Why wash?

[FKPhil]

Is there any benefit in washing your gear after a session?
It seems that all at PA do it, some with lengthy and extreme diligence, but is there any benefit beyond cosmetic?

I must admit I do it myself now. But before coming here I never washed my gear beyond perhaps a brief dip in the sea to remove loose sand. My gear didn’t seem to suffer from the years of apparent neglect; actually a rolled sail was better not washed as the seawater stopped mildew.

So you should all stop doing it so I don’t have to wait for a free hose.

[PlaneSailin]

This is a difficult issue to raise, as so many people are set in their ways...let the debate begin!

The other day I ran one of the washing hoses into a container to collect some water.  It's amazing how many litres come out in just a few seconds; so the amount of water used in one week at PA must be astronomical.  People stand there for minutes, hosing down ther sails. But, for the most part, it's unnecessary.  Windsurfing gear does NOT need to be washed regularly in fresh water.   There's no great benefit, except that it gets rid of the sand, especially from moving parts like pulleys etc.  But a quick squirt of the hose, or a dip in the sea, is enough to keep the moving parts clear.

Periodic (say, every few months or so) fresh water washing helps prevent salt buildup, which causes masts, extensions etc to stick together, sometimes permanently. But this requires a full derig; merely hosing down a rigged sail will not really help.   

In most places where people windsurf, you don't have a washing station, you just drive to the beach, rig, sail, derig, drive home, and store everything wet.  And the gear is fine.   

Having said that, I've started washing my board lately, just to get the sand off.  But the only time I wash my sails is when it's time to sell them!   

[AND1]

When you hang the sail on the loft, sand left on your film rubs against your neighbour's
sail causing wear and tear. I don't wish to hang my sail next to one with sand all over.

[jp747]

This is a difficult issue to raise, as so many people are set in their ways...let the debate begin!

The other day I ran one of the washing hoses into a container to collect some water.  It's amazing how many litres come out in just a few seconds; so the amount of water used in one week at PA must be astronomical.  People stand there for minutes, hosing down ther sails. But, for the most part, it's unnecessary.  Windsurfing gear does NOT need to be washed regularly in fresh water.   There's no great benefit, except that it gets rid of the sand, especially from moving parts like pulleys etc.  But a quick squirt of the hose, or a dip in the sea, is enough to keep the moving parts clear.

Periodic (say, every few months or so) fresh water washing helps prevent salt buildup, which causes masts, extensions etc to stick together, sometimes permanently. But this requires a full derig; merely hosing down a rigged sail will not really help.   

In most places where people windsurf, you don't have a washing station, you just drive to the beach, rig, sail, derig, drive home, and store everything wet.  And the gear is fine.   

Having said that, I've started washing my board lately, just to get the sand off.  But the only time I wash my sails is when it's time to sell them!   

Amen to that..same here!

[38 mph]

Its diabolical !!!!
You scammed Malaysia for a 100 year contract at 0.0000001 sen per triliion gallons and then use it for washing sails.
Something must be done.....

[PlaneSailin]

Its diabolical !!!!
You scammed Malaysia for a 100 year contract at 0.0000001 sen per triliion gallons and then use it for washing sails.
Something must be done.....

Wah, so cheap?  I didn't realise!  Let's just leave the hoses running!  

...maybe we could bottle the stuff and sell it back to Malaysia...

[FKPhil]

When you hang the sail on the loft, sand left on your film rubs against your neighbour's
sail causing wear and tear. I don't wish to hang my sail next to one with sand all over.

Thanks AND1 but sounds a bit hypothetical.
Anybody got any real life experiences?

[matt2000]

Barry Spanier on the Maui Sail web site was telling people that it is not really necessary...
And if you carry your board from the water to the grass, no sand :-)

I don t wash my sail, the only thing I have noticed is a build up of salt on the pulleys of the extension. Not great. but can be removed easily.

[PlaneSailin]

Barry Spanier on the Maui Sail web site was telling people that it is not really necessary...
And if you carry your board from the water to the grass, no sand :-)

I don t wash my sail, the only thing I have noticed is a build up of salt on the pulleys of the extension. Not great. but can be removed easily.

honestly, if they were to install a machine whixh charged 50 cents to wash your sail, people might stop doing it every time, before and after sailling (sometimes even between sails on a single day; you know who you are)...but if the water is free, people will do it becoz they can.  Maybe we should just tell them that it's UV rays that are the real problem, and if they would just CLOSE THE DAMN CURTAINS on the sail lofts once in a while, all our sails would be better off!

[Rich Chang]

My experience on unwashed boards - the footstraps do not turn moldy due to salt water.  With washing the footstraps turn green with mildew

[matt2000]

honestly, if they were to install a machine whixh charged 50 cents to wash your sail, people might stop doing it every time, before and after sailling (sometimes even between sails on a single day; you know who you are)...but if the water is free, people will do it becoz they can.  Maybe we should just tell them that it's UV rays that are the real problem, and if they would just CLOSE THE DAMN CURTAINS on the sail lofts once in a while, all our sails would be better off!

+1000.    UVs are the main enemy, not salt....

[Bats]

Barry Spanier on the Maui Sail web site was telling people that it is not really necessary...
And if you carry your board from the water to the grass, no sand :-)

I don t wash my sail, the only thing I have noticed is a build up of salt on the pulleys of the extension. Not great. but can be removed easily.

so if you carry from the water to the beach (sand) then to the grass resulting in some sand. Would you think that is necessary to wash off?

[PlaneSailin]

Barry Spanier on the Maui Sail web site was telling people that it is not really necessary...
And if you carry your board from the water to the grass, no sand :-)

I don t wash my sail, the only thing I have noticed is a build up of salt on the pulleys of the extension. Not great. but can be removed easily.

so if you carry from the water to the beach (sand) then to the grass resulting in some sand. Would you think that is necessary to wash off?

You could either carry your gear all the way to the grass without dropping it on the sand,  or else give it a quick dip in the ocean before putting it away for the day - both options may well be better than washing in fresh water! 

[matt2000]

Barry Spanier on the Maui Sail web site was telling people that it is not really necessary...
And if you carry your board from the water to the grass, no sand :-)

I don t wash my sail, the only thing I have noticed is a build up of salt on the pulleys of the extension. Not great. but can be removed easily.

so if you carry from the water to the beach (sand) then to the grass resulting in some sand. Would you think that is necessary to wash off?

You could either carry your gear all the way to the grass without dropping it on the sand,  or else give it a quick dip in the ocean before putting it away for the day - both options may well be better than washing in fresh water! 

yep. Try to carry the board + sail on your head all the way to the grass. Heavy with a formula but relatively ok with a slalom board.

[Denis Wee]

yep. Try to carry the board + sail on your head all the way to the grass. Heavy with a formula but relatively ok with a slalom board.

While you are doing that, try not to put your head through the sail.