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spinnaker repair

It works ok if you get the cloth clean and dry first. Then it lasts until it doesn't, which could be days or weeks or years. If the tears are really small and linear (meaning no corners and less than an inch or three) I might tape it and leave it. If the tear has corners or is larger I'd likely get it patched proper. Maybe one of the sailmaker folks will pop in with real advice.
 
Don't waste time with the colored nylon rip-stop spinnaker repair tape - use sticky-back dacron, the adhesive is stronger and the dacron in the sticky back is way stronger than the nylon repair tape.

For pinholes in the spinnaker, I will cut a 1"-2" circle out of the sticky back and apply to one side of the spinnaker.

For 1-2" tears you can use 4" wide sticky back, ideally on each side of the spinnaker. Trim all corners of the sticky-back to be rounded (not square) so the sticky-back doesn't peel away from the spnnaker at the corners.

For anything bigger, have a sailmaker do a proper repair, which involves trimming back the tear to clean material, cutting new material to match load path, aligning everything evenly, and then sewing the material into the sail.

Offshore - sticky back and duct tape are your friend. Carry anhydrous alcohol and dry paper towels for cleaning the spinnaker material prior to applying the sticky-back.

- rob/beetle
 
I think tape is a temporary repair; proper repair is a lasting repair. As Rob points out, the cloth really needs to be clean, salt-free, and alcohol is the way to go. Difficult to do while sailing.
The bottom line is to determine what caused the hole/tear. If it's not the result of an accident when on deck or packing, then it's caused by something snagging the sail while it's flying. If it's down low, near a clew (and mine usually were) it's probably something around a lower turnbuckle/forestay or other fitting, in my case usually caused by strapping in too tightly. Wrapping cotter pins, sharp corners, or other snagging points is important. If it's up in the middle it might be a broken strand in the standing rigging - the "canary in the coal mine." Worth a trip up to take a look. Along the luff tape might be a spreader tip. The point is to determine what caused the problem and solve the root cause. - Pat (who used to use a chute)
 
Thank you, all. I just bought a red spinnaker for Dura Mater. Supposedly came off an Erickson 27 and was purchased from the Boy Scouts. Awww. It has a 2.5 inch tear along the seam at the head. Guess what I found in a drawer of Dura Mater's cabin? A roll of red sail tape! Sticky back dacron! Now I have Bob's old spinnaker pole and a spinnaker, and only need to purchase small blocks and line.It's a light air, .5 oz weight, and there isn't much light air off Berkeley marina nowadays. Bob, what do I do with those two rings on the pole? hahaha. I really don't know. Go ahead and sneer, racer snobs. Then come show me how to set everything up. Dura Mater's in Berkeley.
 
(Yes, a story there...)

Okay, one holds the pole up by clipping a topping lift into it. The other holds the pole down by clipping a foreguy into it. The reason the rings are in the center of bridles is so you can gybe the pole end-for-end without unclipping the topper or foreguy. There are a few additional bits necessary, all quite do-able.

I don't remember - do you have track on the front of the mast with a ring to clip in the pole?
 
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If i have anything to do with it i buy sets of red and green sheets and guys. You'll notice that i don't have much to do with it.

Jackie, in 2000 I was entered in the PacCup on OmegaI, a good friends's boat. He met a guy who knew everything, and we picked 3 other crew. He picked a "really great" bow gal, and two other of the owner and my mutual friends...and began practicing. Turns out Ms Bow did not know the pointy end, so we practiced at the dock one day. Especially when Mr KIA missed. He had gotten all the sheets, guys, and twingers for us. We had more fun that afternoon: all the lines were white with red threads. Starboard AND port! The twingers were substantially smaller, that helped a teeny bit.

The gybe practice at the dock was very, very helpful because our gal could catch the rhythm of the gybe bringing the kite from one side of the boat to the other.
 
For anyone attempting a repair to a spinnaker with original cloth you don't cut the bad rip out first. Fatal error as you'll loose the cloths form.

You first joint the rip with sticky tape along its length, then apply a patch larger than the rip with double sided sticky tape, sew it, then cut out the old taped together rip and excess cloth within the new patch from the back side.

Not wanting to sound an arse but I was a sailmaker for many years.
 
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