Yellow stained sails

[Bolo]

I had something very disturbing happen to our sails after they were cleaned by Quantum Sail Design in Annapolis. First of all, a few weeks ago as part of getting our E-32 ready for the season, I picked up our set of sail at Quantum that were there for some repair and cleaning. They also stored them there for the winter. Both the gen and main were in separate sail bags that one of the workers carried out my vehicle. I then transferred them to my boat, setting them on one of the cushions of the settee. Soon after I left the boat for the day. When I returned two weeks later to finish cleaning the boat and put up the sails I found that there was a large wet area under the sail bag that contain the main with a smaller one under the gen sail bag.

Also there was mildew and mold along the side of the cushion. Under that cushion was the access door to the area under the seat where the stainer for our AC unit is located. There was water down in this area and the top of the stainer in the stainer cap, which is recessed, there was water with lots of soapy residue. Obviously there was soapy water in the sail bag that drain down to this point. My fears were realized after raising the main. When we dropped the sails off to the loft both were white with no signs of stains. Now the main had heavy, and I do mean heavy, yellow staining along the edges and where the folds were located when the sail was flaked after it was wash, but not properly rinsed and put in the bag WET.

Since this was the weekend the loft was closed although I did leave a message. But now I'd like to have the stains removed, hopefully by Quantum. My question is has anyone experience something like this and can these types of stains be removed? Any other advice would be helpful also. Thanks in advance.

 

[mggilmore]

Ouch

Wow Bob, really sorry to hear that. I don't know the answer to your question but I sure hope your loft comes through for you. FYI, I use a loft in PA called SailCare, they do a great job of cleaning and they have a patented process for reconditioning sails which have brought mine back to to near new (http://www.sailcare.com/sail-cleaning.shtml). Good Luck !
Mike

 

[Frank Langer]

I would caution a bit against using the Sailcare process, based on my experience with them for sails on my previous boat. The sail was a bit older and the LeMauney process (sp?) that they advertised said the sail would come back like new with resin impregnated into the cloth, and if it needed re-cutting, they would phone to discuss that before proceeding.

They were very pleasant to deal with, but my sail came back whiter but very limp with no stiffness at all--definitely less crispness than when I sent it to them and no sign of resin. When I talked with them about this, they agreed to repeat their LeMauney process at their cost, and did so. The sail came back even whiter, but still had no stiffness in the sailcloth. I had expected better.

Based on this experience, if you are only interested in cleaning for cosmetic reasons, ie. whiteness, then they may be ok; but certainly not for reconditioning the sail, and it may come back quite limp and not hold shape well.

Others may have a different view based on their experience.

Frank

 

[JSM]

Now the main had heavy, and I do mean heavy, yellow staining along the edges and where the folds were located when the sail was flaked after it was wash, but not properly rinsed and put in the bag WET.

Bob, were they able to get the stains out? I just put my main on after getting it back from the local sail laundry and have the same staining. Owner of the place says he just doesn't understand how this could happen.

 

[Christian Williams]

Bleach. Dacron can handle it. Diluted, with sail to dry in sunlight. Scrub with detergent.

It will work some, or a lot, or not much.

 

[Bolo]

Bob, were they able to get the stains out? I just put my main on after getting it back from the local sail laundry and have the same staining. Owner of the place says he just doesn't understand how this could happen.

That was back in 2011and that old, bagged out sail has since been replaced. That said, I did have some stains from a birds nest in my newer, current main sail which I mostly cleaned using Clorox bleach spray. What’s left will probably bleach out by the sun (I hope) and for now I’m just ignoring whats left of the stain. It’s a way of dealing with problems that sometimes works well for me. Anyway, I just took a look at my recent YouTube video and I can’t see the stains on the main so I’m happy.

 

[JSM]

Thanks. This is a newer sail and the stains are quite large and probably caused by bagging the sail before it was completely dry, much like your past problem.
Were you able to get the stains out of your old sail ? I'm taking it back in tomorrow for a re clean but I have a bad feeling.

 

[jtsai]

Toss the stained sail into your subdivision pool and let it soak a bit then rinse off with fresh water. You will be amazed. I no longer have that boat and no longer live in that subdivision.

 

[Bolo]

Thanks. This is a newer sail and the stains are quite large and probably caused by bagging the sail before it was completely dry, much like your past problem.
Were you able to get the stains out of your old sail ? I'm taking it back in tomorrow for a re clean but I have a bad feeling.

I think we bleached out the old sail too but can’t be sure. It was very old and had more than one stain.

 

[JSM]

Thanks Bob, I'll take it back to the sail cleaner and let them handle it.