Spinnakers and gennakers

Can you print graphics on a used sail?

Short answer

Yes. Decorating an existing sail is a normal job, not an exception. It is the usual answer when a sponsor arrives mid-season, when a boat changes hands, or when a class or national mark has to be added to a sail that is otherwise fine.

What we need to know about the sail

Age, hours, how it has been stored, and whether the coating is still intact. A sail that has been used hard has a different surface from the one that left the loft, and that changes which process will bond properly.

If the sail is close to the end of its life, a removable graphic is usually the better economics: the sponsor gets the exposure and nothing is invested in cloth that is about to be retired.

Condition limits

Heavy UV damage, a chalky or degraded coating, or extensive repairs in the area to be printed will all affect the result. We would rather say so before the job than after.

The route

Through your sailmaker, who handles the sail itself — inspection, any repairs, and getting it to and from us.

Keep reading

Related answers.

Every answer on this site is written from real sails, real cloth and real production — not from a template.

Your next sail can say more

Ask for the sail-printing specialists.

Tell your sailmaker you want the graphics produced by sailprint.eu, the team behind more than 500 printed sails and work at three Olympic Games.

How to order sail graphics →