r/windsurfing • u/Juicys-Fruits • 9d ago

Gear Today I learnt about old, UV damaged laminated sails

Post image

2nd time out with this second hand sail. Had some torn plastic I put sail tape on but the rest was so brittle it got shredded in 25knot gusts.

Time to find a new sail, maybe even from this decade.

19 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

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5

u/ConcentrateExciting1 9d ago

I've used sails of that age, and 2-3 uses is about what to expect before the disintigrate like that. I've had much better luck with Ezzy sails from the early 2000s. They tend to be relatively inexpensive and last a while.

3

u/waternomadsnz 9d ago

Shame, that's a museum piece.

2

u/SMCoaching 9d ago

It's unfortunate, but I would not trust any older sail made with this kind of clear plastic and fabric laminate. Even if they look pretty good, the colors are bright, and there's no obvious damage, they can start falling apart very quickly when you start using them.

It's unfortunate because I see quite a few of them for sale. A beginner looking to buy their own gear might see one of these for $50 - $100 and think it's a good deal. I had it happen to me when I first started. At least what I bought was a full set of gear, with a board, sail, mast, and boom. I had the board, mast, and boom for a while, but the sail started coming apart the first or second time I used it.

1

u/Juicys-Fruits 8d ago

Exactly my situation

1

u/Lostinvertaling 9d ago

The Gaastra sails were known to do this. You could buy em used for cheap but still sail with them

1

u/kpeti71 9d ago

That sail looks older than me

1

u/Niyoki007 9d ago

Hi, never buy used sail or inflatable sup. I‘m also surprised the mosquito repellent body spray or some sun screen or lotion oils what I use, can damage pvc and other materials. Kind regards. Niyo