If you feel you can contribute to this
subject, please email us
This article is in the continuing
process of evolution and is intended to provoke comment and attract input from
knowledgeable parties.
Sail Materials
The original standard sails were made by Elvstrom, are cross
cut and made of Dacron. A performance range were also available at an additional
cost and are made from a Dacron and film laminate. Later Maxi's are supplied
with North Sails.
Maxi yachts are normally delivered with cross-cut sails made from woven
Dacron fibres and impregnated by resin. Whilst this material has a good life
span it tends to be stretchy and soon looses it's original shape causing the
sail to under perform; increasing the sideways drive and reducing the forward
drive. In addition it is difficult to flatten the sail as the material just
continues to stretch. Many cruising sailors love this material and get many many
years of use out of them. For those of us that look for performance and don't
want to sail with a flapping, baggy under performing sail there are other
materials that have low stretch characteristics. A visit to
Bainbridge's web site will give the
reader a better knowledge of available materials and sail construction techniques.
Many of these materials are laminates of crimped Dacron fibres, Pentax fibres
and Mylar film. These have low stretch characteristics due to the laminating and
the crimping process. These laminates can have a crimped Dacron outer layer on
one or both sides to extend fabric life and provide easy handling. Maxi Yachts
supply performance sails with their own version of these materials. Bainbridge
versions of these materials are:
Low stretch Pentex
laminates for increased performance
High performance,
durable racing laminates
Sails made of these
Dacron - Mylar laminates make easy handling low stretch sails.
There are other laminates made with more exotic
materials.
When John Skipper ordered new sails for Magewind, his
Maxi 1050, in 2007,
he wrote an account about how he decided which cut,
which materials and which supplier to use and most of this is applicable to
other Maxi models.
Sails for Maxi 1100
Superted
uses Vectran/Kevlar sails by Sobstat with a 105% jib. It has a medium and
heavy spinnaker as well as a removable furling Code Zero made by White
Sails at Warsash.
Click here
for more information about Superted.
You can find more on Maxi 1100 sails using the tab above, and Magewind's
account also has up-to-date information.
Sails for Maxi 1000
Work in Progress - comments and help please
The original sails are a Self Tacker and an
unbattened main sail. Optional 130% Genoa, Cruising Shute and Spinnaker available.
Self Tacker
130% Genoa
Sails for Other Maxis
Input required from other members please!
