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How do high-tech sails age these days?


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When Kevlar sails were a new thing back in the 1980s I was told they held their shape until they disintegrated. I was not in the echonomical position to test this.

 

Now I have an almost ten year old jib built from a carbon/Kevlar laminate from Contender called Maxx. The material still looks very solid apart from the window which isn't very transparent.

 

Still, ogling the shape in lighter wind I see the draft is not as far forward as it used to be and the leech is hooking. If the wind is up and its sheeted and tuned flat it looks fairly good. (Disclaimer, when the wind is up I don't have time for close study of sail shape...)

 

So what's going on here?

Am I making this up? (I can pull the draft forward by increasing luff tension but my gut feeling is I need much more luff tension than when the sail was new -- but then, how good is my memory?)

Is the Mylar films aged in a way that shanges light wind shape but overruled when loads are up?

 

My roughly five year old carbon (Dimension Polyant laminate) main looks very good.

 

(Main and jib are both from Oz but from different sail makers.)

 

/Martin

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I'd have to agree. It does seem amazing how long relatively light laminate sails are lasting. 

 

The failure mode seems to be in the details, such as around reef patches. This is where the original sail maker shows his worth, as the sail nears the end of its life.

 

The other failure I've seen on mine is rounding the top mark with lots of luff and mainsheet tension on the main, and easing out the sheet. Suddenly all that mainsheet load ends up on the luff tension, and is very hard on the forward top seems and fabric.

 

Because of the above I'm not sure about using lots of luff tension to move the draft forward on a composite sail. I'm of the 'just take the wrinkles out' school of thought.

 

Sure on dacron Tornado and PT mainsails we used lots and lots of luff tension to bend the mast, open the leach and move the draft forward. But I'm not convinced it it effective on bigger boats with radial sails. 

 

Awaiting other opinions on this... 

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> The failure mode seems to be in the details, such as around reef patches.

> This is where the original sail maker shows his worth, as the sail nears the

> end of its life.

 

Which is why I mourn the fact that the sailmaker of my last two main sails has closed shop. I had hoped to place an order with him for a new jib...

 

> Sure on dacron Tornado and PT mainsails we used lots and lots of luff tension

> to bend the mast, open the leach and move the draft forward. But I'm not

> convinced it it effective on bigger boats with radial sails. 

 

It is an important tool in my toolbox. Inspired by members of this forum I beefed up the down-haul just a few years ago. Sailing singlehanded most of the time I am running out of stability at around 10 knots true when going to windward -- like last Saturday when the wind topped a mere 12 knots I had the main traveler 30 cm down from middle point, reduced mast rotation, downhaul and sheet fully on and jib sheeted flat. (GPS track plotted in enclosed file)

 

> Awaiting other opinions on this...

 

So do I.

 

/Martin

Segel151003.pdf

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