Which Sail Cloth? *o

[Paul Akers]

I am shopping for a new mainsail and have a question about sail cloth. I have an estimate from a local sailmaker that wants to use a type of cloth called "340 Square". I have also checked the Chandlery, here, and the sailcloth that is offered is 7 oz. Dacron. Does anybody know the difference? It seems to make quite a difference in cost.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Dacron most prevalent.

My new North main and Lee jib are both Dacron. I think "340 Square" is unique to a German company named "Dimension-Polyant". Square is the type of weave and 340 is probably the weight. But in what terms? I did read that Polyant is a polyester so it could be just a Dacron variant.

 

[Steve Dion]

Not all cloth is made equal.

Paul:There is a big difference in the quality of the cloth. This is one of the things that many may be fooled by when they start comparing the price of sails. A friend of mine purchase a sail and the sail maker was wise enough to show him the differences in both pieces of material. When you see how some of these material stretch with just pulling on them you realize what it is going to be like with 35mph winds really raising hell with the material.I suggest you shop around and get 2 or 3 opinions on the cloth and then get your quotes on which product you think will serve you the best.

 

[Alan]

Why Dacron?

We're no longer living in the stone age. Kevlar is such a superior cloth to dacron. It's way lighter, way stronger, and holds its designed shape unlike dacron which streches and distorts as the load increases. Sure it costs a little bit more, Porsches cost more than Chevys. Once I switched to kevlar I would never go back.

 

[Paul Akers]

Answer to "Why Dacron?"

Alan, my boat is used primarily as a cruising boat - not a racer. If I was concerned about racing and better performance, then I would look at premium cloths. So the "exotic" cloths, unfortunately, aren't being considered here. Dacron suffices for my needs and keeps the price in a reasonable arena for cruising. Thanks.

 

[Tim Stodola]

SailCloth

Good Day Gentlemen,I hope you don't mind my interjection, as I have hosted a guest forum on this site in the past.As was stated previously, Not all sailcloth is created equal, and not all fabrics suit all applications. That being said, let me address Pauls initial inquiry.340 Square weave is produced by Dimension/Polyant Sailcloth. It is an 8oz Dacron, as the name implies, a square weave. This fabric incorporates a Rip Stop pattern of slightly heavier yarns than the rest of the fabric. It is a very good Balanced weave cloth, and is used in applications that call for a very stabile balanced weave fabric. Because of the weave, it is also one of the more costly Dacrons available. However, for a cruising Main, it would not be my recommendation. I would recommend a more Fill oriented fabric in a crosscut design. The Fill direction is in the width of the fabric, Warp is run the length of the fabric. So using a fabric that has more yarns in the Fill, which in a crosscut main will be up the leech, will create a stronger more shape retentive sail than the same weight balanced fabric.As to Allens comment, if you are racing, then Kevlar is a great choice for the reasons you point out. However, Kevlar is not as durable as Dacron, nor as tolerant of UV exposure. Kevlar is not what I would normally recommend for a Cruiser. There are however, alternatives to both Dacron and Kevlar for the more performance oriented Cruiser/Racer.Good Sailing,Tim Stodola

 

[newly anonymous]

cruising laminates

A year ago I had a new tri-radial main built out of a material with dacron scrims laminated on each side of a mylar core. From ten feet away you can't tell the difference between my sail and a conventional dacron main, but it's lighter, stiffer, and resists stretch far more than the dacron sail it replaced. I can detect no visible wear after a year's heavy use. (Heavy use in heavy winds.) The downside is that these materials are so new nobody can say for sure how long they'll last in comparison to dacron. It resists UV just as well, but at some point it's going to delaminate. In my mind, however, it doesn't matter. I'll never go back to a conventional woven sail material. My boat is a 100% cruising boat, but it's a far less tender cruising boat with the new sail. I used to have to reef at 18 knots apparent, but now we consider that much wind to be our sweet spot.

 

[David11054]

Thanks, Tom

for the clear explanation.DavidLady Lillie

 

[Paul Akers]

Tim, I have an estimate...

...from my Doyle sailmaker that includes the 340 Square and came recommended from them. That is why I asked the original question. The estimate from HOW's chandlery (Doyle, also) includes 7 oz. dacron. Hence, I asked what is the difference. There doesn't seem to be a choice of fabric in HOW's chandlery, but the price is attractive.

 

[Tim Stodola]

Your Estimate

Paul, the Square Weave is a premium fabric. I don't know what kind of boat you have so I don't know the aspect ratio of your mainsail. So, I don't know that your sailmaker is wrong.We do build mains using the Square Weave, depending on the application and aspect ratio of the mainsail. On a low aspect main, the Square Weave makes a very good sail. But, the Square Weave has a firmer finish than most cruising Dacrons, which in my opinion makes the sail a bit harder to handle for general cruising.For the coastal cruiser, my recommendation for durabilty and budget would still be a good Basic Dacron as is offered here in the chandlery. Once again, not every fabric is suitable for every purpose.

 

[chuckwayne]

340 square sailcloth

Paul,my swingbatten main and jib were made with the 340 square fabric and I really like it-absolutely no stretch, even in heavy winds and they really hold their shape. I think they're worth the extra cost, and I haven't found the extra stiffness to be a problem.BTW, missed you at the MHSA rendevous! we had a great time!ChuckH356 WWW.Escape

 

[Paul Akers]

Thanks for the advice.

Tim, I have a 1988 Legend 37 Wing Keel. The WK made a difference is calculating the estimate. My sailmaker is a friend and I don't expext he would steer me wrong. We did speak of more durability when he estimated the sail.Chuck, Sorry I missed the flotilla this year, too. Maine is a great cruising ground. But the rendezvous and lobster bake were great at the rendezvous.