Disposing of Used Sails

[Dan Dickison]

I'm buying a new set of sails and am now drowning in old sails. I'll keep one set as a spare, but what can I do with all of the rest of these old sails? It's really a lot of fabric and it seems a shame to just throw them away.

Dan Dickison responds:
Actually, you have a couple of different options other than sending your old sails to the land fill. If you're in favor of recycling, why not get in touch with one of several commercial outfits that use old sails to make recycled products like bags. One of those groups is Resails in San Diego, CA (www.resails.com) and another is Sea Bags up in Portland, ME (www.seabags.com). There are probably other companies out there, but these are the two we have handy at the moment. Contact them through their websites and you can see what terms they offer for utilizing your old sails.

You can also check with local organizations, like community sailing centers, to see if they have a use for your old sails. Good luck and happy sailing.