Cruising sails - Most sailors tend to both cruise and race. Therefore, we primarily offer “performance" cruising sails. Even those who never race want their boat to sail well and reliably. Our performance c

Cruising Mainsail: Dacron Cross-Cut

Sails made from woven polyester are still desirable for sailors. They can be fixed easily by any repair facility with a sewing machine, they mildew less since they don’t trap water, they have a traditional look, and they are less expensive than laminate and membrane sails. Woven polyester comes in many different grades that are either more performance-oriented or less expensive. This is also available for genoas.

Dacron Cross-Cut

UK Sailmakers’ cross-cut Dacron sails are for cruising sailors whose main concerns are price and longevity. Dacron cross-cut sails have all the panels parallel to each other and perpendicular to the leech. Fabrics with their greatest strength in the fill direction are used to withstand the anticipated loading along the leech of the sail since the greatest loads in any sail are up and down the leech.

Cruising sailors choose Dacron sails for their all-around strength and good value. When longevity is the main concern, Dacron is the cloth of choice as it is resistant to most types of wear that a sail experiences during its lifetime. Dacron sails have a fair amount of UV resistance. They are virtually unaffected by bending and folding forces and are resistant to chafe, which is convenient when it comes to overlapping genoas. Additional options, such as the UV-Protective luff and foot covers for furling headsails, can considerably prolong your sail’s life.

The trade-off in choosing the longevity of Dacron is extended performance life. While a Dacron sail will stay in one piece for many years, it starts losing its aerodynamic shape over time because polyester yarn is stretchy compared to high-tech yarns like aramid and carbon fiber.

Description:
Crosscut panel layout

Construction:
Efficient, nearly wasteless use of woven polyester sailcloth. Panels are oriented so that the strong fill yarns run parallel to the straight-line leech — the part of the sail that sees the highest loads.

Material:
Woven polyester. Dacron comes in many thread weights, and the finished cloth comes in different finishing styles. The stronger the yarns and the more the cloth is finished, the better the sail will hold its designed shape.

Shape Stability:
★-★★

Durability:
★★★★

Shape after 500 hours:
Circa 60%

Price:
$$