Website Glossary
Dacron - Trademark name of tightly woven polyester fibers by DuPont. Dacron may be made in a variety of weaves and finishes (coatings).
Taffeta - an ultra-light polyester Dacron coating applied to laminates to increase durability and protection to the laminate. Most Cruising Laminates are Taffeta coated and then dipped in UV and mold resistant baths.
MF (Medium Firm) - Dacron impregnated with a medium firm finish for extended durability while maintaining reasonable low stretch. The best sailcloth for Daysailors and Cruising yachts looking for long term durability and strong performance.
VF (Very Firm) - Dacron impregnated with a firm finish. Good for racing & performance cruising. Lower Stretch than MF Dacrons and good durability.
YT (Yarn Tempered) - Dacron impregnated with a super stiff "Boiler Plate" finish. Best for racers. Super Low Stretch and good durability.
Mylar - laminate of loosely woven thick polyester fibers sandwiched by 2 layers of Mylar (PET, polyester) film. Cruising Mylar is coated with ultra-light Dacron Taffeta on either side of the cloth for added durability and protection.
Pentex - Allied Signal's name for their newest sail polyester, PEN. A loose grid of thick white fibers sandwiched by two layers of Mylar Film. Woven PEN is also available but is very stiff. Its resistance to stretch has caused sail blowouts in larger yachts. It is not recommended in many boats outside the One Design Star Boat circuit.
Kevlar - Dupont's name for their aramid fiber. Very low stretch with some UV and Flexing susceptibilities. Kevlar sailcloths should be laminated with Smoke colored UV blocking glues or UV blocking films to protect the fibers from Ultraviolet sunburn. After a Kevlar sail turns from gold to brown, it can lose as much as 50% of its strength. Kevlar is also used in running rigging for ultra-light low stretch lines, but they must be protected by Dacron covers where the line is exposed to sunlight. In Europe the fiber is they use is called Twaron, but it is essentially the same composition as Kevlar.
Twaron - the European fiber used in Racing Sails. It is essentially the same composition as Dupont's Kevlar.
Vectran - a Liquid Crystal fiber used in high performance cruising laminates. Must be UV protected.
Technora - a Japanese Aramid similar in Kevlar in properties, but black in color. It has much better UV resistance than Kevlar though. This is the Membrane or Scrim underlying the new Graph-X Carbon Laminates made by Dimension Polyant.
Low Modulus Carbon Fiber - the new Carbon used in most manufactured sailcloths. Not as strong as HM Carbon, much much more durable. It has strength just under Kevlar, but holds more of its initial strength after use and abuse (according to our Impact Flutter tests). No degradation due to UV exposure.
High Modulus Carbon Fiber - used in America's Cup sails and in limited amounts in production sailcloth in 2000. It has incredible strength and resistance to stretch, but is extremely brittle limiting sail life considerably.
Spectra - an super low stretch fiber used in high performance large cruising yachts and Super Catamarans (Play Station's first batch of sails were Dimension Polyant SX Spectra Laminates). Only downsides are Cost (expensive) and Creep. Spectra will stretch (creep) under long term high load. Hood Sailmaker's Blue sails were first generation Spectra sail.
Dyneema - Woven Spectra sailcloth. Heavy weaves for performance cruising.
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