[Rhodes22-list] Rip in main

[Kroposki]

Mark,
	Ugh.  Who is the expert on fixing sails on the list?  Alex?
                                 Ed K

-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Mark Kaynor
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 9:02 AM
To: rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Rip in main

All,

Raven's IMF main has been having furling problems lately. To the best of
my knowledge, we're still using the original 1988 Lee main. Lately, the
foot of the sail just before the sunbrella at the clew has been doubling
over and binding against the top of the boom slide and the mast slot on
the way in. When we visited Bob and Kathy Quinn in Stuart we noticed
that the clew of their main was several inches higher than the boom
slide, so we assume that ours is stretched out of shape. Unless we set
the boom at just the right angle, ours rubs against the boom slide and
bunches up on the way in.

We noticed a small hole last week that looked like wear and put some
sail tape over it so it wouldn't get caught in the mast slot on the way
in. Yesterday afternoon we unfurled and as I tightened the outhaul, the
sail tore just above the seam at the foot - two photos are attached to
this email.

We pretty much spent our new sail budget on the new 135% genoa and the
UPS this spring, and we're trying to decide whether to have the sail
repaired (and recut) or not. The dacron seems to be in pretty good shape
(Gary, the PO, had the sails cleaned shortly before we bought the boat
two years ago) but we just don't have enough experience to know for
sure. We did need to have the tab at the tack that screws to the IMF
furler replaced this spring. 

So my questions are: How does one know if a sail is worth repairing or
not? Is there a test we can perform on the Dacron to determine how much
life it's got left in it? And why did this happen just three days before
a regatta? <g>

Feedback appreciated. Thanks.


Mark Kaynor