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    Posted: 08 May 19 at 3:08pm
Is that not an urban myth? At the top end there seems to be a constant drive for low stretch and they can still change sail shape through mast curve and clew tension. The only downside to low stretch seems to be durability.  Just because it's zero stretch doesn't mean it's a ridged 3D shape. 

Are sail-makers not pedalling that line that a bit of stretch aids performance because it sells more sails? Whereas the truth is the stretchy material is cheaper, especially in low volume, easier to work with and they can't be dealing with the inevitable warranty returns after people crease their ultra brittle fibre sails? 
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 19 at 3:39pm
Originally posted by A2Z

Edit: Just noticed the 49er FX does have a luff panel...
But are made by North... North and hyde seem to like that luff panel.

Having said that, North also did the 29er and 49er before they went to neil pryde and the 29er always had the same panel pattern with radial all out from the clew. 

I do think the double luff cuff thing makes a difference though. It really spreads that downhaul load. There's no sail eye to concentrate loads... yet the 49ers did have reported issues with Cunningham loads on the sails, I'm not sure what was done to fix that.  

I reckon by the time you've either done a double cuff and put extra reinforcing on the lower panels near the luff then doing away with he luff panel is certainly no cheap option. 

The HD Solo radial cut does have more reinforcement panels for the down-haul compared to Norths Radial Solo or HDs cross cut which is using a special laminate. 

I'm not surprised HD think the cross cut is fastest. I reckon it's easier to make subtle sail shape changes to in the panel cutting and without the extra seams the sail is less stiff so sits nicer.

p.s. £920 for a solo main, £100 more than my RS800! 
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Posts: 1345 		Post Options Post Options   Quote davidyacht Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 19 at 3:49pm
My North P2 Solo sail cost £726 earlier this year ... using North’s seasonal discounts.

There is a good explanation of the HD cross cut sail here ...


But I think that the reason for the crosscut is that HD wanted to use the gold fabric as is derigeur with some Finn sails, which required this, and has been used to great effect by Taxi.

I think that the ultimate Solo sail would be one that is super stable when it is breezy, but light and flexible to be easy to read in light winds ... 
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Posts: 1810 		Post Options Post Options   Quote craiggo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 19 at 5:04pm
My understanding of the luff panel is to allow large changes of mast bend to be accommodated without unduly affecting the shape of the main panels.

Take for instance an RS300 which has a very soft mast which with kicker and cunningham released will stand pretty vertically for downwind and light winds sailing but for heavy airs upwind will have significant bend.
A traditional sail would not cope well with these extremes however the large stretchy luff panel enables a good sail shape at both extremes.

If you take the 49er, while the rig has a lot of bend in it, that bend is pretty well locked in, so the sail can be designed and cut for the bend. This makes them an arse to hoist.

I can't see much need for it on a Solo but some of the softer rigs may benefit from it.
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Posts: 148 		Post Options Post Options   Quote giraffe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 19 at 7:04pm
I don’t think that most customers are sufficiently competent to use a radial sail. Cross cut is much more user friendly
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 19 at 9:20pm
Originally posted by craiggo

My understanding of the luff panel is to allow large changes of mast bend to be accommodated without unduly affecting the shape of the main panels.
But surely the point of inducing mast bend is to affect the shape of the main panels? 

Originally posted by craiggo

Take for instance an RS300 which has a very soft mast which with kicker and cunningham released will stand pretty vertically for downwind and light winds sailing but for heavy airs upwind will have significant bend.
But, isn't the point of those two extreme mast curves supposed to pull depth out, or push depth into the sail, to either reduce drag or increase power?

These luff panels are made out of the same cloth, just orientated differently, so I'm not sure hey will be adding lots of stretch.  

Originally posted by craiggo


If you take the 49er, while the rig has a lot of bend in it, that bend is pretty well locked in, so the sail can be designed and cut for the bend. This makes them an arse to hoist.

The 49er does run a lot of mast curve, but I don't think it's at all locked in. Sail controls will change mast bend significantly. 
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Posts: 705 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Steve411 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 19 at 11:31pm
These luff panels are made out of the same cloth, just orientated differently, so I'm not sure hey will be adding lots of stretch.

In the 300 sail the luff panel is made out of dacron and the remainder of the sail out of laminate exactly so that extreme mast bend can be accommodated.
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Posts: 596 		Post Options Post Options   Quote rich96 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 19 at 3:58am
The Finn sails don't use a luff panel (some are cross cut and some radial) ?
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 19 at 5:39am
The radial Finn sails I have seen don’t radiate all the way from the clew to the luff, they do do have a vertical luff panel.  Tri-radial, is that the term? 
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Posts: 929 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Paramedic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 19 at 6:07am
Originally posted by giraffe

I don’t think that most customers are sufficiently competent to use a radial sail. Cross cut is much more user friendly

I'd agree with that on the basis I have yet to use a fully radial sail I've liked.
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