How to properly store your sails and accessories off-season

Putting your sails to bed the right way can add seasons to their life, preserve performance, and save you money on preventable repairs. 

Off-season storage isn’t just “wash and stash”—it’s a short checklist that pays long-term dividends.

1) Pre-Storage cleaning: salt off, stains out

• Rinse thoroughly with fresh water. 
  Salt crystals abrade fibers and attract moisture.
  
  
• Wash gently. 
  Use a sailmaker-approved sail & canvas cleaner in lukewarm water. Avoid harsh detergents. 
  
  Skip chlorine bleach—it can weaken stitching and destroy laminated films.
  
  
• Spot-treat stains.
  • Rust: use an oxalic-acid–based cleaner sparingly, then rinse well.
    
    
  • Organic/mildew: use specialty mildew removers safe for sailcloth (or a diluted peroxide-based cleaner).
    
    
• Hardware care. 
  Rinse hanks, sliders, headboard, clew rings, and luff tape; dry fully to prevent corrosion prints on fabric.

2) Drying: 100% dry means 0% Mildew

Spread sails in a shaded, well-ventilated area until bone-dry—no damp seams, bolt ropes, or batten pockets. 

Sun-baking can cook resins; choose airflow over heat.

3) Inspection & repairs before the nap

Do a five-minute check while everything is clean and flat:

• Seams & stitching: look for UV-burnt or popped threads
  .
• Chafe points: batten pockets, spreader patches, reef points, clew/ tack areas.
  
  
• Furling UV covers: inspect leech/foot cover for chalking, cracks, or loose seams.
  
  
• Headboards & cringles: 
  check plates, webbing, and rivets.
  
  If you spot issues, repair before storage; small flaws worsen in a damp, folded state.
  
  

4) Fold or Roll? It Depends on the Cloth

• Woven Dacron®/polyester: fold loosely and vary fold lines each season to avoid permanent creases.
  
  
• Laminates (Mylar®/film, aramid, carbon, high-modulus laminates): roll on a wide tube or by hand; avoid sharp creases that damage films and fibers.
  
  
• Downwind sails (nylon spinnakers/gennakers): roll or very loosely flake; never compress hard.
  
  

Remove battens and label them by pocket. 
Store battens straight and untensioned.

5) Bagging & labeling: let the sail breathe

• Use breathable sail bags (cloth or mesh). Avoid plastic bags that trap moisture.
  
  
• Add a label card inside: sail type, boat, luff/leech/foot, last service date, notes.
  
  
• Include a soft desiccant only if the bag is still breathable; don’t hermetically seal.
  
  

6) The storage environment: cool, dry, dark

• Target a cool, dry, shaded space with airflow.
  
  
• Keep bags off the floor (pallet or shelf) and away from heaters, boilers, and direct sunlight.
  
  
• In humid locations, use a dehumidifier and check periodically for condensation.
  
  
• Protect from pests; avoid oily shelves and rusty nails that transfer stains.
  
  

7) Accessories matter: lines, covers, and hardware

Running rigging (sheets/halyards):

• Soak in fresh water with mild soap; agitate by hand or in a front-loader (bagged).
  
  
• Rinse thoroughly and air-dry out of direct sun.
  
  
• Coil loosely; avoid tight kinks. Inspect for glazing, core slippage, or cuts.

Furling gear & covers:

• Remove furling headsails—don’t store them furled on the forestay.
• Rinse UV covers; if the fabric powders/chalks, plan a replacement.

Blocks/shackles/buckles:

• Rinse, dry, and lubricate sparingly with sailcloth-safe products (PTFE/silicone where appropriate). Keep oils off the fabric.

Biminis, dodgers, and canvas extras:

• Apply the same routine: rinse, mild clean, full dry, inspect stitching/windows/zips.
  
  
• Lubricate zippers with a dry lube; store flat or loosely rolled.
  
  

8) Mid-winter checkups & spring Wake-Up

• Monthly air-out: on a dry day, open bags, check for odor or damp, and refold to shift crease lines.
  
  
• Pre-season: unbag early, verify hardware, battens, slides, and reefing gear; address any notes from your label card. You’ll launch faster and sail better.
  
  

9) Common mistakes to avoid

• Storing sails even slightly damp.
  
  
• Creasing laminates or repeatedly folding on the same line.
  
  
• Using chlorine bleach on any sail; it degrades stitching and films.
  
  
• Long-term storage in sealed plastic or hot lofts/attics.
  
  
• Leaving furling genoas on the stay all winter.

The Rempar winter sail service

At Rempar Sailing d.o.o., we offer an end-to-end off-season program tailored to Adriatic conditions:

• Professional wash & fresh-water flush
• Mildew/stain treatment (sailmaker-approved chemistry)
• UV cover inspection and replacement
• Restitching, patching, and hardware servicing
• Batten inspection, labeling, and straight storage
• Climate-controlled, breathable storage with mid-winter checks

We’ll return your sails ready to hoist—clean, measured, and documented—so your first tack of spring feels like mid-season form.