Wrinkles in Sails

[Frandito]

Can wrinkles be ironed out of sails?

frandito

[Larry Ludwig]

Depends on the material, and if it is a true wrinkle or a pucker. If you have ironable material...and I honestly don't know what that would be... you might be able to reduce a crease some what... maybe if it was a dacron like we used in the old days. If it is a crease in a mylar sail... wow... I have not managed to undue anything such as that. If it is a pucker... then it is a misalignment in the panels when they were sewed/glued togther. That is they way that they are made, and unless you do something to correct that... the way that they are going to remain.

[Frandito]

it is not pucker, just a bunch of subtle wrinkles that flatten out in a breeze, but are there in light air

frandito

[yachtie]

Frandito - take a look at current top real yachts - they all seem have to have wrinkles in mains in light - some even refer to them as speed wrinkles - If the boat goes don't worry. My 12 has this as well but she goes mighty fine.

10 mins later - I have just been reading an old article about this wrinkle thing - quoted below [:)]

From the October, 1997 issue of Sailing World & Miami Valley MYC June 1998 Newsletter relating to the 10 Commandments of Boat Speed

"3 - Figure out what is maximum mast bend, and then strive to attain it in most conditions. Maximum bend is the point at which overbend wrinkles (speed wrinkles, inversion wrinkles, etc.) develop in the lower quarter to lower third of the mainsail"

So from this I assume that by taking some of the bend out of the mast the wrinkles should disappear. I'm going to try it this weekend and see if it works.


Chris
NZL1 Longtack
&
NZL110 Swept Away

[greerdr]

I watched a real PRO-Danny Thomas- use a smooth plastic comb handle with a magazine below the sail to smooth some creases he didn't deserve out of a sail

R.C.Greer

[Frandito]

I tryed the comb....it worked!
thanks

frandito

[Philip Whitley]

You may also pull your sails out tight on a smooth wall and heat slightly with a hair drier from about three feet, then lay flat on a large table and cover with two layers of damp towels, works well for me. [;)]