How long do sails last on boats(average)?

Question

that is if you put about 6 hours of sailing in a day and cover them when ever sails are down

Answer 1

A Spinnaker Sail is made out of 2.2 oz Polyester Double Ripstop that will have a limited life in the full exposure of the sun.  This is why after use, it's flat folded and put in a dry, dark environment.  If it was left flying for days on end, it would deteriorate in about one month.   At which time it would "blow out" upon use.  Other sails are made up of different weights of Dacron Sailcloth.  Most mains on small boats under 30', are made up of a 5oz  "ounces per square yard" weight.  Depending upon how demanding the usages is will determine what weight you will need.   Many years ago North Sails made a sail known as "garage bag" material.  This fabric was actually old hang glider fabric which was a 5oz Dacron with Mylar impregnated on one side.  It worked fine for a short time until the Mylar separated from the sail.  Most sails will out live the owners of the boats if taken care of properly.  The key word is storing properly.  A wet sail stored in a dark place will rot.  Flat fold it or wrap it around the boom and cover it with Acrylic (breathable material that will last in the sun for 5 years.)  Wonder why I know this stuff?  Worked for a company that originally sold sailcloth on the West Coast before Howe and Bainbridge moved into Newport Beach, Ca.  And of course, owned different sailboats.  Happy sailing.

Answer 2

If you are a pro and racing on a regular basis your sails will bag out after three to five races.

If you are a semi-serious racer and can live with loss here or there your sails will last a season.

If you cruise and race and don't care, your sails will last five to seven years.

If you cruise every now and then and race once in a blue moon your sails will last ten years.

Answer 3

Truenorth gives a good answer, but I'd like to add a little.  "Sail life" is determined by original sail quality, use, care and how important performance is to you.    Racer's who demand top performance may only use their sails a few times before they consider them too worn.  At the other extreme, I've owned several boat for general day sailing or cruising that had sails at least 20 years old that worked just fine for those purposes.

Answer 4

They should last at least 5 years.  I know of some sails that are over 10 years old and still in good shape.  Make sure They are dry and folded neatly without allot of tight wrinkles when storing for extended periods.  Folding and covering wet sails allows mildew to set in and deteriorates the fabric.