Recycling Old Sails ??!@$%

=JeffH · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 9

Is there anyone here in the SF Bay Area that will accept old windsurfing sails and do something ecologically responsible with them? I'd rather not give _really old_ stuff to beginners because it can be tough to use and thus possibly contribute to discouragement with a sport that's already tough to learn.

I have some sails from late '80s / early '90s that are pretty hammered that I'd just like to make go away in an ecologically friendly manner.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

=JeffH

kaiwahine · Joined: 23 Sep 2005 Posts: 14

this is an excellent idea, just did a quick google on recycling sails and didn't come up with anything. what about posting on craigs list to see if there are any artist/crafty types who might be able to repurpose them for something?

awesome that you're trying to keep them out of the landfills! please post if you find a good resource for recycling.

SC2001 · Joined: 02 May 2002 Posts: 25

Check out http://www.kitecycle.org - One of the girl kiters in Santa Cruz came up with the idea, and although right now she is predominantly taking used kites, I know she is accepting paragliding canopies and big boat sails, so I am sure she is also accepting windsurfing sails. Right now she has one product nailed down, but I know she is developing other reuse/recycled product ideas.

Regards,
Brendan

tomg · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 294

tough to find another use for them. I tried using them around the yard as drop cloths, awnings, etc. Too much curve; too fragile. At least those old bed-sheet sails from the 70s were cloth. Anything newer is basically a big plastic bag - and we all know recyclable those are!

Tom G.

galateo · Joined: 05 May 2008 Posts: 20

you should wait for the burning man event,
people are always looking for this type of items on craigslist.

also not sure if this is official,
but at the Berkeley marina next to the CAL sailing club, people drop off old gear they don't want, like a windsurf graveyard! it's kind of a good idea.

=JeffH · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 9

Hey, thanks for all the great replies -- especially the link to kitecycle.org. Note also http://www.algalita.org (worth knowing about).

I've dropped kitecycle.org an inquiry note.

=JeffH

spennie · Joined: 13 Oct 1995 Posts: 975 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA

Just wanted to thank =JeffH for taking his old crappy gear out of the loop. He's doing a great service to the windsurfing world by not selling it to some poor unsuspecting passerby to learn on!