Aren’t you changing the boat? Get new sails! Third installment

We can thus see how the technological evolution of sails has taken place over the years following two parallel tracks: on the one hand, sail profiles have taken on an increasingly precise and computerized form thanks to aerodynamic models and studies that have enabled their repeatability applied to different geometric profiles. On the other hand, the evolution in materials led to the search for structures that were increasingly capable of maintaining the desired shape and durability. But What are my options today if I decide to re-sail my boat? In addition to a wide choice of materials whose characteristics are determined by three variables, durability, performance, and price, you may also consider, in case your boat starts to have a few years behind it, to partially change the proportions of the sail plan.

HAVE WE REACHED THE END OF LAMINATES?
“Today, a membrane sail can cost less than a laminate sail,” Fabio Vitali explains to me, “and that is our goal: to get to the point where we can produce only polyester or membrane sails even for cruising. In fact, the membrane has considerable advantages for the cruiser as well, including durability, ease of use, greater stability, and better shape retention. In fact, a sail that is able to maintain its shape is easier to use: you only need to caulk the mainsail a few centimeters to adjust it as best as possible, whereas a sail that does not maintain its shape may still not be in place even after caulking thirty centimeters of sheet.”

WHEN THE MEMBRANE AGREES
We can only talk about real advantages for a membrane sail from a certain square footage onward, because moving the machinery needed to produce it has a significant economic cost. “The more valuable a fiber is the more the advantage is, proportionally, for big boats. A boat that costs 18,000 euros has about 3,000 euros of sails on board. A boat that costs 3 million euros has about 100,000 euros of sails. In the second case, in proportion to the price of the boat, sails cost less. On small boats (under ten meters), the price difference between dacron and membrane is about around 10 percent, while as the size of the boat increases, the membrane is proportionally more and more convenient, also because above a certain size (above 90 feet) polyester is impractical, because there is no fabric, an owner is therefore obliged to choose laminate or membrane.” Today the sail market really offers endless opportunities to be evaluated according to the intended use of the boat. There are three criteria you should think about before ordering your new sails: that is, which features among performance, durability and price you place the most importance on. Keeping in mind that there are also good compromises: if you are not an avid racer a membrane sail with only mylar does not make sense, because it is very delicate. This does not mean having to give up this structure; in fact, there are membranes reinforced with a material such as taffeta that provide more resistance to abrasion.

MODIFY THE SAIL PLAN
In case, on the other hand, your boat is already about thirty years old, it may be worth considering changing the proportions of the sail plan as well. Until forty years ago, the tendency was to design sail plans characterized by a smaller mainsail and a larger genoa that were more difficult to handle, compared to what we are used to finding on today’s boats, where this modus operandi has been reversed and smaller genoas are found that are easily handled in maneuvering, even with a smaller crew. With the advice of an experienced sailmaker, it is possible, as shown in the photo above, to redesign the sail plan by increasing the area of the mainsail, for example, with a leeching luff, and reducing the size of the genoa and, why not, even thinking of rigging a furler for your headsail, if it is not yet on board. L