Tyvek is too air permeable for use as a sail. The function of Tyvek is
to allow air to permeate THROUGH the fabric .... and thats why its a
BAD choice for sail material. Its not UV protectect and will oxidize
badly and degrade in the presence of sunlight. Other than when being
applied to the side of a house, when was the first time that you saw
exposed Tyvek on a house .... good reason that you dont as it degrades
quickly when exposed to sunlight (UV).

Go to www.sailrite.com and choose a lightweight & cheap dacron
sailcloth material. BTW.... they also sell sail kits .... already
cut, ****properly broadseamed*** .... just assemble with two sided
sailmakers seam tape, sew together on a homemakers sewing machine and
sail away. Approximately 1/2 or less than a 'store bought' sail (made
by indentured slave-wage workers in the orient). There are a few kit
sail builders on the internet. Why go to all the work of making your
own boat then hoisting poorly cut / inefficient 'crap' to move her?
The sails are just as important as the care that you took when making
the boat.
;-)

thanks for the replies.

This is a replacment sail for an exsisting boat
(www.ncf.ca/~ag384/DogSkiff.htm). I
thought I'd try tyvek because I have some on hand.

Really not interested in doing what everybody else does, ie dacron. The
exsisting sail is nylon double thick with one layer aligned on the bias to
eliminate stretch. Worked great. Sail is 5 years old. The tyvek is not as
light as the nylon but moreso than polytarp. The air permiability could be
a problem. Hadn't considered that. I have actually seen Tyvek exposed on
unfinished buildings for over year. Good advertising I suppose. Print
doesn't degrade. Almost all my effort is in the longer mast to try a
larger sail on the boat, not in the tyvek sail itself. (First mast broke
during bend test. Starting on second.) For the sail plan I used the info
on sprit sails I gathered and put on my website (under Boats) for anyone
insterested in making a sprit sail.



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