Washing your sails?

Maybe a first world problem, but I notice that my Hobie spinnaker spends its life cramped in the snuffer, or flying above salt water. When being snuffed, or even when sailing without using it, the snuffer bag is often covered in spray.

So what are your suggestions for looking after the sail properly (and one could also add the mainsail, which just gets furled, even when salty).

I should also add that as a one-off, I need to undo the snuffing line and rethread it from the other side, to lessen its tightness at the foot of the sail when the spinnaker is flying on the opposite side from the snuffer..

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

I saw a VLOG recently where a kayak fishing guide demonstrated using a two gallon pump up garden sprayer to wash his rig down then both himself and his wife before a long drive home. All with 2-3 gallons of water.
Seemed like a good idea that used very little water efficiently and might be handy for sails too.

I'm using 303 on the transparent parts of my mainsail after cleaning to see if it preserves transparency.

Chris

I have never washed a sail in 9 yrs of sailing on saltwater. Doesn't make it right, just a fact.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

I never wash my sail. 4 yrs sailing twice weekly. But I did see it cloudy up this year. I just had the milar replaced. Too much work to keep up with otherwise.

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Greg

2016 AI - Spinn & Jib

“Out of sight of land the sailor feels safe. It is the beach that worries him.”
– Charles G. Davis

Thanks guys, guilt level reduced accordingly!

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker

Good subject Tony...However, like you I too was feeling guilty after my young sister who has done three Sydney-Hobarts as crew on one of our cousin's yachts, chastised me for not washing my 2009 model AI sails in mild detergent after every sail. That was the 'post cruise' job assigned to her by my fastidious cousin! I soon got sick of the process after a few hours out on the water!
I now have a beaut 2015 AI which I frequently neglect as far as washing goes (I'll blame old age) but from time to time I do apply some MR SHEEN to the clear view panel as I did on the first AI, and this I think has paid off.
For our U.S. AI and TI mates, MR SHEEN is a silicon based furniture polish.
Cheers from Vintagereplica, now living in Victor Harbor, South Australia

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