Dzień dobry, Eric!

Regarding tarpaulins, there seem to be many types and different names. Just look at the website of the store where Paul G bought his tarpaulin: .
I used the cheapest tarpaulin for my current sail, and I want to use the same one for my next sail:  .
It cost about 10 euros. I thought it was an HDPE mat coated with LDPE, but now I'm not sure. Unfortunately, the manufacturer (from China) doesn't provide any information about the composition.

I've also read that although tarpaulins are supposed to be identified by color (bluetarp = the weakest and probably made of polypropylene, white = stronger, etc.), Eastern manufacturers don't always follow these rules. Either way, for my needs, the one I'm using (bluetarp) will suffice for now.

Your method (welding) looks interesting. I'm wondering if it would be possible to use, for example, an electric plastic welder with a set of staples, which (the staples) could be used similarly to the soldering tips you use  . If they get too hot, you can try using a dimmer.

Since I haven't ruled out using ripstop fabric for some panels, I think I'll have to familiarize myself with a sewing machine, especially since everyone says it's the fastest way to make a sail.

The sail I've used for two seasons so far (an SJR origami with bluetarp) I made quite carelessly, as I glued it together with carpet tape, and halfway through the first season, I used the sewing machine to only touch up a few spots. That's how I know the fabric stuck to the needle.

I must admit that I want to make my next sail according to the rules posted on the forum, so I'm even more nervous about that.

Best regards, Jan.

Dzień dobry Eric!

Thank you for your reply! Your post times suggest you haven't returned from Australia yet, so thank you even more! Regarding sewing techniques, I've been digging through the technical forum, searching for terms like "needle," "sewing," etc., and I'm learning a lot of interesting information.

As usual, Arne's ideas are invaluable. It's a shame all this knowledge isn't organized, but maybe AI will be able to handle it someday? For now, I'll try the oil drop method on the bobbin and the thicker needles you mentioned.

Paul G's video and his photos of the new sails for Boo Baboo are also very inspiring. I wonder if he had similar problems sewing his polytarp sails ?

Regarding gluing, the tape (3M 927) you're using seems unavailable here, and importing it from the US just to test it out wouldn't be very cost-effective. I tried gluing bluetarp with acrylic adhesive tape (like this) probably a cheaper (Chinese) equivalent of the tape you mentioned, but I didn't achieve satisfactory results. Carpet tape seems to be more effective (though probably not for long).

I haven't started sewing new sails yet; I'm just gathering information. Junk/sailor's terminology is a real challenge, and some AI translations are suitable for comedy. Even a reverse translation isn't always enough.

P.S. Your comment about the safety of entering harbour vs. sailing is undoubtedly very wise and only seemingly humorous, but it made me laugh.

Best regards - Jan

Hi everyone!

When sewing sails from polytarp (HDPE mat coated with LDPE), I noticed that I can't sew them too fast, otherwise the material sticks to the hot needle. I suspect a similar problem occurs with Tyvek and other tarps. Has anyone had a similar problem and knows how to solve it?

Thanks in advance - Jan

Thanks, Eric. Let us know when you get back from the bottom of the globe. I have a few more questions, but I don't want to waste your valuable time or mess up Max's thread.

I'm very curious how long time the 3M 927 tape Eric used lasted. If it's truly strong and durable, it could speed up sail construction significantly.

In my sail, double-sided tape from the supermarket no longer holds at all, but I was still able to use the sail without any problems because, after sewing the darts on the leech and luff,the grommets and string on the fabric folds along the panel were strong enough to hold the panel along the batten despite the darts were unglued along the panel.

I think Maxime might use grommets to attach the Tyvek sail along the batten, which would make it easier to replace a damaged panel while sailing (see picture)

Maxime, it would be a good idea to carefully reinforce the darts on the leech and luff of each panel. First of all, they come loose most quickly on the leech, and this certainly doesn't improve performance when sailing upwind ;)