I need to replace the mainsail on my 2003 sm2k. I would welcome advice on the best material, the weight ( in ounces) and the cut. All views would be most welcome. Happy Sails. Dennis SM408

Dennis,

We have ordered new Genoa, Main & Mizzen sails made from Radial Hydranet from QSails in Izmir, Turkey. I believe the main differences between Hydranet and Dacron is the shape-holding capabilities of Hydranet vs Dacron. I believe that Dacron will last as long as Hydranet, but believe that a noticeable loss of performance will begin at about 3 years with Dacron stretching, while it will likely not occur at all with Hydranet over the life of the fabric...probably at least 10 years.

I met with Tahsin Oge, the QSail owner, twice...once on our boat and once at his loft in Izmir and exchanged 20 or so emails and phone calls. He has been in the sail manufacturing for about 25 years. I was very impressed with his knowledge, his staff and his facility & equipment.

QSails is also a Selden, Nirvana and Furlex distributor for Turkey and the international manufacturer of Hood Sails.

At this point we are very, very impressed with QSails. When the sails are delivered next year I will report back with more information.

QSAILS
10040 Sk. No:22 A.O.S.B Çigli-Izmir/Turkey
Tel : +90 (232) 328 16 29
Tel : +90 (232) 328 16 30
Fax : +90 (232) 328 17 12
E-mail: qsails"at"qsails.com
Website is http://www.qsails.com/yeni/default.asp


Bill
BeBe, SM2k, #387
BeBe is currently in Fethiye, Turkey, Crew is in Houston, Texas

Dennis,

There's no "right answer" so to speak. Every material has advantages and disadvantages. Many Super Maramu owners in Europe favor Radial Hydranet from Dimension Polyant. It's important to note that the crosscut variant of Hydranet is a waste of money, offering little advantage over a premium Dacron. Radial Hydranet is an excellent product but is very very expensive. There are some excellent alternatives and as a sailmaker, I personally wouldn't put Hydranet on my boat. The latest generation of load path sails are a better value, have better shape holding, and are lighter.

As for cut, you're pretty limited with a furling main. When we build furling mains our goals are to make a very strong sail that doesn't get too thick and interfere with smooth furling and to avoid a full shape. Furling mains are very simple to design and build compared to conventional mainsails.

If I can answer any questions, feel free to get in touch.

Regards,

Dave Benjamin
SV Exit Strategy - Maramu #29
Owner/Founder Island Planet Sails