Submitted on August 30, 2007 by Steve Sugden

Question: My first mate and I are going to cruise the tropics and the builder wants to supply cruise laminates, not Dacron sails. I here a lot of talk about laminate shrinking and delaminating in the heat very quickly. The builder still insists that they would last 10 yrs. What are your thoughts on this kind talk? I am looking for impartial point of view.

Answer: The kind of laminated cloth used in a panelled construction main or headsail on a boat suited to blue water cruising will not be especially prone to shrinking or delaminating due to the heat of the tropics. Cruising laminates like Soft NorLam, SRP, Dyneema Gastorback, etc are very robust materials with a proven record of durability and performance at all latitudes (the temperature at which cloth is laminated is much higher than anything the sail will see in use of course).

That said, laminate sails deliberately trade away a bit of lifespan for enhanced sailing performance. If you want the absolutely most durable sails, high quality woven polyester (Premium NorDac is the best you can buy) sets the standard – albeit with more stretch under load and heavier weight. If mildew staining is a concern on roller furled sails stored wet for long periods, woven NorDac sails will offer more resistance to mildew growth.

As to a 10 year sail lifespan in either type of fabric, well… Of course there are plenty of active sailors out there with 10 year old sails that are performing well, but it is possible, and likely in the case of a committed globe trotter) , to wear through a good suit of sails much sooner than that depending on the sailing conditions, handling of the sails, and miles under the keel.

Good luck!
Tom Davis
North Cloth

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