Proper Sail Storage

[Eric Watters]

Most articles about storing sails just say to roll them up rather than stuff them into the sail bag, but is there a correct method for rolling them?

Eric Watters responds:
The best way to store a sail for the off-season or any prolonged period of time, once the sail has been washed and completely dried, is to fold the head of the sail down at the top quarter. Then start at the folded area and begin rolling the sail down to the foot. (If the sail is a mainsail, you should remove the battens first before rolling.) The same procedure should be used with genoas.

If you cannot roll the sail because of storage issues, flake the sail in an accordion fashion, starting at the foot and progressing to the head of the sail. Once it is flaked into a narrow strip, begin at the luff and roll the sail toward the leech so that it fits into the original sailbag.

Once you've got your sail rolled or flaked and in its bag, the best place to keep it is in a cool, dry place, free of outside light sources.