J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Dacron Main

Ohh... OK ... I'll have to look for another set of OD for Vee Jay in 2013. I smell retirement in the air.

You can try to pick a fight with me, if you like, but I'm glad to see you have committed to sail some one-design events. I hope it is a terrific experience.

Not trying to pick a fight - sorry if it was taken that way, just trying to make a joke...
I'm wondering if Amazon.com will take back my new book "Comedy for Dummies"

Hey Vic, I offered to go halfsees with you earlier. It's too late though, I've got full crew for N'Orlins

Bill,
I am interested by the Hood woven vectran proposal.
Did you end up ordering and using this vectran woven sail?
After four year what is the verdict?

Georges,

I would say that the material is more durable than Dacron based on the aging characteristics. I plan on getting draft stripe pictures later this month. It definitely doesn't have the shape of my new race main. The draft has moved aft with aging. Unlike my race main, this sail has slugs and is flaked rather than rolled.

Unfortunately I'm not sure what the future is for the sail cloth as Hood Sails, because they filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.

Thanks Bill,
Doyle - close by - seems to have a similar offer will check with them too.

I would also look into a north radiant cloth for a main or a 3dl marathon sail.

I just looked and this topic has the most views of any on the J/30 Forum. Much time has passed since Russ posted in 2008, and we have enjoyed having Wildcat at the NAs in New Orleans in 2012 and Barrington in 2013.

Now for the question / continuation of this thought Russ proposed.

Does the class want to:
1. Keep the main sail restriction "as-is" with Dacron.
2. Update the class rules to allow any Woven material (e.g. the main I tried from Hood Sails with Vectron threads woven in the fibers)
3. Remove the restriction on mainsail materials.

When you post your response, please provide the rationale for your decision.

I use my boat for both day sailing and cruising. When I look at the overall value of the sail, the ability of a racing sail to "retire" into a life of cruising is attractive. I have owned MANY laminated plastic, and Dacron sails. When the plastic sails reach end life, they typically are a delaminated mess. Dacron sails, while they don't hold their shape as well as laminated sails do, are still perfectly fine for cruising, in fact I am sure I still have the original Dacron mains in my loft that would work just fine for daysailing. Soooo, points in favor of Dacron. On the other hand, the current methods of giving Dacron some rigidity require the application of a stiffener, that makes handling of the sail difficult, and can even risk damage to the cloth if a wrinkle is not removed carefully. If a woven material can be incorporated that provides the stiffness of impregnated Dacron, is easy to handle, and has a "lifevalue" similar to Dacron cloth, that would carry my vote going forward.

I would be open to a removal of sailcloth restriction for the main, although I'm not 100% sure the added shape retention is worth the added cost, especially with all the tweaks available for the main (outhaul, downhaul, vang, halyard etc....