We all know that it is important to be prepared for emergencies. In your car you have a set of jumper cables, a flashlight, a spare tire, even a snow shovel, just in case.  It is possible to have the same peace of mind out on the water. You never know when you are going to find yourself in the middle of a port to port with a tear in the spinnaker or a blown out batten pocket, and it is good to be ready.

It is possible to perform minor sail repairs while on the water, all you need to have is a few basic items on board. Your sail repair kit should include the following: two hand sewing needles, a hand palm, waxed thread, zip ties, a sharp knife or scissors, luff slides in appropriate sizes, sail repair tape (dacron), and a short piece of high modulus line. Small tears can simply be taped, while larger tears can be hand sewn for temporary use.  A simple baseball stitch should be enough to get you to your next port.     

If you are planning an extended trip away from civilization, you may also want to consider keeping the following tools on board: a long batten, a hack saw, webbing, a scrap of heavy sail material, shackles in various sizes and a drill.
 

While it is best to trust a professional sailmaker for all repairs, it is possible to make minor repairs while on board, in order to get safely to the next port.