Sail Tape or?

[marlboro180]

So a mouse, or little critter got into the sailbag, chewing a couple of nice holes in the sail.
This sail is for a Klepper Aerieus II Kayak, so performance is really not an issue. But, I would like to repair the holes. And clean off the pee stain.. Darn critters!

It is Dacron, or so I think .

Has anyone done a repair , ok , band-aid repair , on their sail using sailtape? Wondering if it lasts, or if I am just fooling myself into thinking it will?

This is what I was looking at here on iboats:

Here is one of the holes:

 

[saildan]

Re: Sail Tape or?

So a mouse, or little critter got into the sailbag, chewing a couple of nice holes in it. It is Dacron, or so I think .

You got lucky. I've seen an entire sail reduced to looking like it went through a paper shredder.

Winter storage at the summer cottage, store your sail somewhere rodent and bug proof. A metal can with locking lid - just cut an air hole and screen it to prevent mildew.

Dacron polyester has been the norm for 50 years. Klepper's catalog should verify that.

Quality sail tape works well. Should do the trick for that hole. Cut the tape into two identical patches - oval or rectangle w/rounded corners - and apply one to each side so they mirror one another.

Before applying the patch be sure the sail is clean. Warm water, mild soap, soft brush on a flat surface.

Washing should relax the sail flat, if not a blow dryer on low from a little distance. Don't iron it.

With the sail completely dry wipe both sides around the hole with a clean rag dampened with a little acetone. DO NOT do this if the sail turns out to be nylon - it will dissolve.

Apply the patch to one side (put the sail on something like Formica, glass, or use waxed paper where the patch will stick to the underlying surface). Flip the sail and put on the second patch mirroring the first.

Using a soft cloth, press the patch on firmly working from the center outward in a radiating pattern.

You can also zig-zag sew the patch edges in the same way the sail's corner reinforcements are sewn.

If the patch lifts within a couple of months (doubtful) sew it or get some sailcloth from a sail maker supplier (Google) and sew on a regular patch of sail material.

 

[marlboro180]

Re: Sail Tape or?

Thanks! That is exactly the kind of info I was looking for! Will do. Gotta clean the sails this weekend, then patch.....Love that Klepper, learned how to sail(kinda ) on it years ago....