Triradial Cut Carbon Sails

[thunderhoof]

I would like to add that Dimension Polyant makes carbon laminates with polyester taffeta on one or both sides. This prolongs the useful life of the cloth significantly. There may be others but I like D-P.
It should also be noted that the carbon fiber used in sailcloth has changed significantly in the last 10 years. The fibers are are no longer brittle and expected to fail if the sail flogs a bit.
The cut of the sail is related to the stress directions for each panel and the sailcloth used. Triradial cut has been found to to be a good overall approach.
Pay attention to how the corners of the sail are made, especially the head. These are the points where the stresses are concentrated.

[Boatguy30]

As the other fellow noted the lifespan in a northern climate is probably decent 10 or so years. In the tropics? Still going to stick with personal experience and say 3-5.

Now, I'll also clarify my carbon experience is with racing sails which is actually what the light skin sails you asked about originally are. After you ad the taffeta you end up with a sail almost as heavy as dacron and that really don't perform that well in light winds.

What is a Maine cat foiling rudder? Does it actually generate enough lift to raise a loaded cruising cat. Sounds like a gimmick like carbon cruising sails.....

[sailjumanji]

Not to open any wounds, but the Dimension Polyant Lite Skin GPL is carbon laminate interior (my simplified view) with a layer of Lite Skin on each side. The Lite Skin replaces the taffeta on both sides. Longevity is reported to be very good, which you can read up on some forums with older Genoa's on racing boats. Performance life excellent. Lite Skin reportedly repels water whereby tafetta is more absorbent. I look to be heading this way as well, on a new Seawind 1160 Lite. It won't be as long lasting as Dacron, but I am done with stretchy sails. In performance years, I think it will be no comparison. It's not cheap, but I enjoy sailing my boat and after racing tris for more than a dozen years, trimming sails to make a boat go faster is hard to give up. Cruiser, or not.

If/when it does mildew, the Lite Skin is dark grey/black anyway. Invest in a very good vinyl-lined stack pack. And spray it with mildewcide or Sailkote every few years.

Lite Skin GPL as heavy as Dacron? BS.