What Is This Sail

[pdenton]

In the inventory of my recently purchased Pearson 35, there is a composite sail. I have measured it (410 sq ft.) and it is 146%. It weighs 25lbs and using the sail maker's yard (36 x 28), I believe that it is 7oz material.

Do these sails require the same protection from UV as does dacron. If so how do you do that. Is it a good choice for a cruising boat? I already have a 150% roller furled jib with an integral sail cover.

pdenton

[pdenton]

I have tried to add picture but I cant get the browse to connect the picture to the text.

[appick]

Yes composite sails require UV protection as well. It may be the former owner had it for a racing sail, or just for lighter wind days.

[pdenton]

could I send you a picture.

[Sailmonkey]

If by composite you mean a Mylar and some flavor of fiber laminate, then yes they need protection in an even greater way than Dacron sails.

[Suijin]

If it's composite, it's for racing. It's basically a 150, probably a deck sweeper. It's not uncommon for PHRF boats to race with a composite jib and stick with the dacron main.

If you're not going to race and it's in decent condition you could probably sell it for decent money.

If you keep it, make sure you keep it clean (rinse the salt off after using) and flake it properly for storage.

[pdenton]

the sail is in pristine condition. Doesn't looked as if it has ever been used. It was folded perfectly and I had a very hard time getting it back folded the way it had been.
Since I know now what it is I can't see any future use for it because I'm strictly a cruiser and the boat already has a 150% furling jib and very fine condition.
I would like to sell but have no idea what is worth. Where could I find out?

[pdenton]

Originally Posted by pdenton

the sail is in pristine condition. Doesn't looked as if it has ever been used. It was folded perfectly and I had a very hard time getting it back folded the way it had been.
Since I know now what it is I can't see any future use for it because I'm strictly a cruiser and the boat already has a 150% furling jib and very fine condition.
I would like to sell but have no idea what is worth. Where could I find out?

BTW I just checked out the sale inventory list from the former owner and it says that the sail is Mylar

[JPA Cate]

It would be a grand head sail to use downwind, along with your furling one, for downwind "twins" if your furler has two slots. We sometimes use two headsails downwind apparent wind angle 135 or deeper, when we don't want to use the spinnaker. We are full time cruisers.


Or, sell it.

Ann

[UNCIVILIZED]

Look on a few sailmaker's websites & that'll help you to identify it to some degree, in terms of how it's constructed. Since there are many varieties of laminated sails when it comes to the actual materials, but typically only a few common types of construction. Mylar is a film that's commonly used to sandwich the sail's structural fibers, with or without a protective covering laminated overtop of the Mylar. So the sails are assembled in layers such as:
- Mylar (film), fibers/string/dacron, Mylar (film)
- Taffeta protective layer, Mylar (film), fibers/string/dacron, Mylar (film), Taffeta protective layer
With a number of variations on the above in terms of protective layers. Since the Taffeta does greatly aid in prolonging the life of the Mylar film, & thus retaining the sail's structural integrity. But it also adds weight, which to racers tends to be the enemy.


Edit: Some composite (laminated) sails have a shelf life whether they're used, or stored, primarily due to the aging of the adhesives. And I'm told that on some it's as little as 5 years. So it's worth determining the history of the sail. Start by looking for a sailmaker's logo or sticker on it, along with a series of numbers or bar codes near one of it's corners. They may allow you to track it's life, once the maker is deterrmined. The same's true of the fabric to some degree, if you can have an expert ascertain who made it, & perhaps approximately when.

Also, know that hoisting 2 sails at once in the foil grooves of a furler can be tricky from the standpoint that the halyard for the 2nd sail is fixed, & won't let the sail furl around the furler like the primary sail can. Since said halyard isn't attached to a swivel that goes around the furler's foil. So you'll have to take it down in the conventional means prior to furling up the other one that's on the furler. And by conventionally, I mean that it'll be attached at it's 3 corners, but that's all. Since it's being hoisted via it's luff in a groove.

[Suijin]

If you want to sell it contact Bacon Sails and Marine Supplies in Annapolis. They sell used sails on consignment and given the extent of racing there a used but pristine mylar jib is easily saleable. They are not the most durable composite sails so unload it while it's in good condition and spend the money on something you'll actually use.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Originally Posted by Suijin

If you want to sell it contact Bacon Sails and Marine Supplies in Annapolis. They sell used sails on consignment and given the extent of racing there a used but pristine mylar jib is easily saleable. They are not the most durable composite sails so unload it while it's in good condition and spend the money on something you'll actually use.

The above's very true. And another option could be to swap it to a racer for something they have that they rarely use. A heavier kite for example. Since for a non-racer, most of the time having a kite made of heavier cloth's actually something of an advantage. Plus, racing boats can have inventories many layers deep, thus they could have a kite, or something else that would work out well for you, to fill gaps in your sail quiver. Gaps meaning wind angles & speeds for which you don't have sails.