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DSK wrote:
wrote:

Last year, I replaced the 22 yr old sails on my 28' S2. Based strictly
on stitching inspection, I think the sails had many more years of use
but I replaced them because I was convinced by other people that
sailing performance would improve. I believe the sailing performance
DID improve but cannot be sure because this si so subjective.

Well, you should be happy that you *think* sailing performance improved,
then.

Seriously, did you know know what your boats pointing angles were with
the old sails? Did you not have a good idea for what speeds it would
attain in given wind conditions & points of sail? What were you doing
all the previous times you sailed?

... Now I am
skeptical and wonder if sails that are lightly used ( i do not race)
really do become significantly stretched and then do not work well.

Depends on what you mean by "lightly used."

Most resins used in sailcloth (especially pre-1990 or so) get brittle
over time even if the sails sit rolled up on a shelf. Heat also degrades
the cloth. So if the sails were perfectly rolled & stored, they'd suffer
loss of strength & resiliency. UV is also terrible for sails.

Considering 'light use,' hoisting & furling sails puts a small amount of
wear & tear on the fabric & stitching. Any time the sail flaps or flogs,
that's not good for it either. Folding the sail breaks down the resin &
fibers & weakens the sail. Dragging the sail across the ground or floor
is terrible for it.... in fact I once saw a man bundle a sail up in his
arms and unintentionally drag a corner of it across a parking lot. When
he went to put it in the back of his station wagon, several sail panels
came apart... the stitching had been abraded to nothing. I've had my
sails damaged by having stitching catch on dock splinters, it looked
like unraveling a knitted sweater.

Would having the old sails reconditioned by SailCare make them perform
well?

Not really. Their treatment does not restore the strength of the cloth,
and if they don't re-cut the sail then the shape is not restored. It
improves the looks though. And if they restitch places that need it,
like batten pockets, this might be more cost-effective than taking it to
a sail maker.

One method to restore the shape of some sails might be to detach the
bolt rope from the bottom of the luff sleeve. The bolt rope often
shrinks with age and this puckers the sail into a baggy shape, even if
it's not blown out. If the bolt rope is sewn into a sleeve and the
stitched thru to hold it in place, sever the thru stitching and let the
tack slide down from the end of the bolt rope. You might have to put a
slug on the tack so it will stay in the luff groove.

It is also possible to restore some shape in the sail by recutting,
either at the luff round or one or two broadseams. If you are geting a
sail restitched, ask about this.

Most non-racing sailors are getting shoved around with crappy sails, and
don't know any better. Blown-out sails affect the boats steering and
heeling as well as speed & pointing.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

But they do work if you are on a budget. Dacron lasts for decades.

Gaz
Baggy sails and still sailing.