New sails, what material

[Helina]

Hi, I'm about to order new jib and mainsail for my Outremer 40 catamaran and planning for 63 m2 mainsail and 25 m2 jib DWX 20 Dyneema/ACL Mylar or 195 TX Gatorback Dyneema . The thickness appr. 20.000 deniers, both are cruising laminate with taffeta on both sides. What do you think, is this strong enough ? The boat weighs round 5,5 tn.

 

[Emjaytoo]

Clearly, you are not getting any help from the forumites.

What does your sail maker suggest? Is there an owner's association to ask? What does the boat builder suggest?

 

[Helina]

Looks like you are right about the forumites.
The fabric is what the sailmaker suggests but when they normally plan sails for monohulls they don't allways consider the great stability of a multihull enough I'm afraid and it would be a pity to get sails which have to visit the sailmaker after every gail. Though I'm not so familiar with the fabrics, they might ´have figured it strong enough.

 

[Becky]

I for one am totally blinded with the technical detail within the text of your thread.

We had a genoa made for Cornish Miad from a layer of something strong with layers of taffeta on either side.

(The only reason I am replying is that I recognise the taffeta in your thread).

Our sail was made by Sobstad and has been excellent. Strong and showing no wear in one season of 1500 miles, and some quite strong winds.

Our boat weighs in excess of 10 tons and goes best in a bit of a breeze, and the triple-layer sailcloth has been well worth the expense.

Hope this is of some help.

 

[DJE]

[ QUOTE ]
Looks like you are right about the forumites.

[/ QUOTE ]Probably because we know our limits. Only a professional sailmaker would be qualified to answer that question. I took my sailmaker's advice on a cruising laminate genoa and after 2 seasons' hard use it has been excellent. It was a 135% headsail for a 3.7 tonne 29ft monohull (about 26m2) and made from Bainbridge International Cruise Laminate CL 60/50p if that's any help.

 

[Helina]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Only a professional sailmaker would be qualified to answer that question .

[/ QUOTE ]
Maybe you are right but who knows what the forumites do for living ? Or maybe somebody has done the same thing recently and could share the experience like you and Becky are doing.
In Finland there are just a very few multihulls so the sailmakers are not allways used to the stability factor of catamarans, that's why I try to be a little bit carefull

 

[michael_w]

Talk to Halsey-Lidgard who make lots of multihull sails, or see what the ORMA 60s are using.

 

[Adonnante]

Try GM Sails on http://www.gmsails.com/ . Gordon only builds multihull sails. He made me a new jib and main for a Lerouge Azuli (38ft & 5t), 20% cheaper after tax and duty than UK sail makers and to a higher spec. They are without doubt the best sails I have sailed with in over 40 years of sailing. Don't worry about him being in Australia he is very easy to work with via. email and used to shipping sails around the world.

Cheers Peter.