Please refer to our Privacy Policy for details on how NauticExpo processes your personal data. These innovations have created an exclusive line of sail materials ranging from woven polyester, racing, and cruising laminates to 3Di composites. Roll Laminating Machines; Pouch & Desktop Laminating Machines; Xyron Laminators Fabric is D4 Vectran with standard film/taffeta, sail includes spreader patch, UV cover, and bag. Width: 150 cm. 2016 UK Halsey (Gary Saxby) cruise laminate fully battened mainsail 66m2 2016 UK Halsey (Gary Saxby) cruise laminate furling headsail How Many People Can Fit On A Pontoon Boat? Double External Taffeta Here our designers have developed a process that results in the desired polyester X-PLY by uniting a black 6 polyester-X-PLY thread system with a high-strength polyester warp-oriented mesh. Generally speaking, it's best to choose a sail with a tighter weave, as tighter weaves are reluctant to stretch. Sailcloth is made in different weights. Kevlar is a popular material used in laminated sails, and it's the go-to for many racing sailboats. This unitary, monolithic construction produces an airfoil that has balanced resistance to distortion in all directions. Industry standards vary widely between countries, and a small price variation could be the difference between a high-quality sail and a fragile mistake. Its inner values vouch for it: A strong internal Ultra-PE woven membrane base encapsulated by film, which is laminated to a tightly woven ripstop taffeta. The remaining fibers are incorporated into a fabric in two basic ways; more on this in a moment. the sailmaker of your choice as perfectly laminated material including Dimension-Polyants proven and Sheet Laminate - Formica. A rotating creel unique to North Sails, it allows on-the-fly application of variable-angle x-scrims, enabling laminate constructions that cannot be copied elsewhere for an entirely new generation of scrim-style sails. Width: 150 cm. They're also easy to repair, and virtually every sailmaker has material on hand to craft custom Dacron sails. Doyles Stratis pre-impregnated fiber technology is employed in the load-path sails on a Hanse 630 (left). Sailors used it for decades without major issues, and it's even made numerous lengthy offshore passages. Laminators. 2225 Windy Sail Dr, La Marque, TX is a single family home that contains 1,670 sq ft and was built in 2018. #4. By doing your due diligence to first understand the intricacies involved in deciding upon the proper type of sailboat sail, you can be fully prepared to find the perfect fit regardless of what variety of sailing you may be interested in. These best styles are the only ones woven using Dupont and Allied's high tenacity yarns, type 52 and 1W70, both warp and fill, and are the finest offered for weaving quality sailcloth. Theres a cost differential involved, but generally the extra money is more then justified by the durabilty of the sail, not to mention the shape holding. $22.95 /YD. Poly sails, especially white PolySails, look like traditional sails to many sailing novices. Fibreglass/GRP Vinylester, vacuum bagged high density PVC foam sandwich. . Dan Neri, sailor and author of Sail Care and Repair, explains that, Dacron is ideal for storm sails due to its resistance to decay. Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI. Historically, laminated sails of any construction method were usually replaced when the fibers delaminated from the film or the film itself broke down. Fabric is 6-oz. UK Sailmakers. 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. Woven sail material is made by weaving threads over and under each other to produce the sail material. Today, sailors have essentially two material options, Dacron or laminates, the latter of which are built using a variety of specialized fibers. 2. fabrics that are built as a roll then cut as radially constructed sails, aligning the fibres with a reasonable correlation between the load paths in a sail. Finally, as you pointed out, fabric covers on laminate sails are a problem. Very good Service: shipped same day as ordered, exceeded my expectation. The softer hand allows easier handling on the foredeck and minimizes friction in hoists and takedowns. How Many People Can Fit On A Pontoon Boat? 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. 7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat >>, Can You Live On A Sailboat Year Round? When upgrading your sail inventory, understanding the basics of sailcloth, laminates and construction keeps the wool from being pulled over your eyes. Other materials, such as Kevlar, carbon fiber, Spectra, Technora, and Vectran, are also common in some applications. The vast majority of modern boats use Dacron sails. There are four main suppliers of sailcloth that produce mainsails and headstalls, and are widely recognized by sailors of every skill set and variety from around the world. Tightly woven sails contain more material per square foot, which contributes to their higher price. Spectra/Dyneema also suffers very little in flex and exhibits the best performance regarding UV exposure. Jun 30, 2021|By Christopher R Van Dyk. If you have any questions about how you can improve care for your sails, please contact your local Ullman Sails loft. ); and, in the case of an overlapping headsail, its chafe resistance. The 1,597 sq. Due to the difficult nature of working with sailcloth, it's best to find an experienced sailmaker to craft your sails if replacements are not commercially available in the material of your choice. Our Suggestions - Upwind sails 36 g/m. Laminated fabrics do have an increased likelihood to suffer, but the incidence is minimal. The goal is a stretch-resistant, shape-holding, lighter sail thats still affordable. It also isn't uncommon to find companies that offer products developed from a combination of materials, such as those developed from aramid-kevlar or numerous other custom-made fabrics. Our North Sails materials engineering team focuses on developing and producing sailcloth that will enhance your sailing experience while maximizing the value of your new sail purchase. In building sails with roll goods, the laminated cloth is cut into panels that are then sewn together in one of three patterns: triradial, biradial, or crosscut. With laminated sails you can place the load bearing fibers along the length of the fabric, rather than across it, and then use the fabric to build radial sails. Mylar is one of the most popular choices for this purpose, thanks to its outstanding level of stability and high degree of tensile strength. Some Cruising Laminate sails have the addition of layers of fabric (Taffeta) laminated on top of the Mylar film to reduce de-lamination from chaffing. Available in numerous material combinations, Much higher cost than non-laminated alternatives, Crafted with the highest-quality materials, Performance benefits negligible on regular production cruisers, Storm cells are almost always made of Dacron, despite the availability of other materials such as Kevlar. {{/end}} NYLON: First produced in 1938, nylon is the first completely synthetic fiber developed. Bottom line: The Best Choice for most repairs using tape and essential in every sail repair kit, laminate or polyester. The sail loft then takes the material and cuts the panels to make a sail. Membrane sails in the racing market have become commonplace. Mohawk Flooring. LOAD PATH TECHNOLOGY. Good price and adhesive though. Norths proprietary automated tape laying system allows designers precise control over the placement and orientation of material within each sail. This is a combination of fibersmade entirely of Spectra, a Spectra/carbon blend, or consisting of other materialsdriven by the sails intended use. The fibers and the rest of the components are laid onto the film on the mold using computer-controlled tooling. 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. Colours: White, Red, Dark blue In this article, we will cover several of the most popular types of sailcloth. 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. And load-path sails are considerably lighter than laminate sails built with other methods. It is highly likely that the earliest sailboat sails were fashioned from animal skins, used on raft-like craft and dating back as far as 3300 BCE. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Taffeta-coated cruise laminates: With added taffeta for durability and UV protection, these laminate sails are ideal for performance-minded cruisers. Yet another variation of polyester is referred to as PEN fiber (for polyethylene naphthalate) and is well-known by sailors as producer Honeywell's brand-name of "Pentex". Thirdly, the fibres are aligned more accurately with the loads in the sail in a tri-radial or, ultimately, a membrane construction. High-quality weaving and finishing of the perfect combination of yards for the intended purpose, results in high performance with exceptional durability. This is an example of what a laminate sail looks like. Cruising World may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. If you use best practices with regards to laminate sail care your sailboat will endure many regattas or take you to countless harbors. Type: - POLYESTER 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. In addition to its ease-of-handling, Dacron sails are reluctant to become waterlogged in bad weather. 7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat >>, Can You Live On A Sailboat Year Round? Great repair tape. Sailcloth materials. Width: 150 cm. These issues are minimized with load-path sails. Load path (or 3D) sails are a high-tech alternative to traditional woven and laminate materials. It should be pointed out that all fabrics can suffer from mildew, Polyester included. If you are an ambitious cruising sailor and look for a low stretch material, then here is your straight forward answer: DimensionPolyants DCX cruising laminates have been developed with the aim of producing a high durability fabric. 21 Jul 2015. {{#pushedProductsPlacement4.length}} Spinnakers are a unique type of sailboat with their own set of ideals when it comes to finding the right sail fabric. 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. The laminate sail tape is a 3 inches wide tape that doesn't work well with polyester. When I looked at sailcloth weights, the thing that . Though it does not stick quite as well as Insignia Cloth, it sticks better than Laminate Repair Tape and does not make a hard spot. This additional layer of fabric increases the overall weight of the sail, however, many cruisers find the increase of longevity offsets the additional weight aloft. #23. However, it's affordable and durable enough to make an excellent alternative to older organic sailcloth. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.) Colours: White, Red, Dark blue Radial polyester fabric provides sailmakers with the opportunity to design and build triradial sails in woven material. These high definition laminates replicate with perfect optical clarity the exquisite veining and swaths of color that characterize real woodgrain and stone. No matter what material is used for a sailboat sail, each must contend with various issues such as how they continue to perform as they age, how much they wear as they're unfolded and pulled into place, and their response to the sunlight and elements. Different sailmaking styles and cloths are evident in this trio of racing and cruising boats under way. Laminated sails, though popular, are less common due to their higher cost. But if you're planning on racing or making a long offshore passage, it's worth considering other sailcloth materials more carefully. As a former sail consultant for Hood Sails, I know that when it comes to new sails, cost is a primary concern for many sailors. How Long Did It Take The Vikings To Sail To England? Blue 2: Bright blue with black fibers in a diamond pattern running down the length of the fabric. Modern synthetic fibers make up the vast majority of sail fabrics in use today, and there are configurations tailored to every kind of sail and sailboat on the water. Sail Cloth Look. This laminate comes in four styles. For example, laminate sails which are constructed from multiple layers of film glued together, are able to withstand extremely high wind speeds and are also very resistant to damage from the sun's UV rays. Available Fibers: - High Modulus Polyester The sail can be cut crosscut, tri-radial, or bi-radial, just like any other. 30 feet per roll. The components are often different, and material combinations vary between intended uses. Once the complete skin or membrane is cooked, its removed from the mold, and then the rest of the sails componentsbatten pockets, luff tape, numbers and lettering, headboard, and so onare incorporated into a finished product. Currently, there are eight different fibers used in sailmaking: carbon fiber, Spectra/Dyneema, Twaron, Technora, Kevlar, Vectran, polyester, and Pentax (which is basically Dacron on steroids). 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 . Nearly all new production boats come with polyester sails as standard with some boatbuilders offering enhanced sails generally built of a laminate of some type. Offering a wealth of practical advice and a dynamic mix of in-depth boat, gear and equipment news, Sailing Today is written cover to cover by sailors, for sailors. Be clear about how you actually use your boathow much, if ever, you race or head offshore; how often you sail in heavy weather; how long you intend on keeping the boat; the true-wind conditions of your most frequent cruising grounds. The batten cars on this sail keep it from binding in the luff track. I don't think my PRHF rating included sail material, just dimensions . Though considered to be somewhat of an exotic material, aramid is still moderately priced and can often be purchased for much less than carbon or other fibers. Support. A fully integrated and powerful computer code controls the entire . It's stronger and longer-lasting than traditional sailcloth, and it has been perfected over the last several decades. On the other hand, the warpthe thread thats woven through the fillmight measure a couple of hundred feet in length. EPEX is our membrane cloth. Kevlar sails are available in multiple weave types, strengths, and thicknesses. In the United States and abroad, four major suppliers of sailclothDimension Polyant, Bainbridge International, Challenge Sailcloth, and Contender Sailclothprovide sailmakers with Dacron and laminate cloths and related materials to build strong, state-of-the-art headsails and mainsails. have shown extremely impressive efficiency. 2023 Chelsea Magazine Company | 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. Within each sail and minimizes friction in hoists and takedowns stretch-resistant, shape-holding, lighter sail thats still.... Film or the film or the film itself broke down Dark blue in this article, we will several! Is made by weaving threads over and under each other to produce the sail Can cut! Laminates replicate with perfect optical clarity the exquisite veining and swaths of that! Loft then takes the material and cuts the panels to make a sail its. 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Hundred feet in length Sailboat > >, Can you Live on a Hanse 630 ( left ) per foot! In 2018 membrane construction other materialsdriven by the sails intended use loft takes..., polyester included less common due to their higher cost the First synthetic! A high-tech alternative to older organic sailcloth offshore passages sailing novices material on hand to craft custom Dacron sails mistake..., polyester included the batten cars on this sail keep it from binding in the luff track in.... And it 's the go-to for many racing sailboats Technora, and cruising boats under way ideal for cruisers. Industry standards vary widely between countries, and Vectran, are less common to! Line of sail materials ranging from woven polyester, racing, and Vectran, are also common in some.. Strengths, and virtually every sailmaker has material on hand to craft custom Dacron sails being over... Be pointed out, fabric covers on laminate sails are a high-tech alternative to older organic sailcloth evident in trio... Are aligned more accurately with the loads in the racing market have become commonplace on hand to custom. Fibers are incorporated into a fabric in two basic ways ; more on this sail keep it from in! The incidence is minimal bagged high density PVC foam sandwich taffeta for durability and UV,! Material is made by weaving threads over and under each other to the... Every sailmaker has material on hand to craft custom Dacron sails don #... Live on a Sailboat Year Round PRHF rating included sail material, just dimensions affordable and durable enough make. Weights, the fibres are aligned more accurately with the loads in the load-path sails on a Pontoon?. Offshore passage, it 's worth considering other sailcloth materials more carefully, monolithic construction produces an airfoil has. 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