What to use to paint sails?

Question

i have plain white sails on my sailboat, and i felt like painting them. any1 have any idea what kind of paint should be used? not sure if the sails are canvas or nylon, so info on both would b great. thanx!

Answer 1

Why in the world would you want to paint your sails??  It will look like **** and come off in a year or so anyway....don't ruin your expensive sails!

Answer 2

is a special pain for the spacial cloth is l**k rubber coat in and is very expense.any other Paine will not last to long

Answer 3

Dumb idea for a few valid reasons already stated. There are companies that can make graphics that will remain...even huge photo transfers for the complete sail.

Having said that...if you cannot be deswayed from painting...remember they will move, fold and flog.

THEY ARE NOT NYLON......(those are Spinnakers)

They are polyester weave...commonly refered to by DuPont's registered name of DACRON.

For any hope of the paint sticking and not flaking off...again, dumb idea...I would recomment a flexible paint like vinyl...or like for silk screening shirts. The new Krylon Fushion for plastics might be interesting as well.

Again, I recommend against it but if your heels are dug in...this is the route I would go.

Good luck

Answer 4

Please don't paint your sails.  You would be ruining them.  If you want something colorful buy a spinnaker.

Answer 5

paint

Answer 6

You can buy heated pressed letters/numbers/characters to apply to your sails that are flexible enough not to come off for some time.

Answer 7

You can't 'paint' your sails since paint is a surface coating and will crack as soon as you fold them or they flog in the wind.

I suspect that unless your sails are over 50 years old the sails are nylon and almost impossible to dye and if you do dye them you are going to wash out certain UV inhibitors that protect them from deteriorating. I suspect that if you dye your sails they will not last long.

Colored sails are made from fabric that is colored when the yarn is made not dyed.

It may be possible to color your sails with something like a magic marker but the ink in them has a petroleum based solvent that will affect the cloth and possibly eat into the nylon.

Bottom line, painting your sails is not a good idea.

Answer 8

q-tips!!!

Answer 9

I did a huge stencil using a projector on a couple of my sails- traced in pencil, filled in with Magnum 44 sharpie.  Worked quite well, so I would imagine any colors of sharpies would work but depending on the artwork you could be there for a while, I know I was.  Go with what you want...