Mending sails:
If you have a sister, or know somebody else’s sister, get her to show you how they herringbone or darn a rent, such as they frequently have in their clothes. This knowledge will enable you to mend a rent in your sail, and perhaps save the canvas from being torn to pieces. A small hole in a sail can be temporarily mended with court plaster. If the sail rends and starts to split up the cloth put in a safety pin at top and bottom of tear until you can get at it with a needle. Always carry a spare yard or two of canvas when cruising, as it will frequently come in handy for mending and other purposes.