Find Out Why Sailmakers Are At the Leading Edge Of Wind Technology
August 25, 2009 by Chris Wethered
Filed under Sails
Along with boating technology as a whole, sailmakers have come along way, through using hi technology fibers and techniques.
Find out where we’ve come from
In the early days they were made of heavy cotton, flax or hemp. The problem with these materials were:
- They needed to dried out before being stowed, or mold would quickly grow
- Folding when wet would lead to creases that took ages to come out
- The material used was heavy and awkward so the wind had to be constant
- As ships grow in size, so did the sail area
- Sun damage was more of a problem
The trouble was ships were growing in size and so the wind harnessing ability also needed to grow. Under these circumstances they did not hold their shape well. The one other problem which faced these early fibers is UV damage.
The sun has a depreciating effect on unprotected materials.
The sailmakers finished products
This is were we are now
Fortunately nowadays things have changed:
- Using top of the range materials, specifically designed for the purpose.
- So different sail cloth serves different purposes.
- What suits spinnaker sailing does not suit the head sail.
- Sail making is a highly coveted skill in the industry. From cruising inshore on weekends to crashing through the Southern Ocean, all yachts need theirs maintained.
Design
Naturally design plays a role too. Requirements change with the length of boat. Getting a better angle to the wind whilst maintaining speed is a key priority. Something that most sailors understand, but novices don’t is how sails work In essence they are the same as airplane wings. click on the links to refresh your memory or advance your learning.
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