TIPS
HOT TIP #1:
Mike Toppa, North Sails, Ft. Lauderdale.
Mike has been testing SAILKOTE on 60 ft. cruisers and up. He has
been testing in two specific areas: one, improved performance when
furling and unfurling the mainsail (mostly with furl-inside-the-mast
versions), and also seeing how well SAILKOTE works to minimize mildew
on roller furling sails. He is learning that even though a little
mildew might still begin to grow it is easily washed off, because
when the sail is coated with SAILKOTE the mildew will not stick
to the cloth. After six months of testing there are still no signs
of mildew collecting anywhere on the sail. He will monitor the sail
for the rest of the year and report the results.
Mike has also
confirmed that with furl-in-the-mast systems there is a HUGE improvement
in furling performance. Simply by spraying the entire mainsail with
SAILKOTE the sail went in and out of the mast much easier with less
apparent wear on the sail itself. He noted that additional furling
and unfurling performance is gained by lubricating the sides (or
guides) on the boom with SAILKOTE. The sail is also significantly
easier raise and lower when the mainsail track is properly coated
with SAILKOTE. (That is applied by spraying DIRECTLY to a perfectly
clean and dry surface. Remember, because SAILKOTE dries quickly
on contact and adheres tenaciously to the surface to which it is
applied, running a coated piece of luff tape or bolt rope up the
mast will not work. However, once SAILKOTE is properly applied it
will last a very long time.)
HOT TIP
#2: Herman Brouwer, Gouda, The Netherlands
Here's a hot tip that will save you plenty of money and aggravation
in the boat yard: Herman says that he has discovered that if you
spray a little SAILKOTE on the sanding surface of your sandpaper
when sanding your hull, it will make the sandpaper not fill up as
fast, rinse easier and last as much as five times longer than it
normally does. Sounds strange, but it works! We might add that the
boys at Young America coated all their tools also, they found that
they worked better and didn't corrode as quickly.
HOT TIP #3: Ron Rosenberg (5 time world champion sailor)
We Sailkoted
the hull of the Dragon, but not the rudder. The boat was in the
water for 5 days (racing during the days, and dormant during nights).
When we hauled
the boat to inspect/clean prior to the European Championship, the
hull was clean, but the rudder was covered in a brown/green slime
that preceeds a grassy growth they tend to get here. As soon as
we pulled the boat, a crowd surrounded the boat and the parking
lot chatter began. Good news travels fast...
Is the stuff
fast? Well, we just won the Dutch Dragon National Championship...
HOT TIP #4: John S. Gedaminski
For all Freedom
owners with the Gary Hoyt gun mount spinnaker, a can of Sailkote
will work miracles setting and dousing the spinnaker.
Spray the yard
and the inside of the gun mount sleeve to make the pole slide easily
during setting and retrieving. In addition, spray the inside of
the spinnaker bag (sleeve) to reduce friction as the spinnaker is
pulled through the bag during setting and dousing.
