Where do you keep your sails?

[kim whitmyre]

Who keeps their sails hung all the time, and who takes them off? Does it matter? ( of course, if hung they are covered!)

[kim whitmyre]

In my case, I leave the wingsail main on the mast, under its cover. The jib is left hanked on the forestay, inside its cover.  Before I had a foresail cover, I would remove the jib and Z-fold it inbetween sails. I heard that randomly stuffing is actually better than consistent Z-folding for the life of the sail. Rolling the main and foresail up on a tube is supposed to be best, but, wow, I'd be half a day setting the boat up in order to go sailing!! It would have to be done the day before sailing. And it would take another  half day to close the boat up. . .

[Rory McDougall]

Hi Kim,

the first set of sails lasted 20 years on Cookie. Main was always on the mast as i went for the simple option of no zip on the sleeve to minimise any potential problems. I am anal about putting the covers on. I also had the jib hanked on the forestay and its bag is able to tie around the sail and only leave the smallest hint of hanks sticking out the front. Obviously survived the test of time. If I was in harbour for long periods I would dry out the jib and stow it in a forepeak. Sailing across the Indian Ocean was so calm that I used the big drifter day after day and so settled were the conditions that I put the sailbag over the jib to keep the sun off!!

The new sails are more manageable now after the good use last year and are easier to stuff in the bags. I can't say enough good things about the Tiki rig and sailplan. Happy sailin' folks

Cheers Rory

[Michael Zechany]

Ahoy Kim,

we leave the main (without zip) on the mast, in its cover. Our Jib is in the starbord , the Genua in the port

(or vice versa :-)) forepeak. During our sailing-season between april and november they are stored very soft and messy. In the winter we store all the sails z-folded in their flat bags.

Greetings from Austria

Michael