Washing Sails - December 9th

Time to get them sheets some call rags, cleaned up. Some say to use bleach, others, not at all. Others use a power washer, some do not. What soap to use? Probably what they have on hand.

So, here is how -I- did it. After all, they are 30 years old, stretched out, dirty, and they can only get cleaner, or melt.

I have liked Dawn detergent for a long time. It works with grease and dirt really, really well. Rough on your pinkies, but, it gets the job done. Then, what to do with the organic stains? Bleach to the rescue. Most sail manufacturers say use a 1% solution and dab and rinse.

-I- said, so what. I will use a 5% solution and let the whole thing soak - good and proper too.

After all, according to Dokken's Rules of Common Wisdom, if one drop of oil is good, two is most definitely better.

 

The Instruments of Destruction.

 

Used the Jacuzzi. It holds about 75 gallons and was big enough for the largest sail. Note the dirty water. I used at least a pint of Dawn and three quarter gallon of bleach per tubfull. By the time the third tub was being filled, no more hot water. Which was fine, as it retarded the bleaching action.

The procedure was to use soap water first, rinse. Then bleach, rinse, rinse, rinse. Took about four hours per sail. The actual washing was me lifting and pressing the sail into the whole thing. Just like the old days. For the final rinse, I lifted, let the water run down into the tub, and placed the sail on the floor. This way, the final rinse had a fighting chance ...

 

Nice to have a loft.

 

Nice and clean.

The mainsail (or main'sell) had a different problem.

Because it is hanked on the boom and mast and stays there all summer, rainwater and the silt it contains, run down the mast and onto the sail. Plus, thru the sail cover. So the sail itself has absorbed this teeny tiny silt particles and they are really tough to get out. It would take an Industrial Size washing machine and tumble the sail to get that dirt out.

Sails are coated with a resin to give them better shape. And washing it this way, would probably remove alot of that. I will see which is better. A clean sail, or a stiffer one.

 

Marcia's Banana Plant ... It is getting big these days.

 

Later ...