Hydranet

[Slowtack]

Is there a visually identifiable difference between the basic hydranet fabric and the radial type?

[Pete7]

Interesting question, is there a difference or is it the same cloth?

Pete

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Slowtack

Is there a visually identifiable difference between the basic hydranet fabric and the radial type?

Yes, they are two quite different weaves.

The first pic below is an electron microscope pic of the radial fabric. You can see there are extra fibers in the 0-axis direction. The loads on the radial panels would be lined up with these extra fibers. I don't have a similar pic of regular hydranet but the second pic is a portrayal of that weave which you can see is balanced between the 0 and 90 degree directions.

[GordMay]

Yes - same fibre, but different weave.
➥ Hydra Net® - Sailcloth Technology by DIMENSION-POLYANT - Sailcloth and laminates for high performance sailing and polyestersailcloth for surf

Hydranet (top) & Hydranet Radial (lower)

[islandplanet]

If I were building with Hydra, I'd stick to the radial cloth and build a radial sail. Our production loft did some testing of the crosscut cloth that would lead me to stick with a premium Dacron like Marblehead for crosscut.