Another consideration
MILDEW! Laminate sails, especially roller furling sails are more prone to mildew formation than Dacron sails. Because laminate sails us a non-breathable Mylar film in their construction, any latent moisture rolled up can cause mildew. Mildew also feeds on the glues used in laminating. You can still get good perfomance with a Dacron sail depending on the fabric and cut of the sail. A radial cut Dacron sail aligns the fibers of the woven fabric better to the loads of the sail than a conventional Crosscut Sail. This means less stretch and better load carrying than the crosscut for the same weight Dacron. However, the higher the grade of Dacron the higher the cost. Nowadays it costs less to produce a polyester based Laminate fabric than a high tenacity woven polyester fabric. While A laminate will give you good performance at a good price, Dacron will give you greater longevity without the worries of mildew. Just don't go cheap on the Dacron if you want good performance.
