If you’ve ever gone offshore sailing, you likely have had to do some type of sail repair. I’ve certainly had my fair share, from a torn sail to a damaged batten receptacle. While making sail repairs at sea you need options.
Having a sail repair kit is essential for offshore sailing where you can’t just pull into the local sailmaker to make a professional sail repair. The best way to get a sail repair kit is to assemble your own by purchasing all of the components for it. Listed below are what we carry in our sail repair kit.
Waxed Sail Repair Thread
I like the thick stuff for most sail repairs. If I’m going to go through all of the trouble at sea to make a sail repair I want it to last. The wax helps it go through the material and give it durability.
Needles
It’s good to have an assortment of sizes, you need some backups as well. I’ve definitely ruined a few over the years. These are my favorite.
Sewing Palm
Think if a sewing palm like a really large thimble. It allows you go get a lot of force to push your needle through multiple layers of sail cloth. My boat has 10 oz sail cloth, and it’s hard to get a needle through multiple layers. I wouldn’t be able to do it without the sewing palm.
Make sure you get one for whatever hand is your dominant hand. This is a good one.
3M 5200 Adhesive
If all else fails and it’s difficult or impossible to sew a sail repair, some sail cloth and 3M 5200 will go a long way. 5200 is permanent adhesive, so ripping it off will be nearly impossible. I’ve never used this method, but definitely keep a small tube of 5200 around as a just-in-case method.
Rubbing Alcohol
This is for cleaning sail cloth for the 5200 method above.
Sharp Scissors
You just need a good pair of sharp scissors to cut the sail cloth, no need to buy any fancy shears, but they do need to be sharp.
Spare Sail Cloth
Ideally you will have two or three yards of sail cloth identical to the type and weight of the cloth on your boat. I got mine from Sailrite, which is a sailing sewing supply company from Indiana, USA. You can also buy cloth from your local sailmaker. Tell them you are looking for some spare cloth in case you have to make a sail repair.
Sail Repair Tape
Sail repair tape is actually sail cloth with an adhesive backing. The adhesive backing isn’t really to hold the sail together, it’s more to make it easier to sew, by holding the sail cloth to the sail so it isn’t shifting around while you’re trying to sew it. I can’t find any that come in a cloth heavy enough for my sails, but I have some thinner stuff I carry on board.
Polyester Webbing
Most sails have some type of polyester webbing in part of the sail, it’s good to have some on board just in case. Once I used some to make a jury rig when a batten receptacle pulled out while I was 200 miles NE of the Bahamas. I used the webbing to do it, and it got me to my destination.
Extra Luff Slides/Batten Receptacles/Other Hardware
I had a batten receptacle pull out on a 1600 mile sail from St. Maarten to the Chesapeake Bay and I had to jury rig a repair with some polyester webbing from the sail to the slide. Now I carry a spare batten receptacle as well as a toggle.
So, dependent on what type of sail hardware you have, it would be a good idea to carry a spare in case of failure. You may have to source them from your mast manufacturer, as was the case for me. Others may be able to get some from a chandler.
Sewing Machine
Yes, we have a sewing machine, but it has never touched our sails, yet. Every sail repair I have done has been by hand. However, we have used our sewing machine to make covers for winches, windlass, dinghy motor and a lot of other projects.
If you have a smaller boat you likely don’t have enough room for a sewing machine, and that’s fine. You do not need one to go offshore. It’s a luxury item. If you have a larger boat it is something to consider.
We bought a used one years ago, I think ours is at least 50 years old if not older. It will sew through leather if we needed it to. It’s a beast. You don’t need to have the newest Sailrite, although those are very nice.
Tailor Your Kit to Your Boat
Remember, your sail repair kit is going to be personal to your boat and they type of sailing you do. If you have a 28 foot boat, you probably don’t need to carry 10 oz. sail cloth in your repair kit. Also, if you have laminate sails your sail cloth will be different than normal dacron. You need to personalize your kit to your needs and boat.
The robustness of your sail repair is also going to be dependent on your sailing style. If you’re on day three of a 15 day passage you need to make a bulletproof repair. If you are sailing long distances offshore you are going to need to be more prepared and self sufficient. If you are strictly a coastal or day sailor you can certainly do with a lot less.
Good luck and stay safe out there.
Be Wild.
The best way to get a sail repair kit is to assemble your own by purchasing all of the components for it. Listed below are what we carry in our sail repair kit.