I picked up a < 100% #3 with battens for 22+ kts. North quoted three
different materials including their new warp oriented polyester cloth.

http://nsdnn.northsails.com/Radian/tabid/17344/Default.aspx

I ordered it in NorDac Radian NDR 7.5.
It works well, so much so that even down to 18 kts it is comparable
in VMG to my 140% #2. Well, at least upwind.

Michael Brown
Windburn
C&C 30-1


 

From: Josh Muckley <muckl...@gmail.com> 

As others have said at such a heavy weight you probably won't notice a 
difference between the tri-radial and the cross cut.  I experience the same 
thing with wines.  A great wine doesn't distinguish itself from a good one 
unless tasted side by side.  A crosscut sail tends to stretch diagonally to 
the lay of the weave, on the bias.  The tighter the weave the less bias 
stretch.  Fabric makers heat shrink and urethane coat their products to 
reduce this type of stretch.  As the material gets heavier the thicker the 
threads get and the tighter they can be packed which further reduces bias 
stretch.  Spinnakers, being made of such light weight and untreated 
materials are most likely to experience stretch.  Since downwind stretch 
isn't much of a concern but strength IS aligning the fibers in the 
direction of stress (tri-radial) is a method of strengthening the sail. 
 
Unless serious offshore aspirations are in your future I would consider 
reducing the cloth weight.  If tri-radial is absolutely desired then even 
lower weight may be acceptable.  Couple those options with some of the 
newer cloths which incorporate vectran, spectra or other hi-tech fiber and 
you could achieve a lower weight.  All of this builds into the reason why 
we see racing sails built with tri-radial designs and lightweight, hi-tech 
fabrics.  Obviously, as with everything, it is a compromise. 
 
There is a third option which you may not have been aware of.  Bi-radial. 
For a furling sail this might be a good option. 
 
Josh Muckley 
S/V Sea Hawk 
1989 C&C 37+ 
Solomons, MD 
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