How to Repair Sail Luff Tape

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The luff tape on your sail can take a lot of abuse. Continuous support tape (also known as luff tape) can be subjected to a lot of stress at the head of a Genoa or jib sail. That area of your sail is fed in and out of the furling unit over and over again. This continuous in-and-out feeding can cause damage and even some shredding of the luff tape if the issue is not fixed quickly enough.

Materials List:

Tape Dacron^® 5 oz. White 6" (Not Adhesive Backed) – #22110
Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Sailmaking & Vinyl (50 yds.) – #659
Tex 90 (V-92) Natural UV Bonded Polyester Thread 4 oz. – #106386

Tools List:

Gingher^® 8" Scissors Right Handed – #19104
Left Zipper Foot for Sailrite^®Ultrafeed^® LSZ – #896
Sailrite^® Edge Hotknife Package – #103800
Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine – #311602
Yardstick, Pencil

We'll show you how to patch a rip

In our short video, we’ll show you how to patch a rip or tear in the luff tape without having to replace the entire luff tape.

You will need a zigzag stitch sewing machine and a left roping zipper foot to be able to sew your new luff tape patch onto your sail. The Sailrite^® Ultrafeed^® LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine is our recommendation to tackle this DIY. It was designed for DIYers — especially sailors — who want a powerful and portable machine so they can do sail repairs right at the marina or even on their sailboat. The materials needed — non-adhesive Dacron^® Sail Tape, Seamstick Basting Tape for Sailmaking and Tex 90 thread — are inexpensive and readily available to order on our website or by phone.

So, how did your luff tape sail repair turn out? Let us know how it went and if you have any extra tips or tricks you’ve found while doing sail repairs. Make sure to explore our entire Sail Repair category. We’ve got tutorials on how to install a new sail window, how to fix rips and holes in your sail, how to reinstall a corner ring, and more.

If you have questions or need more assistance, don’t hesitate to call or email us. We’re always happy to help!