[frers-list]RE: Racing Headsail Choices
Edgar Smith
frers-list@lists.frers33.com
Tue, 8 Sep 2015 03:54:56 +0000
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I've been pretty disgusted with the life of the we get from North 3DL sails=
and recently we've tried a few alternitives. In your list of choices you m=
ention molded sails like Doyle Stratus and North 3DI. You may already know =
this, but North actually offers two different molded sails, the 3DL and 3DI=
. The 3DI is a newer technology than the 3DL. It is made of molded fibers o=
nly, and there is no mylar layer. The first generation 3DIs were gray, and =
the new ones are black. They are about 25% more expensive than 3DLs. The Pa=
neled mylar sails are usually slightly less than the 3DLs but in some cases=
even slightly more expensive. People seem happy with the 3DIs, but I have =
not tried them. Art Kelly's is fast.
Saying which sail lasts the longest depends somewhat on your definition of =
when the sail is no longer good enough. In my experience, a paneled mylar =
sail will hold together a long time but it's shape will move more making it=
a slower sail, while the 3DL holds it's shape petty well until the mylar g=
ets brittle and then the sail begins to come apart pretty quickly. On the F=
rers, we have been able to race our 3DLs for a maximum of 4 years. Neither =
of our last two mains were very good after 3 years. Late this summer we bou=
ght a new main by a successful sail designer in our area; Fries Sail Design=
. Some very good boats use his sails, and I got good feedback from the owne=
rs about how well they've held up. The main cost a few dollars more than th=
e quote we had for a North 3DL. John Fries says we should expect better lon=
gevity from it than we saw with the 3DLs because he uses a superior mylar a=
nd a higher thread count. I'll know in about 3 years if that is true. We'll=
race Wolverine in two weeks, and should get a good speed comparison with =
Dave's new 3DL North main. So far we think it looks really good.
The Fries sail is made a a facility in Capetown. I assume it is made by the=
Ulman loft located there, but don't know for sure. One difference I notice=
d was that the sail has a similar load path thread layout as the 3DL but it=
is made with seams, so the treads are not actually continious the entire l=
enght of the sail. The seams look solid, but this could become a potential =
point of failure as the sail gets older.
One thing we've tried to do to get longer sail life is carry both a North l=
ight/medium #1 jib as well as a medium heavy #1. My thought is that the lig=
ht jib will last longer if we don't carry it up to the top of it's range an=
d the medium heavy #1 will hold it's shape better in the teens. But as Dave=
pointed out, it gives us one more sail choice decision to sweat over. And =
unfortunately, we have not really seen a speed advantage against Wolverine =
when we've had the medium heavy #1 up against their Light medium #1.
We also bought a paneled North kevlar/mylar 145% #2. We don't use it much a=
nd I thought it would last longer than our previous 3DL #2. We'll see.
I should also caution you that the last two sails we bought from North - th=
e heavy #1 and the paneled #2 were both cut with the clews so low that they=
to-blocked before we could trim them in all the way. Both sails had to go =
back to North to have the clews re-done. They are now O.K., but no longer p=
erfect. The North sailmaker said this is not the case, but I think the loft=
must have an incorrect measurement on file for the Frers 33 track height a=
nd have not updated it. I am not the only boat that has had this problem wi=
th low clews on North jibs and it seems to go back many years. If you order=
a North jib I would ask them to measure and make it clear that you will no=
t accept the recut sail if you have this problem.
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<div style=3D"direction: ltr;font-family: Tahoma;color: #000000;font-size: =
10pt;">I've been pretty disgusted with the life of the we get from North 3D=
L sails and recently we've tried a few alternitives. In your list of choice=
s you mention molded sails like Doyle
Stratus and North 3DI. You may already know this, but North actually offer=
s two different molded sails, the 3DL and 3DI. The 3DI is a newer technolog=
y than the 3DL. It is made of molded fibers only, and there is no mylar lay=
er. The first generation 3DIs were
gray, and the new ones are black. They are about 25% more expensive than 3=
DLs. The Paneled mylar sails are usually slightly less than the 3DLs but in=
some cases even slightly more expensive. People seem happy with the 3DIs, =
but I have not tried them. Art Kelly's
is fast.<br>
<br>
Saying which sail lasts the longest depends somewhat on your definition of =
when the sail is no longer good enough. In my experience, a paneled m=
ylar sail will hold together a long time but it's shape will move more maki=
ng it a slower sail, while the 3DL holds
it's shape petty well until the mylar gets brittle and then the sail begin=
s to come apart pretty quickly. On the Frers, we have been able to race our=
3DLs for a maximum of 4 years. Neither of our last two mains were very goo=
d after 3 years. Late this summer
we bought a new main by a successful sail designer in our area; Fries Sail=
Design. Some very good boats use his sails, and I got good feedback from t=
he owners about how well they've held up. The main cost a few dollars more =
than the quote we had for a North
3DL. John Fries says we should expect better longevity from it than we saw=
with the 3DLs because he uses a superior mylar and a higher thread count. =
I'll know in about 3 years if that is true. We'll race Wolverine in two wee=
ks, and should get a good speed
comparison with Dave's new 3DL North main. So far we think it looks really=
good.<br>
<br>
The Fries sail is made a a facility in Capetown. I assume it is made by the=
Ulman loft located there, but don't know for sure. One difference I notice=
d was that the sail has a similar load path thread layout as the 3DL but it=
is made with seams, so the treads
are not actually continious the entire lenght of the sail. The seams look =
solid, but this could become a potential point of failure as the sail gets =
older.<br>
<br>
One thing we've tried to do to get longer sail life is carry both a North l=
ight/medium #1 jib as well as a medium heavy #1. My thought is that the lig=
ht jib will last longer if we don't carry it up to the top of it's range an=
d the medium heavy #1 will hold
it's shape better in the teens. But as Dave pointed out, it gives us one m=
ore sail choice decision to sweat over. And unfortunately, we have not real=
ly seen a speed advantage against Wolverine when we've had the medium heavy=
#1 up against their Light medium
#1.<br>
<br>
We also bought a paneled North kevlar/mylar 145% #2. We don't use it much a=
nd I thought it would last longer than our previous 3DL #2. We'll see.<br>
<br>
I should also caution you that the last two sails we bought from North - th=
e heavy #1 and the paneled #2 were both cut with the clews so low that they=
to-blocked before we could trim them in all the way. Both sails had to go =
back to North to have the clews
re-done. They are now O.K., but no longer perfect. The North sailmaker sai=
d this is not the case, but I think the loft must have an incorrect measure=
ment on file for the Frers 33 track height and have not updated it. I am no=
t the only boat that has had this
problem with low clews on North jibs and it seems to go back many years. I=
f you order a North jib I would ask them to measure and make it clear that =
you will not accept the recut sail if you have this problem.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
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