Multiple sails on furler, Furling AND Reefing, I would not have even consider it by myself. Cool info there. Sail Claus this year. Thanks again.

I have no experience with taffetas, but I guess that I long this is the only part affected by the wear/delamination, that should not be that bad. I definitely do not intend to send $3k a year on sails so I will mention this to the North loft when discussing all this options...
Cheers,
-- Georges

Once it starts to separate like this that delaminated white film will start to tear and peel off the main. Basically this sail is shot. I will probably buy a race set for Vee Jay 2 early next year. but will not put 3DL on furler again ... never mind any possible use as roller reefing.

Please refer your local rep to these photos. I am interested in what their reaction will be to the Best furling 3DL they have.

The first week I had this sail I had to return it as the UV cover had been badly stiched and doesn't really match well to the sail material creating bubbles in the foot and leach ... their response is that you really should use a sock and not a UV cover ... That advice I now fully agree with ... although it would have been good to tell me that before I got a sewed on UV cover and they double stiched it to try to make it work. They offered to remove the sail cover and give me a sock... with a lot of stitch holes left in the sail.

So that is the second thing I will never do again ... get a 3DL with a sunbrella UV Cover.




v

Vic

Wow that is not the sail I have. I bought a 3DL "Marathon". It is a white dacron sail with the 3DL sail sandwitched inbetween. I cannot beleive you rep speced that sail for a furler! That sail should not be on a furler.

My last marathon was on the boat from 8 years and look like that after 8 years. I was told that was a Pentex Delam problem. I put 1000+ miles a year on Madcap and the Marathon is the way to go. Very durable, great shape, but a little heavier than your sail. I hope to get anouther 8-10 years on my new sail.

I dont have a UV cover to keep weight down. I take it off and flake it or run a sock up if I am going to sail the next day.

This is what my 3DL Marathon looks like.

[img:left]http://www.anchorageyachtclub.org/1/photo-gallery-othermenu-135/?g2_itemId=27037[/img]

Have I got the wrong description ... this is the sail and it doesn't seem to mention dacron. My paperwork on this is 1500 miles north. This North description does look like God's gift to sailors and you can see how I was sucked in.

http://www.na.northsails.com/SailProducts/CruisingSails/Marathon3DL/tabid/1914/Default.aspx

Vee Jay here in Naples is a cruising boat that races phrf.

v

It is dacron like? Mine looks like that at the right angle you can see the 3DL sail inside.

I would have your rep explain that. They are great sails.

Good luck racing in Naples. That sounds nicer than raking leaves!

not a bit like dacron --- fits their description of a North 3DL Marathon covered with Taffetta Film ... now delaminating ... still works ok I think, but that film is going to start ripping away anyday now.... and puckers the surface.

out today SW 12-15 on shore, ~80 degrees, sunny, 40 min spin run with our buddy boat Shock! a Wavelength 30 ...

Now have on a two year old North 7.8 oz. NSP dacron full battened Main that is bulletproof and an absolutely great dacron sail ... but heavy as hell. Great off shore sail. The next one will be one step lighter... but I think they have upgraded that fabric and now call it something else.

I am convinced that high tech Dacron is the absolutely only way to go for a cruising J30 that wants to do a little racing.

The Marathon is the way to go if you want to furl a 3DL. We have a full set on the J/42 we ocean race on. They are fantastic and durable. I would never furl my 3 Day Life (3DL).

Do they still make that dacron sandwich 3DL ... all I can find for a 3DL Marathon is
http://www.na.northsails.com/SailProducts/CruisingSails/Marathon3DL/tabid/1914/Default.aspx with Taffetta film surface coating.

and that's what I took the photos of after one season.

duh 3 Day Life ... I'll have to remember that one!!!

Vic - what you took the photo of is not a Marathon 3DL - at least not like the Marthon 3DLs I have seen. The taffeta is heavy duty and is completely opaque, more like a fabric than a milar film.