Bigger and better

The manufacture of laminate sails without the use of pre-produced cloth is no longer breaking news, as nearly every major sailmaker has in recent years adopted some method for combining film, fibre and glue into their own desired shapes. The quest for producing reliable high-quality laminate sails has driven these firms down several different paths in design and engineering ­ both broadseam or moulded in concept ­ but all have one factor in common which can determine economic success or failure: production time.

The best-built laminate sails in the world mean nothing to a large sector of the market if they cannot be produced on a reasonable timescale for a reasonable price. And even the most elite Grand Prix programmes will not benefit from a production method that takes too long to respond to their demands.

North Sails' 3DL facilities have been in this predicament for over a decade since the first 3DL sail was brought to the open market in 1994...

To read the remainder of this and many other topical technical articles, please purchase your copy of the May 2006 edition of Seahorse International Sailing, available at selected newsstands or by calling: + 44 (0) 1590 671899 or by email at: info@seahorse.co.uk

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