Mouldy sails

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Michael Brigg
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Mouldy sails

Post by Michael Brigg »

Torment's hull is looking good, but the sails are not so good after 30+ years of damp storage. The batten pockets especially have suffered from having damp wooden battens left in.

There is also alot of brown water marking and some rust stains.
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What is to be done and should it be in any order to prevent chemically fixing any of the stains?

Oxalic acid has been suggested for the rust marks. I am planning to start with Household ammonia, and a Jet wash, followed perhaps with Fridge cleaner, or Dishwasher tablets disolved in a dustbin and a good long soak. This is very caustic stuff however (so Does Roger have a spare pair of (unused) vetinary calving gloves that I might use as a pair of Marigolds?? :? :? )

I will need to fashion a super size bottle brush ("Pimp my bottle brush!!") to get all the way into the batten pockets wher most of the mould/mildew is.

Any other ideas or experience?
Michael Brigg
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Ed
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Ed »

Underneath all the grime.....

what condition are they in?

In other words.....is it worth it?

eib

ps. I think it is, but it is worth asking this.

By the way, I might want to measure these sails as do want to build up a 'batwing' set for Conquest.

eib
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Michael Brigg
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Michael Brigg »

The cloth seems fine as it is all synthetic.

The input isn't too hard. I just stick them into soak in a dustbin full of stuff and periodically give it a poke with a stick. I don't know about you but I find Jet washing always seems to have a rather therapeutic effect on me, and one of the problems with a power hose is to stop yourself from using it to clean anything else in reach, often experimentally :? and usually somewhat inappropriately! (Terraces generally look better with lichen on them rather than bare stripped concrete, but you only realize this after you put the jet wash away!! :(


Ed wrote: By the way, I might want to measure these sails as do want to build up a 'batwing' set for Conquest.

eib
I'm equally interested in those "Bats wing" sails, although I dont know wether thay would be "in keeping" with Torment, (not having been "invented" or ever (to my knowledge) used by the original owner, but they do look Sooo mean!

Would this count as putting a carbon spar on?? :lol: :wink:
Michael Brigg
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Ed
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Ed »

Well I was figuring those you had were pretty close to early 'Batwing' style.

Certainly much more so than the modern sails where the battens are much more equidistant along the roach and luff

My only worry about washing sails too hard, is that it is really easy to take off all the calendering and end up with nice, clean and soft, but totally useless sails.

totally agree with power-washer......

worse still - let a teenagers use it.....decide they want to clean the patio......write every obscenity they can think of in the mould....and of course then decide its all too much work then and leave it.

eib
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Ancient Geek »

I concur with the jet wash though now I own one I find that I am less inclined to go OTT.
I suspect similar urges would occur with walnut shells if done ones self!
Simples.
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Rupert »

Charlie was cleaning the patio with a jetwash yesterday - about 1/3 the way through. Luckily just smiley faces in the dirt...
As far as mouldy sails go, professional help does seem to be able to make them seem like new, but being mean, I've always just got the worst of it off and put up with the rest. Mildew doesn't hurt sails, but some cleaning agents do, so which is worse?
Rupert
chris
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by chris »

see suggestions on the Torment Thread
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Ancient Geek »

I have at last received this from Andy Cassell who runs Ratsey & Lapthorne in Cowes.
please let me know.

"Regarding your friends sail, soak in a mild dose of bio detergent and
dry in the sun or send to Tip Top Laundry to be washed, they are
in Gosport 02392 678965".
Simples.
Michael Brigg
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Michael Brigg »

I confess I have ignored advise to be gentle and have attacked the sails with every chemical at my diposal.

The good bits of the sail are positively glowing, and alot of the mould has faded but the batten pockets remain problematic.

The heavy rust staining is alot better but not yet entirely gone.

I am hoping that simply using them and the gradual action of the 3 S's (Sun Sea & Sand) will deal with the mould, although as back up I have found a formula for tents and awnings that uses Potasium Permanganate as the first oxidising agent followed by Hypochlorite I think to remove the mould. It promises not to rot the fabric.

I do worry I might end up with pale pink sails however!

So far:- Soaked for 1 week in a bin with Dishwasher soap and Hypochlorite. (Milton's/Napisan)

Jet wash with high pressure

Oxalic acid on all the rust marks (from Stain-devils.)

Repeat Jet wash.

They will need some work on some of the seams, but that was already the case, and I'm sure it's not a difficult job for a sail machine stitcher. I suppose I could do it myself. I'm not sure Fiona would oblige, even with her A-level in needlework. (Maybe a promise of a trip to Venice would help and before anyone else takes me up on that offer, I am told I am a very noisy sleeper.)

I will get a picture posted for comparison.

Torment in the meantime is comfortably tucked up in the rafters.

The Varnish, (AG advises me is probably Copal) is nice and shiny, but so brittle I could practically strip the hull with my fingernails! Hopefully its all like that, should make for an easier job.
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(Enthusiasts will note the fish tank at the rear, but the Unicycle got left out in the "House" garage.)
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Nessa »

Have just pointed this out to her indoors as exemplary use of a garage. She is not impressed.
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Michael Brigg
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Michael Brigg »

She should see what came out before I took the picture... :? :P
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I think I need another shed :lol:
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Rupert »

I did the "another shed" thing. I'd filled it in seconds, and now could do with another, but the garden isn't big enough...
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Nessa »

we are in the process os designing and constructing the next shed. It is for the gardening stuff. this means there will be more space in the garage....
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Mungo »

What you really need are curtains...
Michael Brigg
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Re: Mouldy sails

Post by Michael Brigg »

Mungo wrote:What you really need are curtains...
Looking through the entries on my restoration project, I have just seen Mungo's comment in context, and perhaps I should ask, for clarity's sake, Do you mean Curtains for my sails, or for my garage...

(I should note at this point that there is good evidence on this forum that at least one member not far from Whitfriars has carpets coving and skirting boards in his garage.!)

The proof is hear for the sharp eyed amongst you! :oops:

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Michael Brigg
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