Dynac sails, white nylon sails

[Bob M.]

1. Can anyone inform me about "Dynac" sail cloth? My limited understanding is that it is a nylon fabric with a coating that limits stretching. I'm wondering whether it also has some anti-UV properties.

2. I saw a posting from Lynn and Larry Pardey stating that white nylon sails break down much faster that colored nylon. Anyone have a similar experience?

 

[Clark]

Bob, I'd suggest you post this in the Ask All Sailors forum. Might get better response.

 

[RichH]

Dynac is essentially an obsolete spinnaker cloth. If I remember correctly it was a 1/2 oz. nylon fabric that was 'coated' with a plasticizer/filler to bring up the weight of the cloth. I do have an old spinn made from dynac .... 'brittle' due to its age.

'White' sails are more easily destroyed by UV than 'dark' sails.
Dacron is most prominent woven sail material. *White* (dacron, nylon, laminates, etc.) is the MOST susceptible for UV damage, long distance cruisers prefer 'tan-bark' (brown) because of the natural UV resistance of the 'color'.
For spinnakers especially, a good/knowledgeable sailmaker will usually choose a 'dark' color for the 'corners' where the most concentrated stress occurs and where UV damage is 'the most serious'.

 

[Bob M.]

Rich,

Thanks very much for this helpful information,