Why Are Sails White?

[Hudson Force]

......most are sailing before Labor Day?

[Cormorant]

We have "Egyptian Cotton" colored sails -- sort of an antique white, though made from nice modern Dacron. We also have wooden masts, and everywhere we go, people ask, "What year is this boat?!" When I reply "It was built from 2003 till 2005" they always say, "Oh, it looks like it's from the 1800s."

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by Cormorant

We have "Egyptian Cotton" colored sails -- sort of an antique white, though made from nice modern Dacron. We also have wooden masts, and everywhere we go, people ask, "What year is this boat?!" When I reply "It was built from 2003 till 2005" they always say, "Oh, it looks like it's from the 1800s."

sounds almost like an ex-wife story..

[David M]

I think Gordon and Sandy got it. White is the un-dyed natural color of Dacron. Adding dye slightly weakens the material. There are other materials such as Kevlar woven into some sailcloth that can give them a yellow or silver color. That too is the natural color of the more exotic materials...Kevlar being yellow.

I concur with Sandy, I used to race a Hobie 18. The more serious racers bought all white sails because the sails with the multi-colored panels stretched at different rates.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by David M

. The more serious racers bought all white sails because the sails with the multi-colored panels stretched at different rates.

...that I go with an all-white spinnaker.

[David M]

I don't know if it matters with downwind sails because the disturbance in the laminar flow from uneven panels would be less because of the lower wind velocities across the surface. Ask a sailmaker though. Lots of hardcore racers have spinnakers and asymetricals with multicolored panels.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by David M

I don't know if it matters with downwind sails because the disturbance in the laminar flow from uneven panels would be less because of the lower wind velocities across the surface. Ask a sailmaker though. Lots of hardcore racers have spinnakers and asymetricals with multicolored panels.

There's a big difference when a cruiser buys a spinnaker because a cruiser wants it to last a decade, while the racer expects to have to replace it after a few years. My last spinnaker, after eight years, had stretched noticeably more in the alternating yellow panels than in the white ones. This is why I switched to all-white when I had a sail built for the new boat.

More and more racers are going to solid-color chutes, and one-designers are tending toward white spinnakers. Part of this is to make it more difficult for the opposition to single you out in a tight fleet, but also because the sail lasts longer.

I don't agree at all that laminar flow is less important on a cruising spinnaker than on an upwind sail, especially if we're talking about an asymmetrical chute cut for reaching. In light air my gennaker will point as high as 60 degrees, precisely because the laminar flow is so good on that sail. And my new, all-white gennaker is a tri-radial cut, integrating 81 panels of .7oz nylon. Laminar flow is everything on that type of a sail.

[Solitude]

Cost, tradition, performance anything else?

[Bowman Sailor]

One reason the polyester sails, (Dacron, Teryline), are white is due to the polymer they're made from. The PET resin used to make the fiber from which sail cloth is woven includes a small amount of Titanium Dioxide, (white power at room temp). This acts as a delusterant and provides localized stress nucleation points that help build tensile properties into the fiber as it is drawn.

FYI

[Joli]

Our kevlar sails are brown. I've found with poly sails the darker collors seem to hold up best. Our red kites tended to last much longer then our white kites, I don't know why though.

Our nephew is in Nevada testing the new North sails that are made without a scrim, they are nothing but fiber. He says they are pretty bullet proof, more so then the boats and gear. He says when a puff goes through they do not move, no bag, no stretch, no nothing. They simply load up and break the halyard, shackles, sheets...... They look like the solution to film shrinkage.

But I do like white sails.

[Aussiesuede]

All these years I always thought it was because if a Prince wanted to make off with his brothers bride on the wedding day, she could be camoflaged against the background of the White sails for a safe get away? Now i've learned something new...

[Alicia Sails]

There are dozens of reasons why white is superior. Lots of right answers but some not mentions. When you combine all the reasons why white then it's clear white is a no brainer.

1. Tradition and Beauty: White gives boats that picturesque look and it's a color traditionally used for a long time

2. Cost: It's cheaper to manufacture because no dye has to be used. it's the natural color

3. Cost: It lasts a heck of a lot longer. White reflects away UV radiation. UV damage will wear out your sail quickly as you will always be in the sun and never shade and requiring it to be replaced a lot sooner. You get longest lifespan possible with white sail.

4. Comfort: White reflects away UV radiation making the cabin and boat deck cooler. It's also another reason why everything: sails, decks and entire boat is white. It would be really hot in your cabin if everything was dark color requiring a lot more AC which will cost more. Not to mention the 3rd degree burns you might get on your feet walking around on a really dark deck.

5. Safety: White is easier for other boats to spot on the water.

6. White better masks damage spots on a boat including manufacturing imperfections. That's why almost every white sailboat looks gorgeous and perfect. scratches, nicks, torn spots on darker colors stand out like a sore thumb to anyone who looks at your boat. But at same time up close is easier for the owner to spot to see and identify problems like torn material or rust on deck if it's white. Also you would think it's easier to see dinjy dirtiness on white material but not so. Unless it's just mud it's easier for the viewing public to notice dirtiness on colored materials.

I'm sure there are other reasons but that's all I can think of right now. Obviously the darker sail and boat colors you get the more severe the above problems are. You see lots of colors on racing boats but they aren't cruising around on their boat all day. they take it out for a race and that's it so they don't face the same challenges as sailors would face with colors.

[Dogscout]

They are white because when you see them against a blue sky, you will think of Penn State.

[Talbot]

White is traditional? That must be why so many old boats, lugger and barges use tan sails.

My previous boat and all other models by the same manufacturer used blue sails.

White is great and I am sure is better for UV degradation, it is also easier to match other sails, whereas coloured would be very difficult to match unless you have a lot of the original coloured sail cloth.

If you are sailing in a very crowded sailing area and need emergency help, coloured sails makes it much easier to find you.

However i have white sails except for my assymetric.

[Jim Cate]

5. Safety: White is easier for other boats to spot on the water.

Perhaps, but more than a few professional ship bridge crew have said that from their aspect, white sails don't show up well against breaking waves and foam, and suggested that colored sails, especially red, orange or bright yellow would be easier to pick out.

Remember that from a ship's bridge, they are looking down at you, and don't have you silhouetted against the sky. This makes a difference!

Jim