way to transport a sail on car roof racks without crushing it?

Just a short term fix as need to transport one of my sails 400km to Perth and back for repairs soon, with no room in station wagon for sail (which is where I normally transport them to the water).

Was thinking of buying a length of rigid PVC tubing along with end caps to put the sail in, then tying the tube onto my roof racks, with kayak cradles (already fitted to racks) on either side to stop tube from moving from side to side.

Any other suggestions?

I carry a lot of sails in bags but rolled around PVC tubes. Pretty standard in the dinghy sailing world.

Or around a pool noodle or two.
On a board on the roof.
In a board bag with other sails to spread the strap tension and bulk up the bag.

i like that idea - rather than buying large wide PVC tubes and putting sails in them
narrower PVC and roll sail around it ensuring it still fits in the bag
NO CRUSH of sail !!
would 2" tubes do it or ??

i use a sail transport bag - can transport many
they have them up to 10 meter sails
mine takes up to 8.5 sail

if you have wood laying about - just build a box ??
does not even need to be for entire sail - just for roof rack bars
put a hole for the sail bag handle and strap through there too
not goin anywhere
for that one time ...

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Chris 249 said..

GazMan said..
Anyone suggest a good way to transport a sail on car roof racks without crushing it?

Just a short term fix as need to transport one of my sails 400km to Perth and back for repairs soon, with no room in station wagon for sail (which is where I normally transport them to the water).

Was thinking of buying a length of rigid PVC tubing along with end caps to put the sail in, then tying the tube onto my roof racks, with kayak cradles (already fitted to racks) on either side to stop tube from moving from side to side.

Any other suggestions?

I carry a lot of sails in bags but rolled around PVC tubes. Pretty standard in the dinghy sailing world.

Hey Chris,

With sails rolled around PVC tubes, do you tie them down with cambuckle & webbing tie downs or plain old rope?

Also want to keep the sail dry as sail repairer will likely not do a repair on a wet sail, so do your sail bags keep the sails dry when they are strapped on your roof in rainy weather?

I have always tied the sails with elastic cords to my roof racks or trailer, together with the boards and masts and never noticed any problem. I think the battens take all the pressure. How valuable is your sail?

Any of gear bags from Np or GUN etc. I have both. Np is great but not cheap unless second hand. The bags strap at the bottom to the roof and hold Masts and Booms etc too if you plan to windsurf as well and take all your gear. Can strap over your board too. I load up this way when I have the family in the car.
Otherwise plenty of other options if just to get it there alone.

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GazMan said..

Chris 249 said..

GazMan said..
Anyone suggest a good way to transport a sail on car roof racks without crushing it?

Just a short term fix as need to transport one of my sails 400km to Perth and back for repairs soon, with no room in station wagon for sail (which is where I normally transport them to the water).

Was thinking of buying a length of rigid PVC tubing along with end caps to put the sail in, then tying the tube onto my roof racks, with kayak cradles (already fitted to racks) on either side to stop tube from moving from side to side.

Any other suggestions?

I carry a lot of sails in bags but rolled around PVC tubes. Pretty standard in the dinghy sailing world.

Hey Chris,

With sails rolled around PVC tubes, do you tie them down with cambuckle & webbing tie downs or plain old rope?

Also want to keep the sail dry as sail repairer will likely not do a repair on a wet sail, so do your sail bags keep the sails dry when they are strapped on your roof in rainy weather?

Rope works just as well. You can't really crush the sails if they are rolled tightly. To make life easy you can drill a hole in each end of the tube, run a light line through it, and tie the foot and/or clew off to make rolling neat and easy. I'm a bit fanatical about keeping my good sails in good condition and it pays off . The poor old training sails cop heaps, though.

Most sailbags will let the sail get wet. I've got a bunch of them including waterproof ones; I think Pryde bags were often waterproof years ago. Could you just tape garbage bags over it?

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joe windsurf said..
i like that idea - rather than buying large wide PVC tubes and putting sails in them
narrower PVC and roll sail around it ensuring it still fits in the bag
NO CRUSH of sail !!
would 2" tubes do it or ??

i use a sail transport bag - can transport many
they have them up to 10 meter sails
mine takes up to 8.5 sail

if you have wood laying about - just build a box ??
does not even need to be for entire sail - just for roof rack bars
put a hole for the sail bag handle and strap through there too
not goin anywhere
for that one time ...

2" can work. I prefer 4", I think. They also help stop the sail from flopping around while you rig.,

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Chris 249 said..

joe windsurf said..
i like that idea - rather than buying large wide PVC tubes and putting sails in them
narrower PVC and roll sail around it ensuring it still fits in the bag
NO CRUSH of sail !!
would 2" tubes do it or ??

i use a sail transport bag - can transport many
they have them up to 10 meter sails
mine takes up to 8.5 sail

if you have wood laying about - just build a box ??
does not even need to be for entire sail - just for roof rack bars
put a hole for the sail bag handle and strap through there too
not goin anywhere
for that one time ...

2" can work. I prefer 4", I think. They also help stop the sail from flopping around while you rig.,

Thanks Chris. Like the idea of rolling sail around PVC tubing which will help to stop any crushing from webbing tie-downs. Also have a big plastic bag that came with a bed mattress that I can cut up and wrap around sail to keep it waterproof as sail bag material will not keep sail dry if it rains.

So many complicated ideas for one sail one time for one trip.....

Sticky tape. It sticks so does not need the pressure / tightness to work. $2

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Mark _australia said..
So many complicated ideas for one sail one time for one trip.....

Sticky tape. It sticks so does not need the pressure / tightness to work. $2

Not really Mark. Your idea would have been fine if it meant 'drive 400km to sail repair shop and then drive back home'. Alas, not that simple!! Found out just yesterday that my two same brand sails need 'repair' (caused by out-of-warranty dodgy sail manufacturing) and would need to tape/untape for 3 separate trips as can't go straight to shop when I get there (on Xmas Eve) so that's a bloody lot of taping and untaping!!!

Appreciate your original advice though!

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Mark _australia said..
So many complicated ideas for one sail one time for one trip.....

Sticky tape. It sticks so does not need the pressure / tightness to work. $2

How about I sticky tape you to the roof rack and drive 400kms

Again?