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Offshore vs Coastal Sails
On Thu, 10 Jun 2004 02:29:02 GMT, (Norm) wrote:
When looking at a new set of sails, how can you tell if they were
built for offshore use or for coastal use? Is there a quick and easy
way to tell?
No. Depends on make, material and user specifications, particularly as
offshore cruisers tend to be very particular about cut,
reinforcements, etc.
A few clues: Offshore sails come in a greater variety for various
conditions, i.e. hank-ons in various sizes, with the extra
reinforcements at the corners to cope with the higher anticipated
winds common offshore. Frequently, there will be triple or quadruple
stitching instead of double; look for extra "chafe" patches, beefier
grommets, now-exotic stuff like downhaul grommets, two or three sets
of reef points, and a somewhat heavier (not always, however) and
thicker material.
Coastal sails are GENERALLY lighter air sails, and are commeasurately
lighter built to keep the boat going. Also, coastal sailors tend to
have one main, one roller-furled genny and maybe a cruising spinnaker
and a storm jib. Offshore will have more sails, period, inclding
staysails, trysails, storm jib(s) and whatnot. Roller furling is a
boon, but the offshore sailor won't hesitate to strip the forestay in
a blow and run up a proper storm jib.
In my experience, coastal sails are replaced far less frequently,
simply because they don't have to be.
R.
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