[C320-list] New Cruising Mailsail

[Andrew Santangelo]

Bruce,

You have identified a hobby of hard core racers and professional  
racers - getting new sails all the time!

America's cup racers are using very specialized hybrid sails, seeking  
optimal conditions and investing many millions of dollars in their  
campaign for the pride of winning and bringing a billion in business  
for their community.  Very different issues, conditions, etc.

I have UK Gold Tape Drive sails (Main, Genoa and JIb) and a UK Light  
Air Spectra Genoa.  I treat my sails the same that I have treated my  
cruising sails and have not had a problem in 8-10 years.

The genoa is furled and is in great condition, and even has been used  
partially furl in a heavy breeze.

I sail extensively (except for last summer) and the sails have been  
hoisted, reefed, dropped and everything in between.  Sails are in  
great shape.

Sails have also flogged many times when in irons (such as lowering or  
raising sails).  The laminates are in great shape.

I would also say the main has been hoisted over 100 times easily - and  
it is in great shape.

Now would my UK dealer love to sell me new sails - you bet.  Do I need  
them?  No.  Two years ago I placed second in my division in the  
Queen's Cup.  The sails did very well (so did the crew and systems of  
the boat, etc).   The sails are still stiff and do quite well during  
cruising and racing.  The only damage to the sail has been related to  
the radar, but that issue has been resolved.  Oh, the cruising  
spinnaker has battle scars, but  functions well still.

With the lighter sails it is also easy for the crew, and the junior  
crew (i.e. my kids) to work with the sails.

I cannot speak for other brands, but I have gotten a lot of miles out  
of my UK Gold Sails and they definitely have more years left in them.

Hope this helps!

Best Regards,
Andrew

C320 "Dawn Treader"
#333


On Feb 8, 2009, at 7:00 PM, Bruce Heyman wrote:

> Andrew,
> I'll bite.
> I've always read and learned that the benefit of Cruising sails is  
> you can
> get many years (a decade?) out of them (depending on how baggy you get
> them).  However with racing sails they are only good for so many  
> hoists
> (never heard of more than 100).
> A recent discussion with the Americas Cup guys in San Diego said  
> that they
> will only use a main or jib for about 6 hours and then they are done  
> with
> it.
> You also have to be much more careful how you store them, preferably  
> rolled
> up and avoiding any folds.  My understanding is that the fibers  
> inside the
> laminate break whenever you fold them (or let them flog).
>
> What am I missing?
>
> Bruce
> Somerset #671 SoCal