Repair Your Own Sails

[@benthrelkeld4929]

I watch lots of sailing channels. Yours is definitely the most informative. keep it up!

[@canuckbucks]

Thanks for the reminder... I still have to procure a new left-handed palm. Not always so easy to find, but if I get on it now undoubtedly all will be well. Gonna make sure I get some sail-cloth offcuts too. Love your bronze (or whatever) grommets. How long did those initial grommets last you? Thank you, and fair winds, Ruth.

[@mrc1539]

It seems like a very important part of repairing anything is have the reference available to show the proper way. And being able to use that information, which you do very well. Fairwinds to you !

[@MiQBohlin]

Aye m8! Excellent video, if not one of your best (again). Yes I’ve read your Captain’s Log about route planning, and it really makes sense. Furthermore history is on your side, again, as well as your hard gained experience. About sewing - in a scenario where (for some reason) one don’t have whipping twine, I would recommend dental floss. Strong, waxed and easy to get.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

And vice versa, I once used waxed whipping twine to floss my teeth when I ran out of dental floss, worked pretty good too ...

[@elizabethkirkeide2458]

adorable and useful thank you

[@jasoncreed6396]

Really nice work

[@jasoncreed6396]

Yes I did enjoy the vid thx

[@adrianbaker9804]

Hi Kevin hi from tasmania I do enjoy your movies I wonder if you could pass a piece of leather under the hank to protect the bolt rope .I didn't see that your repair address that part of the problem ...otherwise the hank will continue to wear the bolt rope ...nice work that book is great

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Yes, all of my other headsails have that. However, the bolt rope on the heavy weather jib appears fine, so I let it be.

[@rodgrainger9487]

Once again awesome content. Still the best sailing channel on KZbin. Thank you!

[@mrzif0013]

Wow, great work! I want that book!. I living my dream life through your travels, wow, am I ever a great sailor!.

[@WillN2Go1]

Good video. Thanks. When I was making very light weight camping gear, rainflys what I quickly figured out was grommets tear out, and using grosgrain and webbing to attach D - Rings was doing the same thing twice, adding weight, reducing options. The final straw was the D - rings I had were too small for the mini stakes I had. To pitch that tarp I had grosgrain holding on a D - ring, to which paracord would have to be tied, to which a stake would be tied. What I wound up doing is just sewing in grosgain loops. The stronger they needed to be, the heavier the ribbon nylon and the longer the gusseting legs sewn to the silnylon. I'd leave a loop. Then I'd just have to poke a stake into the loop, twist it around a couple of times and stick it in the ground. How this might apply to a sail: Webbing, especially the light weight 1" and 2" dyneema webbing I bought from Sailrite, that I'm about to use to reattach my clew ring. This might work for your hanks, I'd also insert something, or attach to the hank, friction reducing, sacrificial and easily replaceable.

[@RiggingDoctor]

Very cool! I learned something new.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Didn't think I would teach the Rigging Doctor anything about sail repair, but it appears I have. This KZbin thing is not only fun, but a great knowledge share.

[@RiggingDoctor]

How to Sail Oceans you did! I have been wanting to read the sail makers apprentice, but haven’t yet. When I repaired our drifter, I used repair tape and then sewed it on with a speedy stitch, it was more of a patch instead of a repair. Never seen how a sewn in grommet was done :)

[@howtosailoceans1423]

@@RiggingDoctor I find you will have to sew if you want a permanent repair--all the sail tape I've tried doesn't last more than a month or two. And Gorilla tape works just as well as any sail tape.

[@SavageVoyageur]

Very informative video, thanks

[@wolfganggranig8547]

Thank you again Sir, Love your Boat great Channel keep up the informative Content about „simple“ and enginless sailing. Austrian Greetings from a FriendShip 26 in Brazil (5HP Outbord so not quite enginless:)

[@Josef_R]

So is this video from two years ago like the article is? Anyway, the article didn't help me any. You just sailed your ass off to get to St. Thomas, you go to PR, then turn completely around and go all the way back to the Chesapeake via Florida??

[@tgalbraith2152]

Excellent salty skills. Thanks Kevin

[@dougrutherford9261]

That is so cool. Always best to be self-sufficient.

[@dh5645]

Hello Kevin, as always a fantastic video. A question if not too personal: I like my alone time but fear if I was to solo sail I would be too lonely. Can you speak to your thoughts on the subject? Thx

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Funny I was just thinking of that today. It's a very complex subject. If you are naturally an introvert like I am you entertain yourself well, and largely enjoy being alone. But of course lacking human connection is a problem for anyone (except for maybe a full on psychopath). Man is a social animal. Going out on a limb a little here, I would say that for an independent minded man, the ideal would be one intimate partner and a few close friends--and none of those relationships are full time (so you have time for solo-sailing, or your career ...), what Steven Covey calls an interdependent relationship if I read him correctly (as opposed to codependent relationships, where people cling to each other and spend every waking hour emotionally controlling each other). Well that's about all I have. It's a tough problem, one I have yet to solve.

[@dh5645]

How to Sail Oceans Kevin, thank you for your thoughtful response. It seems (hopefully) life is always changing and evolving and maybe the solving part is less important if living what might be called an authentic life. Learning from your response, personally I feel that if too much emphasis is put on the solving, I have been more likely to wind up in a codependent relationship as you described. Once again you’ve given me something to ponder… Thanks

[@howtosailoceans1423]

@@dh5645 Agree completely that the most important part is living an authentic life--and continually re-assessing what that is for you. This is where the Western world is a wonder, because it has brought so many sufficient material wealth to pursue their own paths in life, as opposed to the ancient world where most of us would have been slaves.

[@crismoore6811]

Oops i first pressed thumb down by mistake.

[@tonypoulos1187]

Hi Kevin.. Have you ever used glued patching?

[@chrispeters4405]

dont be tucking alright 6:00

[@gking5522]

A clear, descriptive, and informative discussion of an important topic. Or, as my kid would say, "You Rock Dude"!

[@paulgarcia1147]

Man I’m trying to catch up on all your videos Kevin. Best sailing channel hands down! Nothing but weather, planning, wind, sailing and as many diy repairs as possible. The way it should be…

[@njmargetson]

Great work! Very informative!

[@sailingdevonscoast]

Always love anything to do with fixing things and repairing things Kevin, fair winds.

[@dallasdelay3468]

West A world to the west

[@twelvedegrees5019]

As usual, very informative. Your enthusiasm for 'sail life' is brilliant.

[@TheGeohart]

HEY, KEVIN DID YOU MAKE THAT DITTY BAG, WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SAILOR'S PALM

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Yes, I did make the ditty bag. Can't remember where I got the sailors palm, most big chandleries will have them.

[@richardbohlingsr3490]

If your sailing a sailboat, repairing your own sails seem to be a natural thing to do. Unless you never leave port and sail the boat. Happy sailing.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Indeed, indeed.

[@StemtoSternSailing]

Thank you for this great and informative video. I do appreciate content like this, I really want to gain all the information and knowledge possible about the sailing topic, Bering new at this I'm kind of a blank sheet.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Happy to be of service, thanks for watching.

[@manfredschmalbach9023]

👍🏽

[@patricklaine6958]

Great clip Kevin as usual. I've a pretty good sail repair kit aboard, but am wondering if I should go ahead and replace my entire mainsail. It's 11 years old, and has seen a fair amount of robust wind. No obvious damage, but I'm sure it is pretty fatigued. How old are your sails and what would make you want to change rather than repair?

[@howtosailoceans1423]

I just replaced my main and staysail in August, 2017. The mainsail which Simon Willis built me in 2003 lasted until then, which is a record. The staysail only lasted nine years. Provided the sailmaker is competent, the sails seems to last as long as the cloth. Paul Mitchell (who was Emiliano Marino's mentor) told me that he would guarantee his sails for one circumnavigation, so say 30,000 ocean miles. That seems about right, going back and forth from the US East Coast to the Caribbean that's about 10 years. I'm guessing you do several thousand miles per year, so 11 years might be time to order a new suit ...

[@vasiliitoumanyan2648]

Thanks mate! Hard work but super cool video! Very informative!

[@zerofox7347]

Hi Kevin, I'm sorry I've asked you this a few times. What is the clicking I always hear in the background of your video's, wonderful as they are? 🙄 Cheers Kevin, Russ.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

It's the autofocus on the Olympus camera.

[@zerofox7347]

@@howtosailoceans1423 ahh thank you so much. I've learned more real sailing from you than any other. I'm just waiting for my house to sell before jumping in and I hope I bump in to you sometime, although the world is a big plaice. I'm starting to feel an off Shaw house may be best though in the future haha!

[@rawcrux]

Man I love your stuff, the world needs more folks like you. Thanks for all the work you put into your channel, it is immensely beneficial to the sailing community.

[@genespell4340]

Or for young people wanting to sail but without the means to do so. With enough knowledge they can become a crew member on a big yacht.

[@TheGeohart]

kevin, where did you get such fine fitting sailor's palm,

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Can't remember, Defender I think.

[@TheGeohart]

@@howtosailoceans1423 REALLY LIKE THE CHANNEL, SOUND ADVICE, PRACTICAL SEAMANSHIP, AND GOOD DOWNEAST COMMON SENSE, KEEP IT UP. THANKS FOR THE REPLY

[@PaulusPHM]

I’m a big believer in winging it. I’m a big believer that you’re never going to find perfect repair experience or the perfect one without a constant willingness to experience a bad one. Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of sailors miss, I think, and I’m always trying to push people to allow those things to happen rather than stick to some rigid solution, ... next job will always be a surprise

[@busbys002]

Great channel! Hanks for sharing your adventures!

[@DanielSmith-rw9ms]

thank you, immensely helpful/informative!

[@Grepadu]

Thanks for another informative video. You've given me much food for thought that I've applied to my own vessel.

[@rickgarland8543]

What I would like to see for a video is a indepth look at the skulling ore and how to use it. You have touched on it a little bit in another video but I can't tell how your moving the ore back and forth and how you turn it each time

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Yes, sculling oars often baffle people who are not familiar with them, I'll see if I can do an illustration of how to scull..

[@rickgarland8543]

@@howtosailoceans1423 thank you very much

[@Seafariireland]

I love learning new nautical skills, thank you!

[@robertorzech8922]

Love your handy work . Great job ! Thanks for sharing . Cheers

[@farrellko]

It's not my scene but I take my hat off to you. You know your stuff and I learn something new every day. Keep it going.

[@calvary1808farm]

Thank you very much. Good stuff!

[@rickgarland8543]

Well done! I always learn something new with every video you post

[@jhollands68]

this is a no-bull sh*t sail channel, perfect for the true sailor. May it never end

[@pmstorm]

Great video...thank you!

[@Maddie-Girl]

Great informative video Kevin I was wondering if you have any video of sailing the Indian Ocean that would be sweet to see even if you had photographs and put them togther as a video would be awesome anyways cheers mate and stay safe

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Only some stills of the Indian Ocean (on ecktachrome slides), that was way back when ...

[@charlescain7962]

Thanks, for a very detailed and well illustrated video.

[@stonetoolcompany3649]

excellent and useful ..... thanks!

[@49otterhound]

Nice tutorial, thanks!

[@jamesmiller2250]

Thanks again for another informative video. And thanks especially for telling about your references. Every time you have shots of your cabin, I try to see what's on your bookshelf. I have that same edition of Hiscock's Cruising Under Sail, it's a classic.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

I still use hardcopy for my classics library ..

[@MrRourk]

Good instructions. Love this video.

[@tomkellum6754]

Good repair Kevin. I need a better look at your palm it fits somewhat differently than mine. I can’t handle a small needle very well so I use a speedy stitcher mostly. Like Miq noted dental floss is a good alternative. I’ll look for you when you call on Tampa bay. Take care,

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Tampa may be next winter ...

[@ivangodley325]

Hi from Ireland, I sail a gaffer too, but I cheat. I use an engine.. Dreary short days and long dark nights here, thanks for reminding us there is a life after winter.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Rest assured, spring will come ...

[@sollasollew3208]

You can do more with a needle and string than i can do with an entire tool box

[@MiQBohlin]

Hope you’re doing well where ever you are now. On this side it’s gusting 70-95 knots right now…

[@howtosailoceans1423]

That'll blow your socks off

[@914va]

Thanks mate...good info

[@MyPedorro]

Great stuff, Kevin!

[@santamulligan676]

Nice job, whipping twine is the only thing that keeps my braces attached to my trousers tuff stuff

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Ha! Yes, it's good stuff, industrial strength, unlike sewing thread.

[@SoloSailer]

Great video. Keep it up

[@flightplan1000]

Nice job, Kevin. I know the book you are using as well as Hervey Garret Smith's "The Marlinspike Sailor" which I've used quite a bit. I have a question on your grommet repair. Maybe I'm not seeing everything clearly (due to my funky old laptop) but couldn't you have opened up the shackle to make it easier to make the grommet and then just insert it into the shackle and pinch it closed again? John who is confused in Montana but enjoying the walks in the Winter woods...

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Getting those hanks on and off is difficult, at least for me, but I am not a sailmaker. Yes, that would be the proper way, also inserting a bronze thimble to prevent chafe is what sailmakers used to do. I cut a corner here, but so far it seems to work fine. I remember H. G. Smith's book on my father's bookshelf ..

[@flightplan1000]

@@howtosailoceans1423 Well I wouldn't call it cutting corners as your work is first rate and works just fine.

[@donutmuncher666]

Dude! U rock

[@georgecanakis1075]

Your timing is impeccable i have to fix my genoa and this showed me the way. I enjoyed it very much and looking forward to future passages. Thanks a million cheers its minus 25 here in the north. 👍

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Glad to be of service. Minus 25 F? Definitely not beach weather.

[@georgecanakis1075]

@@howtosailoceans1423 minus 25 Celsius canadian temperature lol. Cheers.

[@sirnippy453]

Happy New Year from London. Keep up the good work.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Happy new year! Fair winds

[@seickhorn]

Excellent yet again! Your headed to my home town area. Hope it hasn’t changed too much and is still the great place I grew up in. Enjoy!

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Key West, that is?

[@seickhorn]

How to Sail Oceans, Key Largo/Tarpon Basin for many years with most of my misspent youth running the roads and waters top to bottom, Key West to Miami and beyond.

[@johnbolongo9978]

Good stuff.

[@jcliffelam]

Strongly reccy Dry Tortuga. Take the free ranger tour. A fantastic place like no place else I’ve ever been. Remember - hot showers and a washer/dryer for you here in Naples.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

I may show up at your door with a sack of laundry ...

[@jcliffelam]

Honestly, that would be fine - we can grill some beef while your clothes get clean. My wife is very skeptical of my plan to get on the water and stay there - be good for her to meet someone who is doing it without a $mm catamaran and a production staff...

[@howtosailoceans1423]

@@jcliffelam I'm not sure that meeting me would help your case with the wife lol ...

[@jcliffelam]

Good point. She did marry me... In any case, a good meal and clean laundry is always available.

[@Kampup]

Wheres the like for the sail repair book?

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Amazon.com has it, just type in author and title

[@reloadncharge9907]

Thanks, good video, you have the sewing palm work to a science....or high skill level! Fair winds!

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Well my stitching needs more practice, it takes quite some time to get even stitches, I guess that's why the sewing machine was invented.

[@harmseberhardharmseberhard9908]

Hi Kevin, you provide us with great and informative videos. Despite sailing now more than 35 years, I learn a bit every time I watch one of yours. By the way, we met in autumn 2017 in the Deltaville boatyard, both repairing and painting our respective boats. All the best for you! Eberhard from the SY Zuben Ubi.

[@howtosailoceans1423]

Hi Eberhard! Yes, I remember, we talked about Erskine Childers and the Frisian Islands where it was set. Fair winds wherever you may be at present ..