Experiences with Load Path Sails ?

[Dockhead]

My sails are original to the boat - so 10 years old. They are in pretty good condition, as the boat was lightly used prior to my ownership (my pattern of use is different!!). They are less baggy than other boats in my charter and ownership over the years, and my boat sails pretty well.

HOWEVER, I do have a problem with chronic weather helm. I have tried every trick in my book (maybe there are others*), but I still can't get the sails balanced very well when the wind is up a bit and gusting. My last Channel crossing (my 10th) was really tough -- with winds gusting 23 -- 25, the boat really wanted to round up, ripping the wheel out of my hands, unless I reefed down so far that I was seriously losing drive at the normal wind speed of 18 or so.

I'm starting to think that my mainsail is just baggy enough to prevent me from trimming it flat enough to deal with that situation. So I start to think about new sails. Maybe this is a good excuse!

I have my eye on load-path sails like the Dimension-Polyant D4 sails. They are cheaper than laminate and are supposed to be nearly as durable as Dacron. Plus they are lighter. They roll up tighter which should make them good for my furling main system. What's not to love? They are supposed to be more vulnerable to chafing, by my rig does not subject the sails to much chafing. Any real experience on here?


* My anti-weather helm tricks: (a) traveller down; (b) reef the main earlier than the jib; (c) slack mainsheet a little (unless hard on the wind), put on vang; (d) more outhaul tension to flatten the mainsail; (e) more halyard tension on the main; (f) trim the jib to move the draft forward. Anybody have any more?