Quantum Fusion M Sails for Fast Cruising Cat

[Agility]

I need to make a decision on sails for my Chris White Design Atlantic 57. I just got a quote from Quantum who does all the Atlantic sails and it's around 50% more for the high tech Fusion M (Fibre carbon Vectran) sails over the Dacron/mylar laminatetri-radial construction sails.

They are very high performance but also recommended for large cruising cat's that plan to do serious offshore cruising.

The A57 has big sails 90M squared and 70M squared for the main and genoa so basic Dacron will stretch too much and Hydranet is even more expensive.

Does anyone here have experience with the Fusion M sails. I know they win races but do they hold up. I hear they've had a issue with mold but treat them now and the mold doesn't seem to noticeably reduce life.

Btw, Gunboat uses these as standard sails where price probably isn't an issue.

[Runaway]

I am looking at a new main as well for my Conser 47. My Vectran tri-radial main is 10 years old and is shot. I have a 7 year old Doyle D4 load path sail for my jib which has been great but is delaminating although the shape is still perfect. I have spoken to multiple Doyle and North offices but I have decided to work with Elliot Patterson Sails in Newport Ca. They are experts at multhull sails and are extremely helpful. They have sent me three samples to consider building with. Vectran VC18, GPLdt 21/GPLdt14,and Hydra-Net. I likes the GPL carbon material the best (more flexable) although it is newer and has not been tested to a full life. They say in the 5+ years of using it no failures yet. They will use the stronger material in the high load areas. The VC18 vectran is very stiff and I have a similar material on my 10 year old sails now which is starting to fail. The Hydra-net is very flexible and has great life but will not hold the shape quite as well as the other 2 but is strongly recommended for durability. I am not going with a load path sail in case I need to repair it in some corner of the world. They tell me delamination is the curse of death for these sails. I would give Harry Patterson (tel:949-645-6697) a call to discuss. Even if you chose to go another route the info will be helpful.

[Weyalan]

It is like the old adage about jobs on boats - there's quick, there's cheap and there's good... you can pick two.

Sails are kinda the same... you can have high performance or long life, not both. If you get a long life sail, it wll not get the same performance as a high-tech sail.

I have no experience with Fusion M sails (wo whay am I posting, you might ask), but I will make a shout-out for Dimension Polyant's Hydranet Radial material. It seems to be a reasonable compromise for cruisers who want better performance than Dacron, but can't justify the relative expense and short life of more exotic string sails. We have a hydranet main and genoa on our tub.

[Jimbo2010]

I have mine since '05, they are bullet proof, I love them they look like new.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Agility

I need to make a decision on sails for my Chris White Design Atlantic 57. I just got a quote from Quantum who does all the Atlantic sails and it's around 50% more for the high tech Fusion M (Fibre carbon Vectran) sails over the Dacron/mylar laminatetri-radial construction sails.

The Fusion has a pretty decent reputation for durability (as much as any string sail). Vectran fiber is good for this application, but I would be reluctant about the carbon content (flex fatigue) - I would prefer all vectran.


The durability 'standard' for cruising sails in your size would have been a spectra laminate tri-radial. Like DP's DYS cloth - we have a big staysail of it and its a nice blend of duribility and low stretch, but a little heavier than fusion. Have you looked at that option?

The A57 has big sails 90M squared and 70M squared for the main and genoa so basic Dacron will stretch too much and Hydranet is even more expensive.

Have you gotten an actual quote hydranet - I presume the hydranet radial? I have been trying to get a sailmaker to give me a hydranet quote now for 3 months and have not yet succeeded. Not sure why.

.....

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by estarzinger

Have you gotten an actual quote hydranet - I presume the hydranet radial? I have been trying to get a sailmaker to give me a hydranet quote now for 3 months and have not yet succeeded. Not sure why.

We took delivery of a hydranet radial sail a few weeks ago. The material was purchased, by the sailmaker, a few months back.

[colemj]

Agility's original post was almost a year ago. The boat is docked next to us right now and looks like it wears Quantum sails.

Mark