Help with Sail Quotes on Beneteau 40

[LTshaw]

I'm looking to replace the ageing sails that came with our 2009 Beneteau 40. We're out in Croatia and I've been working with both North Sails out of Split and Dustom Sails in Sibenik.

This is a significant purchase for us, so I'm looking for some guidance based on the quotes I've received. I'm having a hard time finding reference to compare the two materials. We're doing a lot of coastal sailing, with longer passages coming up, including an Atlantic crossing.

North Sails - 4,575 €
Full Batten Mainsail NPC Cross-Cut NorDac ND94HA

Dustom Sails - 3,993 €
Full Batten Mainsail Wovens Polyester Pro Radial (Dimension-Polyant, Style 344 PR),Tri-Radial cut

Any opinion on how these materials stack up? Are they similar?

[psk125]

Interesting that they're quoting you two different cuts: Cross-Cut and Tri-Radial. What do they each say about that, and does it make sense for the type of sailing you plan to do? The sailcloth (and it is sailcloth) for both seem similar. What do THEY say are the differences? The pricing looks very close. We had a full-batten Dacron sail (so old that it was made when DuPont was still making Dacron) that we still used as a delivery sail to get us up to Maine & back when it was at least 20 years old. They hold up pretty well, though sometimes the threads in the seams give out. Make sure they use UV-resistant thread!

[LTshaw]

Dustom is saying that tri-radial is better suited for the sailing I'll be doing (coastal/ocean) and offers better longevity, but I've not asked him directly about the other quote and what he thinks of cross-cut. When we met at the loft, he moved straight from the current dacron we have, to the heavier DP Pro Radial, which is 8.0 oz.

I always assumed if I wanted a tri-radial cut, that it would have to be laminated sailcloth, which this is not. With the price being so low for a tri-radial sail, am I right to worry that the sailcloth may not be up to the task?

[psk125]

Originally Posted by LTshaw

Dustom is saying that tri-radial is better suited for the sailing I'll be doing (coastal/ocean) and offers better longevity, but I've not asked him directly about the other quote and what he thinks of cross-cut. When we met at the loft, he moved straight from the current dacron we have, to the heavier DP Pro Radial, which is 8.0 oz.

I always assumed if I wanted a tri-radial cut, that it would have to be laminated sailcloth, which this is not. With the price being so low for a tri-radial sail, am I right to worry that the sailcloth may not be up to the task?

Why would tri-radial require laminated sailcloth? One would think that they'd line up the cloth to suit the loads in either cut.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by LTshaw

This is a significant purchase for us, so I'm looking for some guidance based on the quotes I've received. I'm having a hard time finding reference to compare the two materials. We're doing a lot of coastal sailing, with longer passages coming up, including an Atlantic crossing.

North Sails - 4,575 €
Full Batten Mainsail NPC Cross-Cut NorDac ND94HA

Dustom Sails - 3,993 €
Full Batten Mainsail Wovens Polyester Pro Radial (Dimension-Polyant, Style 344 PR),Tri-Radial cut

Any opinion on how these materials stack up? Are they similar?

I am a bit suspicious of the name NPC Cross-Cut NorDac. NorDac used to be Norths cheapest woven cloth and not great, but haven't followed were we are up to lately. On the European North site it says "Easy Affordable Durability" for Nordac, which I don't think is what you need for later ocean crossings.

The Dimension-Polyant Pro Radial is however a better proposition in my opinion. DP don't do cheap low grade fabrics because there is no demand in their home market Germany & Holland. It's a cultural thing, same with skiing or diving equipment.

In the Solent, Sanders are one of the premium quality sail makers. You aren't going to order from them, but worth studying what they have to say about sail cloth, particularly the DP cloths.

https://sanders-sails.co.uk/sails/materials/

You might ask Dustom about Hydra Net radial, it must be radial btw, as there is a cheaper cross cut type. Been around for years now and well liked. If the extra cost is small enough, that would be worth serious consideration. I know its easy to spend someone else's money, but you need to get this one right or do it again in a few years in the US.

Pete

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by psk125

Why would tri-radial require laminated sailcloth? One would think that they'd line up the cloth to suit the loads in either cut.

For many many years, woven dacron could not be made into a triradial sail. The best stretch direction was always across the length of the panels. A decade or two ago, they invented a woven Dacron that was low stretch along the panel. This allows for a triradial woven sail.
Assuming the fabric is up to it, a triradial sail does a much better job of aligning the material with the load paths. This results in less stretch and better sail shape.
I put a discount triradial Dacron sail on my last boat, a 34 ft Sabre, and used it for about 3 years. Really liked it. The main that came with our 43 ft boat is 20 years old with over 20,000 miles on it. It is a triradial Hydranet sail. The sail maker was out last week assessing if I need a new one, and he told me to bring it in for routine maintenance this winter.