Specifications

sheeting the sail in and sailing up into the wind until the sail just begins to luff or break. If your lead
is in the correct position, the entire luff of the sail from head to foot luffs or breaks at the same time.
If the bottom area luffs before the top, the lead is too far forward, and vice versa if the upper area
luffs first. Adjust the leads back and forth until you have an even luff of the sail.
If your Clipper is not pointing as well as you think it should, the natural tendency is to sheet the jib
and main in tighter. In most cases just the opposite trim is needed. Try easing the sheets a little and
see if both boat speed and pointing ability don’t improve.
SAIL CARE: In order to protect the finish of your sails and add to their life we recommend they be
folded or rolled up before you put them away. Folding the jib on the dock is easiest, but can be done
right on the deck. The main can be rolled right on the boom, but be sure you release the outhaul
tension first. If you are not planning on sailing for a couple of days, the battens should be removed
from the sail and stored flat in a dry area. This is extremely important as they become warped or
permanently bent and will thusly affect the performance of your mainsail. When the sails are put
away they should be dry.
If you sail in salt water, salt will gradually accumulate on the sail and should periodically be washed
off with fresh water. The principle source of dirt on your sails is from the rigging. Try to keep the rig-
ging as clean as possible. Soap and water, bronze wool (steel wool leaves particles that rust) and a
rag should do the trick.
There is no sure fire way to keep sails looking new indefinitely, but you can remove a lot of accumu-
lated dirt by washing the sail with a mild detergent and cold or warm water. Scrub excessive dirty
spots with a soft bristle brush and then rinse thoroughly to remove all detergent. By all means,
never put your sails in the washing machine or dryer!
Spots or grease, mildew or rust won’t harm the fabric, but do detract from its appearance. Try the
following:
Milde
w - Place the stained area in a 1% cold water solution of bleach and let it soak for two hours
Wash thoroughly and rinse with fresh water.
Oil and grease - Use a cleaning solvent. If yellow stains remain after oil and grease is dissolved, try
bleaching with Oxalic acid
followed by thoroughly washing and rinsing.
Rust - Soak stained area in a warm solution of two parts concentrated hydrochloric acid per 100
parts water, wash thoroughly
and rinse.
Direct sunlight will gradually break down most synthetic fibers including dacron and nylon. When
they are not in use, store your sails below deck and out of extreme heat, such as in the trunk of an
automobile. With just reasonable care and by following some of the tips outlined above, your sails
will give you years of reliable use.