| Sails...A history | | | | of Kevlar. Likewise, films of Mylar, a very fine |
| If the wind provides the energy necessary to | | | | polyester, fix Kevlar threads whose density and |
| propel sailboats forward, then the sails are the | | | | angle of weave are able to withstand enormous |
| boat's engine power. The materials used, how | | | | loads. |
| they are set, the size and their shape determine | | | | The main thing is to give a nice round shape to |
| the boat's power. | | | | the curve of the canvas and to give the right |
| Computer software has replaced the drawing | | | | shape to the depth or camber which will be filled |
| table for sail designers and offer the best | | | | by the wind. Part of the boat's performance will |
| compromise between the objectives to be | | | | depend on it. |
| attained and the restrictions which are imposed. | | | | But before the sail can grace the boat with its |
| Thus, depending on the type of boat to be | | | | presence, it has to pass through skilled hands of |
| equipped (cruiser-racer, ocean racing trimaran or | | | | "couturiers" who must bring the panels together, |
| round-the-world monohull) and, in accordance with | | | | punch the cringles into place in the three corners |
| the conditions which the boat is expected to | | | | and reinforce parts which will be subjected to |
| encounter, the master sailmakers, with their | | | | relentless impacts against the pars or the |
| computers will gradually design the boat's | | | | guardrails. |
| wardrobe in the same way as a great couturier | | | | So, on all three of the edges, the luff, leech and |
| preparing his spring-summer or fall-winter | | | | foot, extra layers of cloth are added to protect |
| collection. | | | | the sail. Wavy straps called "bolt ropes" are also |
| The distribution of the cloth panels of the sails is | | | | sewn along the foot and the luff (of mainsails) |
| fundamental in order to give the sails their desired | | | | which they strengthen to enable the slides and |
| shape so that they can best exploit the masses | | | | other cables to fasten the sail onto the rig. |
| of air which are transformed into a driving force. | | | | Next to follow are the batten pockets for sails |
| Certain points of the sail can be put under | | | | which need them, reef points, pennants and |
| enormous strain and so panel layout and stitching | | | | eventually the ultraviolet tape of the roller/furler |
| have to be sufficiently resistant, which usually | | | | genoa. |
| means placing both in the same direction as the | | | | The mainsails |
| strongest effort. | | | | Depending on their size, tonnage and sailing |
| Traditional cloths have disappeared from the | | | | classification, sailboats require lightweight or |
| landscape of modern sailing. Synthetic Fibres have | | | | heavyweight sails, some of which is just advisable, |
| now replaced cotton, linen or Jute in the threads | | | | some compulsory. |
| of the sailcloth. Dacron or Tergal, polyester fibres, | | | | It is not apparent from the mainsail's same but it |
| nylon, polyamide fibre are the most commonly | | | | is not the biggest sail on board a sailboat. It is a |
| used. Resistant, easy to handle, and capable of | | | | triangular sail, hoisted along the mast and generally |
| great results whatever the conditions, they | | | | held horizontally by the boom. Surface area can |
| comprise the large majority of sail wardrobes | | | | be reduced if necessary. That's where the clew |
| currently on the water and are available for a | | | | outhaul, the cringle and the reef pendants come in |
| reasonable price. | | | | useful. Battens are slipped into their pockets and |
| Kevlar, aramid fibre, Spectra, polyethelene fibre, | | | | serve to stiffen the sail providing better shape |
| Vectran, carbon fibre are just some of the new | | | | holding in the wind. |
| materials. Increasingly light, varying in degrees of | | | | A second mainsail is to be found on boats which |
| elasticity and resistance to ultraviolet, these | | | | have a second mast, for example, ketches |
| materials equip top competition boats. | | | | whose mizzen mast is set aft. |
| Whatever the material, the threads have to be | | | | Genoas. |
| woven first. Traditional weaving involves crossing | | | | Genoas are the big foresails, banked onto the |
| the threads at right angles.The fill or weft is | | | | forestay (or jib-stay) and are set fore and aft |
| formed by running threads across the cloth, the | | | | overlapping the mainsail mast. Most of the genoas |
| warp being formed by running threads across it | | | | on pleasure cruisers are now set on roller-furlers |
| lengthwise. Cloth stretches mainly across the bias | | | | and can be unfurled and furled again as needed. |
| rather than along the yarn direction of the warps | | | | This avoids the delicate sail-changing manoeuver in |
| or the filling. Weave density is of the utmost | | | | heavy weather. |
| importance. In order to improve its resistance still | | | | Jibsjibs are the triangular sails which are hanked on |
| further, the cloth is treated, coated with a resin | | | | to the forestay and which almost all dinghies, |
| polymer which tempers the yarn, locking the | | | | cruisers and pleasure sailboats have. An |
| weave. | | | | intermediate-sized sail, the staysail, can be set |
| We must not overlook the famous sandwiches | | | | onto the inner forestay. The smallest jibs of all |
| which combine materials to obtain the advantages | | | | are the storm jibs. |
| of both. | | | | Spinnakers |
| The Kevlar laminate fixes Kevlar threads between | | | | Spinnakers are the air-filled sails which look as if |
| a polyester film and another film whose fill is | | | | they are well ahead of the boat from which they |
| made of polyester and whose warps are made | | | | are flown. |