First time I've heard of sails dying of old age if they haven't been exposed to UV/salt.
I've never had a problem. Personally, if money's an issue, then I'd patch them (Duct Tape, sail repair tape, etc) until they're totally useless, and keep an eye out for any bargains in the meantime.

But make sure you bend your knees when you lift them or you'll put your back out.

The heavier the better -- coz Ezzys are worth their weight in gold!

the problems is the glues in the laminates dying. Mylar is always the 1st to fail & is one of the reasons it is no longer used. Xply laminates are unproven but should last for a long time. This is the one time a monofiilm sail should outlast the other materials provided it is stored in cool dry place. Replace your sail with a recent 2nd hand sail, ensure there is no mylar- luff panel should be xply & minimal differing material lamination ie sticky back & xply together. Best method iv seen for storing sails is pvc pipe & endcaps.

here in Kalgoorlie , we recycle windsurfer sailsfor our landyachts. alot of the sails of the same age and material as you describe have lasted an extra season , but then deteriorate very fast, they become a supply of battens , webbing and replacement mast pockets. I began playing with monofilm sails 2 1/2 years ago and the first monofilm sail we recycled has just gone to the grave. it literaly snapped. Its not looking to good for sails made with the reinforcing inside film either.Ive got one, A Stuart Bell, that is showing signs of cracking up after extended use on our salt lake.

evlPanda said...

Can someone please stand on some scales with an Ezzy and another brand sail of same size and tell us the weight difference? Once and for all?

tried, no good, my bathroom scales only goto 190KG

10 year old sails like 10 year old condoms explode with pressure.


e.g. the thing that used it was larger than it used to be!

except in the case of the condom!

Great call Windy Miller

Maybe sboardcrazy should get ezzy's though, afterall they will feel IDENTICAL to his 1993 vintage sails

Leech said...

If you find some old Ezzy sails they should be cheap but still have life left in them.

Just to provide some evidence: i have a 2001 Ezzy 5.8 in the shed that is in excellent condition (and i'm the 4th owner of it). One of my mates only uses one sail, a 2001 Ezzy 5.0 - it's still in very good condition and he has no plans/need to replace it.

I sold a 2006 4.7 this year in as new condition. It had three epic seasons and a trip to G. Compare that to just about any other brand...

Fact is, Ezzys last. Sure, they don't have the same performance for wave riding as others, but if you're after a good value-for-money bump 'n' jump sail, you can't go wrong. They are very forgiving (which is why you lose pure performance imho) and have a consistent feel throughout the sizes. They're one of the cheapest sails on the market, yet aren't made in sweat shops. David Ezzy has a passion for windsurfing, sails and his customers. He will personally reply to email requests!

I've moved to another brand, but I think the bashing Ezzy gets on these forums is a bit unfair and generally unfounded.

they get a hiding on the forum because they have their fanatics just like ka & np. Or maybe its because they arent ka or pryde...

cos i wasn't spending enough $ on sail repairs

Looks like I might get another Sailworks 4m .Mainly because Im used to them & know it will suit my mast etc so I wont be up for extra $. Will keep Ezzy in mind for when the rest of my sails die..I havent been game to open up my 3.3m sail thats only been used about 4 times in case its dead too!..

mkseven said...

Wet Willy said...



(Superfreaks last even longer than Ezzys, if longevity is your main concern.)

Superfreaks will take more abuse than xply sails but last longer they will not- this whole thread is about mylar sails that didn't last... you saw nothing

Mylar, Shmylar -- Superfreaks are made of Dacron, with a PVC window. They claim the PVC will last 10 years (or is it Ezzy who says that?), and although the Dacron will eventually die, it won't go brittle like monofilm, obviously. Freaks will last longer in the sun, for sure, and they will also withstand more rigging and derigging, unlike your brittle old monofilm sails.

Leman said...
sboardcrazy: I have a very old tyronsea sail that has done the same thing as yours where the clear plastic has flaked off the material. I cannot see how it can be repaired for less than the price of the sail. It's like having a sail made out of cotton, where the wind just filters through it. It works but it has no power.

How about that sealing stuff? Like they put on canvas before the days of waterproof plastics? Or some kind of modern spray-on waterproofing agent froma camping store?

I have an ezzy 4.2 that I use a few times (on those epic days) every year. It is still excellent but has one problem - they put the year on the bag and its embarressing to see its a 1998 sail !