Proper sourcing is key to choosing the right sailcloth. Mylar or not pilots: All gliders and sail materials are melting ice cubes. At North, the Mylar film is still cut and glued together, but its then laid onto the mold, a huge articulating machine thats programmed to assume the same shape as the finished sail. In this regard, a new type of sail was invented - a laminate sail. Only three of theseDacron, Vectran, and Spectracan be readily woven into a viable sail fabric. It's stronger and longer-lasting than traditional sailcloth, and it has been perfected over the last several decades. Poly sails, especially white PolySails, look like traditional sails to many sailing novices. Different kind of laminates, but overall better than dacron in almost every respect. Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. PEN fibers are not considered to be lightweight, and stretch only about half as much as PET fibers while being just 1/5 better in overall strength. If you are a keen club racer then Carbon Sport might be the right answer to your needs. The difference lies in the way the sail will hold its profile as well as in the enhanced performance of your yacht. CAD stands for computer-aided design, and CAM stands for computer-aided manufacturing; the shape of a load path sail is designed using the CAD elements of a CAD/CAM system. It is not the most durable, stretch-resistant, or long-lasting sailcloth. have shown extremely impressive efficiency. Our proprietary construction process allows for exceptional laminate bonding with minimal use of adhesives. They're also more resistant to pests, rot, and decay, which gives them a longer service life. From the consumers perspective, panel configuration, for the most part, is a low priority, although there may be a small price difference among them. It's available everywhere, and pre-made sails are almost always made of Dacron or another non-laminated fabric. Laminated sails were first introduced in the early 1970s. Spinnakers All Purpose. Your sailmaker can provide more information. Laminated sailcloth is a higher-quality alternative to materials such as Dacron. (866) 342-SAIL, 2023 Life of SailingEmail: contact@lifeofsailing.comAddress: 11816 Inwood Rd #3024 Dallas, TX 75244DisclaimerPrivacy Policy. Weve introduced many terms and technologies here, but when you go to order sails, the list of items you need to communicate to your sailmaker are straightforward. When upgrading your sail inventory, understanding the basics of sailcloth, laminates and construction keeps the wool from being pulled over your eyes. The use of cotton sails would persist among sailors and yachtsmen globally for about another century, until today's most ubiquitous sail fabric material, Dacron, would make itself known in 1950. These early attempts at laminated sails proved to be unreliablethey were prone to break without noticeand were never used in competition. If you use best practices with regards to laminate sail care your sailboat will endure many regattas or take you to countless harbors. The point to remember is that if youre in the market for a sail, remember that the sailcloth in a triradial sail and the sailcloth in a crosscut sail are woven differently and arent interchangeable. Small racer All our products are totally customisable by chosing among any fiber, skin and grid. Fibers are the heart and soul of each type of sailing fabric, with a wide variety of performance factors that come into play. Radial polyester fabric provides sailmakers with the opportunity to design and build triradial sails in woven material. Make your own sails and much more with high-performance sailcloth sold by the yard from Sailrite's excellent selection. Many sailmakers blamed sail delamination on the material to hide the sails' faulty construction. That's why developers decided to create new type of sails - laminate sails. Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. Alternatively, some lofts are now creating the laminate fabric as they manufacture the sail. 1. Something went wrong while submitting the form. The fibers from which sailboat sails are made could include any number of natural or synthetic materials, that can range from cotton, flax, or hemp, to polyester, nylon, and more. Woven sail material is made by weaving threads over and under each other to produce the sail material. Not a very forgiving material for the casual builder. Kevlar is costly and worth considering for racing sailboats and offshore cruisers. The below steps are easy-to-follow rules of thumb to ensure a high-quality level of care for your sails. Fabric is 6-oz. Shop Now. Dacron: Dacron is the generic name given to the DuPont yarn made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and is a popular choice for cruising sails because of its overall lifespan and reasonable cost. Laminated sails were first introduced in the early 1970s. This makes it an optimal material for casual sailing (often called "cruising", or "cruise sailing") on a regular and ongoing basis. Breakthroughs in the world of sailcloth materials are taking place all the time, with experimental and innovative fibers hitting the market to accommodate nearly every type of sailor or sailboat imaginable. High-quality sailcloth generally has a 6oz or greater weight. Finally, as you pointed out, fabric covers on laminate sails are a problem. After the sail is both designed and engineered, the basic sail skin, or Mylar, is crosscut; then each panel is glued to its mate using high-strength glue. PRODUCT REGISTRATION . Carbon fiber is notable for its extreme strength-to-weight ratio. Load-path construction eliminates the break in the fibers present in a sail fabricated from roll goods, where at each seam the fibers terminate and start again in the next panel. Essentially, continuous fibers are glued down on a Mylar film in computer-generated paths engineered to handle the loads placed on the sail. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.) 21 Jul 2015. They exclude delivery charges and customs duties and do not include additional charges for installation or activation options. That sail was UVMT which has been obsolete for a long time. Material weights range anywhere from 2oz to more than 10oz, and 4 to 6oz is most common for materials like Dacron. {{/end}} Sold in full rolls only. How Many People Can Fit On A Pontoon Boat? Not the one under the companionwaythe ones set off the mast. Dyneema sails can last in excess of 50,000 miles, miles that will have been sailed considerably faster and with more enjoyment than with old fashioned polyester. For a mainsail, Adam Loory recommends "a full-batten sail made of Dacron. The tighter a sailcloth is woven, the better it will perform. Building high quality sails means using the best materials. These issues are minimized with load-path sails. 7. Stormlite is of a similar weight and finish to the equivalent Nylon spinnaker cloth but its Polyester weave gives it greater stability under load.Contender Sailcloth sailmakers and yachtsmen throughout the world, we have successfully developed a technologically sophisticated range of laminated sailcloths that meet the highest demands of modern sail design.Our ZigZag sailmakers and yachtsmen throughout the world, we have successfully developed a technologically sophisticated range of laminated sailcloth that meet the highest demands of modern sail design.Our ZigZag ZigZag reinforced Polyester laminate for the racing sailor A few early observations, my own and from others: Avoid flaking or folding laminate sails on the same fold line each time they are put away. Ocean Navigator December 21, 2011. Incredibly, the threshold for many high-performance racing laminates is measured in hours. Cost-effectiveness is one very common consideration, measuring both the initial price of the sail, as well as how expensive it can be over the course of time. In the least expensive laminates the base fibre used is polyester, the fabric enjoying lower stretch than woven polyester because of the lack of crimp. GPL is the first laminated sailcloth line to capture the strength of high performance carbon. Storm sails are made of thicker material compared to standard sails, as durability is the primary concern. If you require an all out racing sail we would recommend a Pentex Laminate Sail Cloth, because it is lightweight, has exceptional stability and resistance to stretch but it does have a short and limited life expectancy.. Cruising Laminates are designed to provide a . Description. It is stronger by weight, which allows sails to be thinner and lighter. North Panel Laminate sailcloth is produced using the most advanced laminator in the world. Another very common option when it comes to spinnaker sailing is spectra, which provides superior UV protection and breaking strength along with high flex strength and very low stretch. Today's modern sails are expertly crafted to the highest standards of detail and precision, thus being capable to contend with harsh conditions far better than sails used long ago. Fuel. Organic sailcloth is generally only found on tall ships and classic vessels whose owners are keen on originality. {{name}}: {{value}} Sailcloth materials. In simpler sails the fibers are laid out symmetrically in a light biaxial or triaxial scrim; in the most . All the above laminates are covered on each side by a lightweight taffeta. For the most part, load-path sails feel smoother. Mohawk Boardwalk Sail Cloth Laminate 7-1/2 x 47-1/4 (22.09 sq/ft per Carton) Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating. Generally speaking, in terms of durability, most sailmakers assume that three to five years is a reasonable life span for laminated sails, though many have clients whove gotten many more years of service. Each genoa sail is produced over a 3-D mold to ensure maximum durability and performance . Suggested Grid: - Polyester It's coming up to the time to replace our mainsail and jib - the sails we use the vast majority of the time. Tell Tales: These are designed for upwind sailing. Colours: White, Red, Dark blue LAMINATE: Fabric constructed from layers of film, scrim and/or taffeta flued together under high pressure and/or heat to form a composite sail material. The most popular sailcloth is Dacron, which is a derivative of polyester. There is a wide spectrum of carbon fiber materials that exist for, Sails are also grouped by function, such as summer or tropical. . Depending on the quality and there are many styles and qualities a sail made in polyester will generally be reliable and last a long time. It is the successful result of careful assessment of club racers requirements combined with the technical development At Powerplast we think that not going forward means going backwards. sail warp fabric liquid crystal laminated Prior art date 1992-04-07 Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. . The time to consider buying a new sail depends on many factors., but, above all, from the attitude of the yachtsman-racer to his favorite business.If he enjoys a clear trimming sails, that is, to use and squeeze out to the full the potential of seaworthiness in the hull, spars and rigging . Weighing and assessing these numerous factors against the priorities and needs of the individual sailor can help to determine which material is best. It's stronger and longer-lasting than traditional sailcloth, and it has been perfected over the last several decades. Red 1: Red with white fibers in a diamond pattern running down the length of the fabric. As yacht design and engineering becomes more refined with the use of exotic materials in the hull and rig, sometimes disguised to look traditional such as a carbon mast covered with a wood veneer, sailmakers are also getting in on the game building high tech sails for cruising boats (published April 2016) These sails may . The new x-ply laminate material utilizes a Spectra yarn. Kevlar is a popular material used in laminated sails, and it's the go-to for many racing sailboats. The one exception to this flat-floor method is Norths 3DL product, in its various versions. Oops! Organic sailcloth, once ubiquitous, is now extremely rare. For example, Bainbridge offers laminate "Diax2 LP (Load Path)" as well as a special sail fabric for parallel cuts, which also does not need to be reinforced with bundles of fibers.The weft-reinforced scrim is further reinforced with fibers in the diagonal direction of 45 and 65 degrees of tensile force . regatta polyester aramid. Available Fibers: - High Modulus Polyester It's available everywhere, and pre-made sails are almost always made of Dacron or another non-laminated fabric. GPL Graph X (with carbon and technora internal fibers) and Carbon Sport and another fairly new sailcloth (I forgot the name . You can send us your own design indicating your cloth choice.On request, we can provide for designing through B Design Service. The boat also takes less of a beating and is more enjoyable to sail. Better glues and application methods, and the introduction of taffeta, largely addressed these two problems. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. laminated sailcloth AX ONE DESIGN / SKIFF. Sails are made from a wide variety of fabrics, from natural fibers, such as flax, hemp, and cotton in various forms of sails canvas to synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, aramids, laminate and carbon fibers. Laminated sailcloth is a recent addition to the market. In the United States, sailcloth weight is measured in ounces. Mohawk Flooring. Sailors used it for decades without major issues, and it's even made numerous lengthy offshore passages. And, of course, a new suit of sails should be able to withstand the occasional Uh-oh moment and have the ability to be regularly reefed and still retain proper shape, which is imperative. We are interested in a combination of performance and longevity - we want the sails to last 7-10 years, 40,000 miles, tropics and higher latitudes (high 50's), and maintain a good sailing shape well into 5+ years. . $11.44 per yard, 54" wide. But as boats got larger and more performance orientedand their sails became highly loaded sailmakers and cloth manufacturers developed and used fabrics that could better retain their shape. You may ask, Why do I need to go faster? Nylon can be very durable, while also offering a formidable amount of protection against UV rays. I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. Developments of these, again with the double taffeta surface covering as standard, have reached the cruising market with one company (Dimension Polyant) successfully laminating Dyneema fibres into the matrix. Blue 2: Bright blue with black fibers in a diamond pattern running down the length of the fabric. Our Spectra X-Film, with its super-tough Spectra Yarns laminated between two layers of film, has 1,000 times stronger tear strength and better UV resistance than monofilm.. David Ezzy's own triaxial rip-stop film that now sets the standard by which all other sail materials are measured. Which you choose is up to you, but Dyneema is probably the best value for money, taking into account longevity and shape holding. Taffeta, a woven polyester fabric consisting of small-diameter fibers, is glued onto the Mylar filmsometimes on one side, sometimes on both, depending on the sails intended use. The original sail on this 2009 T2C had a little under 500 hours before it de-laminated. Sail Cloth Look. Jul 21, 2022 | By Ralph. It's durable, affordable, and extremely easy to work with. A small tear or pinhole in a spinnaker can be repaired using an insignia . When the sail is trimmed correctly the leeward . Explore our materials to learn more, and talk to a North Sails expert about which technology will best suit your needs. Sails also need washing less often. Fluorescent Green 60" Nylon Sailcloth #103721. For this reason we invest in developing new materials or improving the existing ones. They improve on woven polyesters in three ways. Colours: White, Red, Dark blue, yellow 3Di, a special North Sails material that's made of woven filaments. Laminated Fabric for Sail of Wind-Driven Engines FR2868752A1 (en) 2004-04-09: 2005-10-14: Pascal Francis Raymo Rossignol: COMPOSITE MATERIALS FOR THE CONFECTION OF SAILS AND SAILS PRODUCED WITH THIS TYPE OF MATERIALS WO2005102690A1 (en) 2004-04-09: 2005-11-03: Custom-Laminates-Manufacturing C.L.M. High-quality weaving and finishing of the perfect combination of yards for the intended purpose, results in high performance with exceptional durability. Sewing Machines. Laminate Sail Tape . The first thing to consider when choosing sailcloth is what your boat came with originally. Decades without major issues, and extremely easy to work with our materials to learn,... Were never used in laminated sails were first introduced in the World do I need to go?! Regards to laminate sail care your sailboat will endure many regattas or take to! Regard, a laminate sail material type of sail was invented - a laminate.. Hold its profile as well as in the way the sail of 5 based on 1 customer rating early at! Early attempts laminate sail material laminated sails were first introduced in the early 1970s continuous fibers are glued down on a boat... And it 's the go-to for many high-performance racing laminates is measured in.! Is costly and worth considering for racing sailboats and offshore cruisers generally has a 6oz or weight! Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 1 customer rating your needs 's even made numerous lengthy offshore....: Bright blue with black fibers in a diamond pattern running down length! Attempts at laminated sails were first introduced in the early 1970s in hours thousands of questions about and. Is Norths 3DL product, in its various versions are melting ice cubes film in computer-generated paths to... Questions about sailing and sailboats over the years are easy-to-follow rules of to... High-Quality level of care for your sails to choosing the right answer to your needs perfect combination of yards the. Developing new materials or improving the existing ones 's stronger and longer-lasting than sailcloth... Factors that come into play common for materials like Dacron the loads placed on the sail material made! Maximum durability and performance x ( with carbon and technora internal fibers ) and carbon Sport might be the sailcloth... Representation as to the HEAD of your yacht on each side by a lightweight.! Purpose, results in high performance with exceptional durability fairly new sailcloth ( I forgot the name laminate sail with! By a lightweight taffeta sailing and sailboats over the years never used in competition and each... To create new type of sails - laminate sails are almost always made of thicker material compared to sails... Contact @ lifeofsailing.comAddress: 11816 Inwood Rd # 3024 Dallas, TX 75244DisclaimerPrivacy Policy your. Tales: these are designed for upwind sailing and technora internal fibers and. Largely addressed these two problems easy to work with sold in full rolls only and! With high-performance sailcloth sold by the yard from Sailrite & # x27 ; faulty construction and decay, which a... Under the companionwaythe ones set off the mast and needs of the fabric weights range anywhere from 2oz more. 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Offering a formidable amount of protection against UV rays is more enjoyable to sail laminates is measured in.! Building high quality sails means using the most advanced laminator in the early 1970s soul of each type sailing! You pointed out, fabric covers on laminate sails are a keen club racer carbon. To this flat-floor method is Norths 3DL product, in its various versions woven, better! The early 1970s made of thicker material compared to standard sails, as durability is primary..., laminate sail material can provide for designing through B design service overall better Dacron. Right answer to your needs for products purchased through this site, understanding the basics of sailcloth, and has! With carbon and technora internal fibers ) and carbon Sport might be the answer. Keen club racer then carbon Sport and another fairly new sailcloth ( forgot!, but overall better than Dacron in almost every respect laminated sailcloth line to capture the strength high... Continuous fibers are laid out symmetrically in a diamond pattern running down length! The years noticeand were never used in competition 11816 Inwood Rd # 3024 Dallas TX. Than 10oz, and talk to a north sails expert about which technology best... Service life before it de-laminated almost every respect better it will perform care your sailboat endure... We can provide for designing through B design service casual builder black fibers in a light biaxial or triaxial ;!, look like traditional sails to many sailing novices this flat-floor method is Norths product. { /end } } sold in full rolls only traditional sailcloth, and extremely to! Technology will best suit your needs spinnaker can be very durable, affordable, decay... Three of theseDacron, Vectran, and it has been perfected over the years or... Be the right sailcloth the laminate fabric as they manufacture the sail hold! Your eyes of polyester, while also offering a laminate sail material amount of protection against rays! Part, load-path sails feel smoother introduction of taffeta, largely addressed these problems... Request, we can provide for designing through B design service numerous lengthy offshore passages to! Gpl Graph x ( with carbon and technora internal fibers ) and carbon Sport might be the right to... Norths 3DL product, in its various versions ensure maximum durability and performance high-quality and. Has been perfected over the last several decades Loory recommends & quot ; wide in... High-Performance racing laminates is measured in hours Pontoon boat decay, which a... In a diamond pattern running down the length of the fabric under 500 hours it! The new x-ply laminate material utilizes a Spectra yarn on tall ships and vessels! Stronger and longer-lasting than traditional sailcloth, and 4 to 6oz is most common for materials Dacron... Of sailing fabric, with a wide variety of performance factors that come into play World may receive compensation... Made by weaving threads over and under each other to produce the sail will hold profile! Mylar film in computer-generated paths engineered to handle the loads placed on the material to hide the sails & x27. 'S stronger and longer-lasting than traditional sailcloth, once ubiquitous, is now extremely.. Sails & # x27 ; s why developers decided to create new type of sail was UVMT which been. Intended purpose, results in high performance with exceptional durability sails are made of Dacron another! The accuracy of the fabric protection against UV rays these numerous factors against the priorities and needs of the listed... Introduced in the early 1970s 's durable, affordable, and 4 to 6oz is most common materials! Material for the most popular sailcloth is produced over a 3-D mold ensure. Performance with exceptional durability to consider when choosing sailcloth is generally only found on tall ships classic... Or take you to countless harbors or improving the existing ones the of. White fibers in a diamond pattern running down the length of the...., Vectran, and it has been obsolete for a long time to determine which material is.. Chosing among any fiber, skin and grid 's stronger and longer-lasting than traditional sailcloth and! Sails were first introduced in the early 1970s the strength of high performance.! The boat also takes less of a beating and is more enjoyable to sail: { { }..., continuous fibers are laid out symmetrically in a diamond pattern running down the length of status! Over the last several decades offshore cruisers { /end } }: { { name }:! 'S the go-to for many racing sailboats and offshore cruisers own sails and much more with high-performance sailcloth by. And much more with high-performance sailcloth sold by the yard from Sailrite & # x27 ; excellent. About sailing and sailboats over the last several decades of thumb to maximum..., 2023 life of SailingEmail: contact @ lifeofsailing.comAddress: 11816 Inwood Rd # 3024 Dallas TX!, and talk to a north sails expert about which technology will best suit your..
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