The sails have arrived. After all the research, decisions, measurements, and waiting, you’re finally holding the product of all that work in your hands. This last article covers what to expect when you take delivery, how to handle the first day on the water, and what to do if something doesn’t look quite right.
Taking Delivery
When your sails arrive, take a few minutes to go through everything before you head to the boat. Check that all the components are there, including any battens, batten caps, or hardware that were included with the order. Give the sail a quick visual inspection for anything obvious. If something looks wrong before you even get to the dock, call us right away rather than trying to figure it out on your own.
New Sails Are Different
Before you head out, rope in an extra pair of hands if you can. New sails are stiffer and more awkward to handle than broken-in ones, and having someone to help feed the luff, manage the halyard, or keep things from getting away from you makes the whole process a lot smoother. It’s not that it can’t be done single-handed, but day one with new sails is not the day to find out.
Batten pockets may be a different style or size than your old sail, and the process of inserting and tensioning battens can vary between designs. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how they work before you’re standing on a pitching deck trying to figure it out. If you’re not sure how much tension to put on a batten, ask us. It’s a common question and easy to answer.
If your new mainsail has a different attachment system than your old one, such as a new headboard fitting or a change in how the foot attaches, make sure you understand how it connects before you try to hoist it for the first time. A calm day at the dock with plenty of time is the right setting for this, not a breezy afternoon with a crew waiting.
Fresh luff tape is particularly firm and can be brittle until it’s been through a few hoists and has had a chance to flex and settle. For headsails we recommend using a luff feeder, which guides the tape smoothly into the foil and prevents it from binding or kinking on the way up. On boats with a roller furler, we’ll use the furler itself to guide the luff during the hoist, then stop it and get it out of the way once the sail is up. Take your time on that first hoist regardless of your setup. There’s no prize for speed on day one, and a torn luff tape on a brand new sail is a frustrating way to start.
Choose Your First Day Wisely
If you have any control over it, pick a calm day for the first sail. Light winds, flat water, and no schedule pressure give you the time and space to get everything set up correctly without stress. Hoisting furling sails, especially furling mains, will be simpler and less stressful without big breeze blowing everything around.
While sails don’t have a strict break-in period, we do recommend easing them into their working life over the first few hours on the water. The fibers in the sail will be put under load for the first time and settle into place slightly. We recommend doing this under moderate sailing conditions rather than while reefing or in heavy breeze. Pushing a brand new sail hard right out of the bag can cause some unsightly temporary distortion, and while it won’t cause any long-term harm, there’s no reason to start that way.
Spinnakers tend to be a little more sensitive until they’ve been through their initial set-in period, so be gentle on the first launch and douse. Brand new spinnakers also have a remarkable talent for finding sharp objects, so before you head out give the deck and mast a walk-through and tape up any exposed sharp points that the sail could come into contact with.
Launching a furling headsail or mainsail for the first time is best done in light air while pointing into the wind. This sometimes means moving the boat to a mooring or anchor to get the bow pointing the right way, or turning the boat around at the dock if that’s an option. For free-flying furling sails like code zeros, it’s often easier to wait until you’re underway. Sail deep downwind and keep the sail blanketed behind the mainsail to take the wind out of it, then raise it straight from the bag with the furler. Once the sail is up, tension the halyard until the luff cable is right and furl. Once it’s furled the sail will be much easier to handle going forward.
Take Lots of Photos
Once the sail is up and flying, we’d love to see it. Send us photos or tag us on social media, there’s nothing we enjoy more than seeing a new set of sails out on the water. Our team has seen everything at this point and can help get the setup perfect. If there are any concerns about how the sail fits or is flying, take photos or video before you drop it. A picture of a sail that isn’t setting correctly tells us far more than a description, and in many cases a quick video call with the sail up is all we need to diagnose and fix the issue.
What to Do If Something Isn’t Right
If something doesn’t look right, give us a call right away, ideally while you’re still on the water. A video call is even better. In our experience, nine out of ten calls we get about a new sail are setup issues rather than build issues, and most are simple to sort out once we can see what’s going on. A change in lead position, an adjustment to how the sail is hoisted, or a small tuning tweak can transform a sail that isn’t setting right into one that’s flying beautifully. It’s also completely normal to get a few calls while you’re getting the sails dialed in for the first time, so don’t hesitate to reach out more than once.
These are fully custom products and occasionally we get something wrong. When that happens we stand behind our work and will do whatever it takes to make it right. Most of our warranty work involves small tweaks to fix things that didn’t fit exactly as expected, and we prioritize getting those sails back to you quickly so you’re not sitting on the dock waiting.
Care and Longevity
New sails are an investment, and a little care goes a long way toward protecting that investment. Rinse your sails with fresh water periodically, particularly after sailing in salt water. Don’t leave them flogging in the breeze longer than necessary. Store them dry when possible, and keep an eye on areas that are prone to chafe, like spreader contact points and anywhere the sail rubs against the rig. Small issues caught early are simple repairs. Left too long, they become bigger ones. If you ever notice something that doesn’t look right, whether it’s a seam starting to open, a batten pocket showing wear, or a UV cover that’s seen better days, reach out and we’ll advise on whether it needs attention.
We offer a free check-over for all new sails after their first season. Our team will give the sail a full once-over and focus on any areas of concern to make sure there are no problems developing.
You Made It
Nine articles ago you were staring at a boat with sails that needed replacing and no idea where to start. Now you know how to think about your sailing plans, how to find your measurements, what options and materials make sense for your use, how the build process works, and what to do when the sails arrive. That’s a lot of ground covered, and you’re better equipped than most first-time sail buyers ever get to be before they make a decision.
But knowledge is only the beginning. The best part is what comes next: the first sail with a full set of canvas that actually fits your boat, the morning you leave the dock for an overnight passage with sails you trust, the day you point the bow offshore and feel the boat come alive under a rig that’s built for exactly this. Good sails don’t just move you through the water; they change the experience of being on it.
At 180 Sails we’re one of the last independent sailmakers, owned and run by sailors who love this sport and want to help you get the most out of your time on the water. We don’t answer to a parent company or corporate priorities. We answer to the sailors who trust us with their boats, and that matters to us. When you call us you’re talking to someone who sails, who cares about getting it right, and who will still be here when you’re ready for your next set of sails or heading off on the passage of a lifetime.
That relationship starts with a conversation. Tell us about your boat, where you sail, and where you want to go. We’ll take it from there.
Now get out there and sail.
