UV Protection
George, I checked with the loft that built these sails for Hunter and per Hunter specs the entire sail is constructed of 5oz UV Dacron. UV Dacron has a special coating that makes it more resistant to UV than standard dacron. Therefore your sail will last longer than it would if it had no protection. On the other hand a true UV Suncover blocks the sun from getting at the sail. It is similar to the difference between wearing sunscreen and wearing a hat. All sail materials degrade in the sun so if you have a UV strip on your sail it can be replaced with a new one. Without this sacrificial strip you will have to replace your sail when the leech succumbs to UV. If your sail is still in good shape I think it would be a good idea to add a suncover since ultimately it will be less expensive to replace the worn out suncover than the worn out sail. Thanks, Bill C. Doyle Sails
