Is there a new type of sail material these days?

[Chotu]

On one of my boats, there are a bunch of new sails. Two new head sails. A new main.

The head sails are made to live on the furling units. The main sail is for in mast for an in mast furling unit. But a piece sticks out of course.

None of this is Sunbrella protected. They are just naked white sails out there in the sun.

Is there some new type of sail material I am not aware of that is resistant to UV now? For our Chinese sails just cheap enough that you can replace them?

I looked around the harbor and saw several other boats was completely naked sails on their furling units.

What’s going on here?

[Sailmonkey]

A lot of sail makers will add a sacrificial strip of Dacron instead of the more robust sunbrella.

I don’t know if this is a cost saving measure, or a particular look that is being gone for. The sacrificial Dacron doesn’t last near as long as the sunbrella

[Chotu]

I'm thinking they are 100% Dacron sails. They feel like it.

Dacron sails are the material I used to protect using sunbrella.

How long are these going to last living outside all the time with no UV protection?

[cal40john]

Look closer. Is there a strip of Dacron along the leech and foot that is slightly yellow tinged? There is UV stabilized Dacron that can be added instead of the heavier Sunbrella.

https://www.sailrite.com/Dacron-5-5o...cloth-White-54

[roland stockham]

Maybe that they are using a lighter material both to save weight and so that it matches the stretch of the sail better.

[jrbogie]

Sunbrella comes in white.

[Chotu]

The entire sail is Dacron. Maybe they used uv protected Dacron for the whole thing??

[jackonanthem]

If sacrificial area is UV stabilize Dacron it will not shrink as will Sunbrella. Allows sail to better keep its shape.

[Kestrahl]

I did a fair bit of testing and after 6 months in the tropical sun the worst dacron lost 90% of its strength and the best dacron lost 47%.
So in a climate with less UV they mite last a year or two at most.
As many have said, are you sure they don't have a white UV dacron sunstrip.
They only make the UV dacron in one light weight so unlikely the sails are made out of it.

[Pete7]

We have a white dacron on the genoa and I hate it because you can't see if its fully covering all the sail when rolled. When we had the main replaced I specified blue sunbrella.

Nothing stopping you having a sunbrella strip added to the sails, but I suspect there is a one there already, likely just on one side on the genoas.

Pete

[roverhi]

Haven't been happy with the way headsails set with Sunbrella protective strip both furled and unfurled. Thinking of going with a sleeve. The sleeve would cover different sails.