SAIL CARE

Suggested Service & Upgrades

Sail Inspection

Every sail that is serviced by North undergoes a thorough inspection designed to identify maintenance issues early, so they do not become major problems later on. Annual inspection of your inventory will aid significantly in extending sail life and maintaining peak performance.


• Inspect head, tack, clew and reef attachments. Inspect webbing & hardware for chafe and UV damage. Inspect hand stitching.
• Inspect luff tapes and luff attachments.
• Inspect for chafe at external hardware contact points at spreaders, shrouds, stanchions etc.
• Inspect leech line, foot line and attachment system.
• Inspect sail for UV damage and proper furling side (if applicable).
• Inspect batten pocket ends, attachments and fit (if applicable).
• Inspect sail body for condition of cloth, seams, sail numbers, draft stripes and windows. Replace or add telltales (complimentary).
• Flip sail and repeat.
• Inspect miscellaneous gear: Spinnaker Snuffer line and hoop, mainsail external flaking system, headsail vertical battens, UV covers, etc.
• Inspect sailbag draw string, zippers, web straps, and label properly. Then fold and bag sail with complimentary North Sails sail tie.

All repair work — including work on sails made by other sailmakers — is certified to North’s exclusive Manufacturing Blue Book standards for construction and materials. The North Manufacturing Blue Book is the most detailed and comprehensive documentation of standards for premium sail construction in the world. It is used by North Sails sail lofts and service facilities worldwide to guarantee consistent product quality.

Sail Washing

* Your sails should be inspected and washed at least once per season to ensure maximum sail life. Instead of tumble washing, North soaks sails overnight in a proprietary solution (tough stains are pressure-washed). The result is a cleaner, longer-lasting sail.

* Available at participating lofts

SAIL UPGRADES

Your local North Sails loft is a lot more than a place to buy and care for your new North sails. We can also help you make the most out of what you’ve already got. North’s 10-point Sail Inspection identifies small problems before they become big ones. Our sail upgrades can improve sail performance, increase sail life and make your sail handling easier. All North upgrades and are performed by experienced experts using the quality components and proven installation procedures. You can be confident your upgrade will be done the right way the first time!

FullBatten Mainsail © North SailsFull-battened mainsails hold their shape better, last longer and are much quieter than traditional mainsails with short leech battens. North FullBatten™ mainsails also feature the all-new and exclusive North batten box (shown) which allows battens to be loaded from the luff end of the pocket. This unique feature means batten pockets can be closed at the leech end. The batten is 100% secure (it cannot escape) and a cleaner leech all but eliminates snagging on runners, lazy jacks or backstays. The North BattenBox also features a numbered tension scale and a sliding cover that can be removed by loosening a single set screw.

© North SailsRoller Furling UV cover Most sailors know how ultra-violet rays of the sun can damage sails. If you leave your genoa furled on the forestay between use, a UV foot/leech cover is a must! When furled, the UV cover provides an effective “sun screen” for your sail and dramatically extends its life expectancy. UV covers are available in a wide variety of colors, including white.

© North SailsRopeLuff RopeLuff™ is an ingenious solution to old challenge of preserving proper shape in your roller furling jib when it is partially furled. A tapered bundle of polypropylene ropes are placed inside a sleeve attached just behind the jib’s luff tape, progressively reducing depth in the middle of the sail as it’s furled. Compared to foam luff pads, RopeLuff is lighter, does not absorb water, is mildew resistant and is much easier to install. It’s a snap to retrofit to your existing roller furling genoa.

© North SailsSnuffer Plus Snuffer Plus™ sail sleeve makes raising and dousing your Gennaker™ or spinnaker a breeze! With Snuffer Plus, you don’t need a full crew to enjoy improved downwind performance. It’s perfect for shorthanded or inexperienced crews and makes setting your gennaker a safer and more relaxed experience.

© North SailsNorth QuickCover North’s new QuickCover™ dramatically simplifies lowering, flaking and covering the mainsail. Simply unzip the cover and hoist the main, then drop the main, zip it up, and you’re done. QuickCover is installed into the sail track on the boom, so it remains in place even while the boat is sailing, or can be lowered and lashed down with built in straps when underway if you prefer. QuickCover does not interfere with reef points or the outhaul track. QuickCovers are made of durable Sunbrella canvas in a wide selection of colors. QuickCover is essential to any boat with a bimini under the boom and makes stowing and protecting your mainsail from damaging UV rays a one-man job. For more information about the QuickCover, click here.

McLube SailKote Plus © North SailsMcLube Sailkote is a wonderful product that reduces dirt build-up and improves the life of our customer’s sails. McLube Sailkote Plus is essentially the same product as its prececessor, Sailkote, except that it contains a fungicide that prevents mildew build-up. With reduced water absorption, mildew is not given the environment in which to develop. Sailkote Plus was developed jointly by McLube and North Sails to be used on roller-furling sails and sails that spend long periods of time under sail covers on booms. McLube Sailkote and Sailkote Plus is recommended for 3DL® Marathon cruising sails as well as all laminates for improved longevity, visible condition, and sail handling. A sailwash, Sailkote Plus combo works together to kill existing mildew and prevent further growth. There are many other benefits associated wth McLube Sailkote and Sailkote Plus including:  Great for slide and batt-car performance Luff ropes for R.F. and Tuff-luff sails slide much easier for hoisting and dousing Tell-tales fly free and evenly when wet Spinnakers are quicker out of the bag, and much smoother to jibe (asymmetrical) Bonds tenaciously to sail cloth and laminates; Designed to repel water, salt, dirt, and grime Reduces wear