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Post by dublin on Jul 22, 2013 22:02:49 GMT
After 7 years I have finally accepted I need new said. After beating down the Mull and putting in about 15 tacks I was only about 5 minutes ahead of an old Nicholson 35 having . The main, which is an inmost curler looked about 9 month pregnant and will no longer set. It probably creates more leery tat forward drive. So I am looking for members thoughts. No racing just a lot of cruising but I like to make the boat perform. I don't like the idea of laminates due to fire life etc. any thoughts?
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Post by MartyB on Jul 23, 2013 2:04:31 GMT
I do not see a reason to go with dacron, as they lose 10% of there ability or so a year, where as laminates lose less than 5%. Granted when a laminate decides to go, it goes quicker than a dacron. Dacron stetches etc from the get go at a higher rate than what I will call true laminates. The Dacron mylar mixes in my eye like Norths Nor-Lam are the worst of the bunch.
I've personally been getting good results from an Ullman Cal, which is a panel sewn mylar/scrim genoa. I also have a fiberpath 155 for racing, and the main is a UK string style laminate. Most of my sails are 6 yrs old. The only one that is truly shot is the north norlam with the fewest miles hrs on it.
Marty
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Post by rene460 on Jul 23, 2013 11:02:26 GMT
Hi Dublin,
For all sailors, cruising or racing, sail shape is king. You need the best possible shape and the cloth stiff enough (high modulus) to hold the shape through out the intended wind range and strong enough to hold the shape and stiffness for years of life.
Of course, in the real world compromise is necessary. The tri-radial cut gives the sailmaker the opportunity to get the best shape and in my experience is worth the extra cost, but I am assured that a good sail can be made with horizontal seems.
The cloth is more complex. The foresail cloth must be able to take the tight rolls of the jib furler, while the main must be able to take cramming into the sail covers on the boom (or in mast furling). When I purchased my sails last year, Dacron was considered more rugged for this normal cruising handling, laminates tend to need additional care in handling, but best quality Dacron was recommended over cheaper look a likes for low stretch and good life.
A further point for cruising, there is a subtlety of the shape recommended for cruising compared with racing. As I understand it, a racing sail shape gives the highest potential performance but has very fine entry which makes it more fussy/critical to set - set well it is terrific, but not quite right and its performance is poor. Keeps a keen crew on their toes! A cruising cut has a more blunt entry shape. At its best trim not quite as good as the fine entry racing sail, but looses much less when not quite perfect trim, and who of us has that crack racing crew when we are cruising? Most of the time a cruising sail set near enough will be better than a racing sail that is not set perfectly!
I chose a local sail maker who had computer design for shape and came to the boat to take responsibility for the measurements, and to check the new sails on the boat. You don't want extra stitch holes in a new sail due to a measurement error. He explained the issues of shape, cut and cloth options. You don't really get this from the Internet. We also selected full length battens with the Selden bat cars, and they are excellent.
rene460
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Post by Quiddle on Jul 28, 2013 18:32:15 GMT
With similar issues as the op, I've just opted for dacron sails from Kemp. Having read around the subject from a base of ignorance I based my decision on poor experience of the durability of laminates on a dinghy( perhaps not relevant?), satisfaction with a new dacron main on my last boat and, most importantly, cost: I can buy 2 suits of dacron for 1 laminate, giving me flexibility on whether to replace sails twice or spend the $s on other goodies. I do wonder if non-racers (I never race) with laminates just like the look of the pretty cloth.
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Post by dublin on Jul 28, 2013 22:07:25 GMT
I was considering vertical battens but from speaking to others who have had them the general experience seems poor. So the alternative seems to be the highest quality cloth to try and prevent loss of shape. The lack of roach and power is not really an issue as winds in western Scotland waters are not often on the light side. Remaining shape in te gusts is more important.
Has none any better experiences with erotically battens
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dan
Full Member
Posts: 31
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Post by dan on Jul 29, 2013 4:59:33 GMT
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Post by dublin on Jul 29, 2013 17:41:27 GMT
Predictive text.......... I will have to learn to read before I press send
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Post by davideso37 on Jul 30, 2013 3:08:03 GMT
Dublin,
We do a lot of racing and I went for a tri radial dacron main with full length battens. There are some good dacron cloths for radial cut sails and they will keep their shape provided the cloth weight is appropriate for the loads. You mention vertical battens so do you have in mast furling? I don't have any experience with in mast furling so recommend you talk to a sailmaker who has made a lot of sails for that application.
Be very careful with laminates. Some laminates do not like any leech flutter.
Regards
David
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