| Your windsurfing performance largely depends upon | | | | (1%) and cold water for two hours and then scrub the |
| the quality of your windsurfing kit. However, just buying | | | | stained area with a soft brush. Rinse with clean water |
| good windsurfing equipments is not enough. It is | | | | and then leave it to dry in a sunny spot. Yet another |
| essential to maintain the equipments in top condition to | | | | great way to remove mildew is to soak it in a solution |
| generate maximum performance from them. One of | | | | of bleach and water and then rinse and dry it. Then |
| the most crucial elements in a windsurfing kit is the sail. | | | | again apply lemon and salt on the stain and leave it to |
| To keep the sail in prime form, regular cleaning and | | | | dry for sometime and then rinse it with warm water. |
| revamping is mandatory. | | | | 5. It is also a good idea to use disinfectants to remove |
| Tips for Sail Cleaning | | | | mildew on Dacron and nylon sails. |
| Keeping your sail spotless and free from dirt is the first | | | | 6. To remove tougher stains like oil, grease or wax, |
| step in sail maintenance and key in extending the life of | | | | scrub the stained area with acetone and rinse it. Again |
| the sail. Usually, windsurfing sails are made of Dacron | | | | scrub it with mild soap or detergent and again rinse it |
| or nylon and can be cleaned in the following way: | | | | with warm water. Acetone is a great cleansing agent |
| 1. Choose a clean and smooth work area to spread | | | | and very effective on tough stains. However, make |
| your sail for cleaning. | | | | sure that all the acetone is rinsed out while cleaning the |
| 2. Do not use very strong soaps or detergents as | | | | sail. |
| they can be harsh on the sail cloth. It is recommended | | | | 7. If you have not used your windsurfing kit for a long |
| to use mild soaps like ivory soaps or detergents with | | | | time, the sail can develop rust stains, which can be |
| neutral ph factor would remove the dirt and sand | | | | difficult to get rid of. For such stains, it is recommended |
| gently. While scrubbing, remember to scrub along the | | | | to use oxalic or hydrochloric acid to thoroughly cleanse |
| seams with a soft bristle scrub/brush. This would help | | | | the sail area. Soak the sail in a solution of warm water |
| in removing the dirt without damaging the sail. | | | | and hydrochloric acid (2%) for sometime and then |
| 3. Always use fresh water to rinse the sail. Using | | | | rinse thoroughly with clean water. If using oxalic acid, |
| warm water is also a good idea, especially if the sail | | | | soak the sail for 15-30minutes before rinsing it. |
| has some hardened sand or salt residue. | | | | 8. After washing the sail, make sure that it is |
| 4. One of the most common problems that plague | | | | completely dry before storing it away. |
| windsurfing sails is mildew, a fungal growth. Sails are | | | | These few simple guidelines can go a long way in |
| often damaged by mildew if they are stored without | | | | keeping your sail clean and in supreme conditions for |
| removing the dirt and are not completely dried. To | | | | several years to come. |
| remove mildew, soak the sail in a solution of bleach | | | | |