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Hi Jose:
Thanks.
When I first got my brand new Elliot-Pattison mainsail delivered by UPS in the box, I was very careful in unfolding it and foolishly believed that I could re-fold it the same way and get it back into the box or at least follow the folds and neatly fold it away. But somehow that never happened.
The next phase, which lasted for two or three sailing outings, was that I took out the stays, took it off the boom and gently folded it in an alternating flaking pattern starting with the bottom and alternating left and right with about 1 to 1 1/2 feet of sail to each side of the centerline.
My current practice is that I try to flake it while it is still attached on the top of the boom according to the same pattern as above, adjusted slightly to account for the stays which I now leave in, and then I loosely wrap it with those bungie cords with the round plastic things on the ends. Then I detach the boom and stow it in the cabin. I am sure that, as time goes on, the amount of care I take in flaking will decline with the aging and condition of the sail. When it's nice and new, it is fun trying to keep it looking good as long as possible.
I look what other sailors whom I respect do with their sails. For example, you can see how Jerry B and Rich McDevitt relatively neatly flake their sails on the boom. It looks like Jerry is using non-elastic ties which are probably kinder to the flaked sail than the elastic ones I use. I don't know whether they stow the booms with the sails still on them, but that's how Mike Swartz taught me to do it, and he knows what he is doing.
I hope that helps.
Best,
Carl
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Trailer Sailor Discussion Forum
Our firs sail in "Luna" our Sanibel 18 
-- Jose P15 #2045 "Witty" -- 6/25/09 4:51a.m.
Good decision! 
Flaking it. 
