how to make monofillm last longer
irwin chung
My Gaastra M6 became brittle after 4 months of disuse.As a result, 1 panel
tore from seam to seam. I have read about techniques of maintaining monofilm
like using "Armourall" and leaving sails unwashed?!! Need help on this as
blowing a couple of hundreds after each lull (I sail seasonally during
monsoons) period is way too expensive. Also I leave my sail fully tensioned in
the sail rack at all times, is this bad for the sail?
Appreciate advice
chris cimino
In <4sobbc$7...@lantana.singnet.com.sg> irw...@singnet.com.sg (irwin
How about a 3D HoLoGrAm sail repair kit material..check this out!
I had the same problems... i contacted a company called "tropical
optical....They sent me a sample kit....I LIKED IT SO MUCH... i bought
this company; and they can send you a sample kit too, that might
solve all of your problems, and then some...
I've included a copy of their email catalog (that was sent to me,
prior to the takeover ) for you to check out. Sorry about the
length..but i hope this might help..
III________+++++(((((((((((????//////////////////////////../////////
/////-------000000=====+++++++++++
///// =========+++++++
/// +++++++=====++++= STILL WORKING ON MY SIGNATURE
..............^^^^............ PAGE....:::::::::::::::::
..............^^^^............ ??????????alot of windsurf stuff
--------------****-------------------visa--######324-8765-0786 0997 exp
Yokohama sails, inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAIL ACCESSORIES 1996
THE SUN IS FREE.....USE IT!
CONTACT:
TROPICAL OPTICAL
PO BOX 442
TALLEVAST FLORIDA
34270 (TEL/FAX) 941 365 4553
EMAIL : tropical...@worldnet.att.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
What is Monopatch and Monoglaze?
If you hold a compact disc in the sun you will see some spectral
colors. These colors do not come from the material of the compact disc
itself, but from the nature of light when it is reflected from the many
closely spaced parallel lines. How these lines or grooves produce
color is explained in the WAVE THEORY OF LIGHT. The light is modified
by the lines in such a way that the light waves of a particular
frequency, or color, are reinforced and become visible as that color.
Changing the position of the light, or the position of the viewer,
will
change the color observed. These color effects are defined as iredesent
colors and are readily distinguished from ordinary absortion
colors by their shifting (3d) character........................so,
knoWING THIS......
GRAB YOUR SAIL AND GET READY TO EXPLORE WHAT A SELECT GROUP OF
WINDSURFERS IN THE U.S. HAVE ALREADY
DISCOVERED...THE TICKET TO THE MOST UNIQUE SAIL AT THE BEACH...AWESOME
COLORS; EMBLAZED ON THEIR SAILS,
PRODUCING THE MOST SPACTACULAR LIGHT SHOW ON THE WATER.
WITH MONOPATCH (TM) AND MONOGLAZE (TM), YOU' LL PROBABLY BE
PHOTOGRAPHED TEN TIMES MORE THAN ANYONE
AT THE BEACH;
YOU'LL HAVE PEACE OF MIND KNOWING THAT YOUR SAIL WILL SURVIVE THOES
KILLER WIPEOUTS WHEN YOUR DOING
YOUR STUFF; AND...
WITHOUT A DOUBT, YOU'LL HAVE THE BEST LOOKING SAIL OUT THERE..
IT' LL STOP OTHERS IN THEIR TRACKS AS YOU FLY BY......
WE HAVE ENCLOSED OUR EMAIL PRODUCT INFORMATION, AND PHOTOS TO
DEMONSTRATE ITS VISUAL ABILITY; ---
samples are avaliable for you to test out for yourself.
GOOD SAILING!
S.RICK OWNAMEESE
technical sales
TROPICAL OPTICAL
electric sails division /FLORIDA
As seen in a variety of winsurfing publications
As tested by PWR 1995
As featured in WINDTRACKS magazine
As seen at the PETER STUYVESANT windsurf show tour; Clearwater Beach
Florida
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------
MONOPATCH AND MONOGLAZE
The ultimate sail repair and customizing films.
Our unique tailoring process allows you to produce an exclusive sail
protrait that's remarkably pleasing to observe!
MONOPATCH is an instant sail repair film, very different from any clear
tape thats avaliable, in that it will not degrade and fail due to its
superior adhesion and U.V. protection qualities.
The dazzel that will be imprinted on the sail after simple application
(which is key to its lasting qualities) is the most important feature:
Intense, deep rich flashes of ALL COLOR never before seen on any
windsurfing sails, are viewable from a number of angles by both the
sailor and the passing observer.
Due to the nature of the diffraction grating effects of the materials,
these colors are laser intense, and can be seen at very long distances
from shore...
IT LOOKS AS IF THE SAIL IS ELECTRIFIED!
Monopatch is double sided; the adhesive side has the brilliant optical
characteristics integral to it; both sides come alive in the sun, with
only one side application.
The repair kit will allow instant repair, with out the need for extream
cleaning, or solvent removal of dirts prior to the application; And
your
off in minutes, with a permanent repair job that looks great; and
will last!
The Monopatch and Monoglaze customizing kits will not only greatly
increase the visual impact of your sail, but will increase the life of
your sail by increasing its strength....
Many of todays sail designers include fake seams just for visual
impact....but, it can be argued that fake seams serve to stop and
prevent
rips, so they are not entirely cosmetic; for this reason, we have
introduced Monoglaze...
MONOGLAZE is actually a transmission film..you can see right thru it;
but the color (all colors) it reflects are as bright as looking
directly
into the sun...only every color of the spectrum is avaliable for the
observer(s) to behold;
An ultra thin layer (.0009") is very easily applied to the monofilm
substrate, creating a permanent barrior and improving the impact
resistance of the sail film itself.
Developed and tested in the sunshine state, Monopatch and Monoglaze
are the exciting new ways to get your sail in shape!
Simply apply either of the materials on any dry, oil free area of the
monofilm;
For the Monopatch material, simply remove the backing paper, lay flat
on the surface, and press to bond.
For the Monoglaze, remove the clear backing film to expose the glaze,
and seperate the clear adhesive liner. Wet the sail area with a
water solution, and apply the glaze. "Squeegy" out the excess water,
and let dry.
Monopatch and Monoglaze are currently avaliable in the following
formats:
EMERGANCY REPAIR KIT: Monopatch material that can be applied to control
tears and rips before the sail runs under stress.
CUSTOMIZING KIT: Monopatch material and Monoglaze material: various
colors/patterns & sizes avaliable to make your sail "come
alive" in the sun.
SAIL NUMBER/LETTER KIT: l.e.d style numbers conforming to uswa color
and height regulations; Monopatch material.
PRICING AND SPECIFICS:
Sail number letter kit: Two numbers each kit (Monopatch material).
Small (6x12") $3.00 ea. Large (12x24") $6.00 ea. Choice of seven
colors and patterns.
Make any number or letter from this digital style kit. (red, green,
blue, gold, brass, silver, purple).
Repair kit: 3pcs. 6x10"sheets, water resist pkg. w/ application tools.
Choice of 4 colors/patterns. $6.00 ea. (silver, purple, gold, brass).
Enloy instant sail repair while you Ewait at the beach.
Customizing film kit (Monopatch):
(2in.x45ft.) or (1in. x90ft.) or (6in. x15ft.). Choice of seven
colors/patterns for 1in. & 2in.
Silver, brass, gold, purple avaliable in 6in. widths. $20.00 ea.
Customizing film kit (Monoglaze):
25in. wide material by desired linear footage. $3.00/ linear foot.
Samples are avaliable showing the specific color/patterns of the
different materials.
Keep in mind that each kit described comes complete with a variety of
application tools, illustrated instructions, application tip and hint
sheet, and several application methods that have been tested at
Tropical Optical. When you do order, you will be provided a photo
journal of the various designs that have actually been applied to
monofilm sails, to assist you in your design.
Pricing includes the following conditions:
1. Shipping/handling/ taxes for Florida residents: $3.90
shipping/handling. ADD 7% sales tax.
2. Orders shipping outside of Florida, and inside the continental U.S.
: $4.90 shipping/handling.
3. International orders shipped outside of the continental U.S. must
have payment by money order only, and requires $6.90 (US)
shipping/handling fee.
4. Minimum order is $15.00 (US) excluding shipping/handling.
5. Free shipping/handling on orders > $60.00.
Currently under test at Tropical Optical for three years, Monopatch and
Monoglaze have shown no evidence of product failure on sails
used a minimum average of 3x per week.
You'll have the coolest looking sail out there, and you'll NEVER get
tired of people telling you that!
Tropical Optical has made every effort to describe its products
accurately and honestly. If however, you find that the item is not what
you
expected, you may return it within 30 days for a full refund of
merchandise price.
Photos of the awesome effects that MONOPATCH /GLAZE can have on your
sail, are avaliable in GIF format . Additional photo examples,
and text/photo files of any of the products offered are avaliable at
request.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS OFFERED BY TROPICAL OPTICAL
FUNTENNA CUSTOM ANTENNAS TM
A GREAT WAY TO PERSONALIZE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT........
REPLACEMENT ANTENNAS OF ANY SHAPE, FORM, WORD ETC .
YOU NAME IT!
WE' VE GOT A LARGE SELECTION OF 3D PERSPECTIVE WINDSURFING ACTION POSES
THAT YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN.
OR........
YOU DESIGN IT..... WE BUILD IT FOR YOU!
PRICE IS NORMALLY BETWEEN $15.00 AND $25.00 DEPENDANT ON THE COMPLEXITY
OF THE DESIGN;
BUT...NO DESIGN IS TOO COMPLEX. WE CAN BEND A WIRE TO SHAPE ANYTHING!
flyer avaliable
NEW FILM TM SAIL POLISH
IS YOUR MONOFILM SAIL GETTING SO SCUFFED UP YOU CAN HARDLEY SEE THROUGH
IT ANYMORE?
NEW FILM SAIL POLISH IS A (POLYESTER PLASTIC) POLISH COMPOUND WITH A
SPECIAL POLISHING PAD, WHICH
ACTUALLY BRINGS A NEW LOOK LUSTER TO YOUR SCRATCHED UP AND SAND
BLASTED MONOFILM SAIL PANELS.
MAKES OLD SAILS LOOK NEW!
8 OZ. BOTTLE WITH 4" DIA . PADS $8.00
flyer avaliable
FIN MITT TM
SORT OF LIKE AN OVEN MITT, ONLY BETTER.
THE FIN MITT IS A SNUG FITTING, EASY REMOVABLE, PADDED PROTECTIVE
COVER USED FOR THE FIN THATS ALREADY
ATTACHED TO YOUR BOARD.
A VERY SECURE BUNGY FASTENER HOLDS IT IN PLACE WHILE YOUR MOVING YOUR
BOARD AROUND PRIOR TO SAILING,
OR GENERAL PROTECTION DURING TRANSPORT.
EXTREAMLY UNUSUAL PRINTS ARE AVALIABLE, MAKING THESE FIN MITTS
UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE KITCHEN!
A GREAT PROTECTIVE INVESTMENT @ $5.00 ea.
flyer avaliable
MUNICH METAL TM BOARD BOTTOMS ( PAT. PEND).
A RESURFACING MATERIAL DESIGNED TO REPAIR THE DAMAGED UNDERSIDE OF YOUR
FAVORITE BOARD ie.
IF THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BOARD IS BEAT UP WITH DINGS / SCRATCHES; DONT
SAND OR PATCH IT...APPLY MUNICH
METAL BOARD BOTTOM MATERIALS..GIVING YOU A NEW FACTORY PLANE
SURFACE.
AVALIABLE FORMATS:
TYPE + 1: A FILM VERY SIMILAR TO THE OPTICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
MONOPATCH,
EXCEPT NOT AS THICK OF A MATERIAL, AND IS LESS COSLTY. IT IS HOWEVER,
SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND
THE CONSTANT EXPOSURE OF A WATER SURFACE ; AND IS TAILORED TO ADHERE
TO SPECIFIC BOARD
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. MAKES AN AWESOME LOOKING, VERY SMOOTH PLANEING
SURFACE; A VISUAL DELIGHT
FOR WAVE AND BUMP/JUMP BOARDS.
AVALIABLE 3 FT. WIDE BY 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 AND 13 FOOT LENGTHS. CALL
FOR PRICING
TYPE +2: A MATERIAL THAT COULD *IMPROVE THE FRICTION CHARACTERISTICS
OF YOUR BOARDS BOTTOM SURFACE.
(UNDER TEST AND AVALIABLE IN 1997). TYPE +2 HAS LESS REFLECTIVE
CHARACTERISTICS, BUT MUCH MORE 3-D DEPTH;
AND A FUNKY TEXTURE*. LOOKS LIKE THE BOTTOM OF YOUR BOARD IS A MOVING
LIQUID...MANY COLORS AND
PATTERNS.. ANOTHER VISUAL DELIGHT FOR J/B BOARDS.
*LAMINAR FLOW STUDYS INDICATE A "SUPER SMOOTH" SURFACE MAY NOT BE THE
OPTIMUM PLANING SURFACE.
flyer avaliable
WINDATEA(TM)
HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT THE WIND SPEED (DIRECTION, AIR TEMP/WATER
TEMP, TIDE LEVEL, REL HUMIDITY,
BAR PRESSURE, RAIN COUNT, ETC.) WAS, and IS.....
WHILE YOU WERE SAILING AT YOUR FAVORITE LOCATION? WHEN YOUR DONE
SAILING, AND PLAYING WITH YOUR
COMPUTER AFTER THAT GREAT DAYS SESSION, YOU CAN PROBABLY ACCESS A LOCAL
RECORD OF THE CONDITIONS
FROM A VARIETY OF AREA LOG DATA BASES ESTABLISHED BY THE TROPICAL
OPTICAL WEATHER SYSTEMS REMOTE
SENSOR SERVERS...... AND YOU CAN ACCESS AND RECORD THIS DATA ( IN YOUR
LOCAL AREA ) FOR YOU OWN HISTORY/
ARCHIVE PURPOSES...PRINT IT OUT, AND SHOW YOUR FRIENDS WHY THEY WERE
OVER POWERED...it was too windy!...BUT
EXACTLY HOW WINDY?
THRU A NOAA DATA COLLECTION BASE , YOUR AREA IS PROBABLY ACCESSABLE
WITH A LOCAL COMMUNICATIONS
TERMINAL..... (a local call, and data no more that 15 min. old)! YOUR
MODEM CAN DO MUCH MORE THAN JUST GO ON LINE ON
THE INTERNET...IT CAN WORK FOR YOU LOCALLY! HISTORY DATA FROM UP TO 60
DAYS PREVIOUS ALSO AVALIABLE!
CHECK OUT OUR SAMPLE DATA FOR ANY GIVEN DAY (NO LATER THAN 60 DAYS
AGO)
AT MOTE MARINE LABORATORY, LOCATED IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA AS AN EXAMPLE.
a great place to sail 365 days/yr.
IF YOUR AREA IS IN A NOAA DATA COLLECTION AREA (WHICH IT PROBABLY IS)
......THAT DATA IS AVALIABLE..AND WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE DETAILS
ON HOW TO ACCESS IT.
$10.00 RESEARCH FEE..REFUNDED IF UNAVALIABLE IN YOUR AREA (WHICH IS
HIGHLY UNLIKELY). CALL FOR DETAILS
BEFORE ORDERING.
flyer avaliable
SUN DEX(TM)
These are very small sparkle chips of Monopatch material, designed
as an additive for your favorite re-decking product when you
replace the non/skid footing on your board top.
Very interesting effects obtained; your board glows brilliant in or out
of the water!
1 oz. package $5.00
flyer avaliable.
MONOGLAZE SP-1(TM)
These are EVEN SMALLER sparkle chips of Monopatch material, designed
in a
spray paintable format for sail costumes; Very similar to the effects
of either Monopatch or Monoglaze, with an extreamly user friendly
application target; Under test and avaliable in 1997.
flyer avaliable.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION ARE AVALIABLE
FOR ANY OF THE PRODUCTS OFFERED
BY TROPICAL OPTICAL.
just ask.....
THANK YOU FOR YOU INTEREST IN TROPICAL OPTICAL
PRODUCT CATALOG, ORDERING INFORMATION, TECHNICAL HISTORY AND SAMPLES
AVALIABLE.
SEND $1.00 TO:
TROPICAL OPTICAL
POBOX 442
TALLEVAST FLORIDA
34270
TEL/FAX (941) 365-4553
the sun is free........USE IT!
rev.07-19-96 18:39.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCAL WEATHER INFORMATION (AVALIABLE AT REQUEST)
data recieved from:
date: BIRD KEY DATA Tropical Optical
H20Lvl Time AirTemp BarPress WatrTemp SolRadtn
.00Ch Trop/op@ T$ RainCount WindSpeed WindDir
Tropical optical Access entry# OK
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
08/03/1996 00:00:00 62.3 1010.7 68.7 66.5
94.5
1.21 944 4946 0.7 15 4
00
02:30:00 62.6 1009.8 68.8 62.0
89.6
1.05 944 4962 0.7 17 334
12.75 0
00
02:45:00 62.5 1009.6 68.7 63.4
89.9
1.19 944 4964 0.7 19 335
12.76 0
00
03:00:00 62.3 1009.6 68.6 63.1
88.1
1.22 944 4965 0.7 22 340
12.77 0
ShredHappy
Think of sail cloth or monofilm like you would your own skin. When it
gets dry you put on moisturizer (Armorall). When you want to protect it
from the sun, you use a sun screen (303 Protectant). This stuff is like
Armorall, but it has UV protectant properties. I used to buy it from
Murrey's Marine in CA but any good marine store should be able to get it
for you. Put it all over the sail, not just the film. It works great on
your harness, gear bag, sail bags, any cloth/vinyl/plastic products. It
will double the life of most of your equipment. But the best thing for a
monofilm sail, is to keep it out of the sun when it's not on the water.
You don't have to detention RAF battens, but you'll have hell getting your
mast out on tentioned CI's. It really depends on how long the sail is
being stored. You should detention all the battens a little for long
storage. The batten stops inside the luff sock/mast sleeve can get abused
if you're always tightening the batten. It really depends on how often
you use sail.
You should always dry your sails before storage, however salt water is
more forgiving than fresh. With fresh water you get mold and rot much
faster. I never rinse my sails that have been in salt water, but you
absolutely have to rinse the hardware.
Hope this helps.
GilW
Be very careful applying Armorall. It can greatly weaken the adhesive on
the double sided tape used to seam the sail together before it was sewed
together. A lot of the strength in the sail comes from the tape and not
from the sewing. Keep Armorall out of the seams.
Don't leave your sail out in the sun except when you are using it. The sun
attacks the monofilm and destroys the sail.
Ask a sailmaker for a demonstration of how easily monofilm is scratched.
Any grains of sand or even dust can scratch the sail. Folding the monofilm
is very destructive. Don't slide the sail across the ground when rigging
or unrigging. Try to find a grassy spot.
hugh
irwin,
some tips from the internet sites of the sailmakers.
**Sailworks Sail Maintenance Tips**
Shake the sand off before rolling up your sail at the beach, as this will extend
your sail's life more than anything.
Rinse the sail with fresh water occasionally, including inside the mast sleeve, to
avoid salt and sand buildup.
Avoid rigging on hard or abrasive surfaces.
If left rigged all day or overnight, release the downhaul and batten tension. In hot
weather, store your rigged sail out of direct sunlight.
To prevent creases in the monofilm, roll your sail on the tube it came on, or roll
it tightly and store it where it won't get flattened.
Repair tears promptly through a qualified repair person. Make temporary repairs with
mylar packing tape or a sticker on both sides.
Do not use solvents for cleaning near seams, as this will dissolve the tape
adhesives. Use water and mild soap.
When on the beach, secure your sail from blowing away.
**North Sails comments on UV**
Windsurfing in strong sunlight does not harm the monofilm in your sail because the
sun rays come down vertically. But, in order to ensure maximum durability in high UV
areas like Greece, the Caribbean or Australia, all monofilm sails should be put in
the shade when not in use at the beach. If this is not possible for extended
periods, the sail should be derigged or stored in a rig bag. Please be aware that
after 200 hours of sun exposure the durability of the sail can be reduced by 50%.
**my own comments**
salt and sand are bad 'cos they are sharp and will scratch the surface and can cut
fibres when they get into the weave. hard surfaces are bad - that's obvious. i'm
kinda gob-smacked about the 200hours remark by North. that can be reached in one
good season, even for a dedicated recreational sailor.
sailcloth is not damaged by mildew or rot (polyester doesn't rot) so there is no
reason not to rinse your sails, while rinsing will help to reduce sand and salt
damage.
**on your actual question**
if your sail was left rigged on a sunlit (even in shade the UV can be quite strong)
sailrack for 4 months - it's dead. if it was tensioned and in the dark then i don't
know why it failed - maybe someone damaged it at some stage.
hugh
Peter Somlo
hugh <h.e.b....@openmail.ept-do.siephag.simis.com> wrote:
>**North Sails comments on UV**
>Windsurfing in strong sunlight does not harm the monofilm in your sail because the
>sun rays come down vertically. But, in order to ensure maximum durability in high UV
>areas like Greece, the Caribbean or Australia, all monofilm sails should be put in
>the shade when not in use at the beach. If this is not possible for extended
>periods, the sail should be derigged or stored in a rig bag. Please be aware that
>after 200 hours of sun exposure the durability of the sail can be reduced by 50%.
I was glad to see the above ^^^. According to my experience, there is
an `elapsed hours in the sun' clock in the monofilm, and when the time
is up, it starts cracking all over at the same time :-((
...Put in in the shade? Not always possible. I even thought of making
the sail a cover (say from old sheets from the bed) and clipping
it on with clothes-pegs when having a rest on the beach...
Keep on carvin'! - Peter
--
Dr Peter I Somlo FIEEE | M1: "Every coin has 3 sides - at least"
Microwave Consultant | M2: "The wind ain't gonna blow from where it
tel/fax: 61-2-451-2478 | ought'a, it'l blow from where it can"
Mobile: 041-926-3168 | http://www.zeta.org.au/~somlo
Patrick Johnson
In article <4t15lq$u...@gidora.zeta.org.au> Peter Somlo, so...@zeta.org.au
writes:
>I even thought of making
>the sail a cover (say from old sheets from the bed) and clipping
>it on with clothes-pegs when having a rest on the beach...
Try one of those blue plastic tarps with a couple of bungie cords to hold
it in place. Works great. The eyelets are in convenient places to put
the hook of the bungies to keep everything together. I use a 10x20 tarp
for my 7.5, which I leave rigged a lot of the time.
jackie redmond
The favorite cover for sails here on Sherman Island in the California
Delta is a nylon car cover from K-mart. Elastic all around tucks in under
the sails very well.
Tauras Sulaitis
Hopefully the mono sails are a passing trend like the cut away
phenomenon (sp).
The mono sails injure too easily and it has screwed up the used sail
market. Seems
the industry is trying to price itself into oblivion with sails that
barely
last 50 days.
Just say no to sara-wrap sails!
Still havin fun on 1990 Neil Pryde Combat waves
--
Tauras
tau...@lietuva.com
East Coast Sty: http://www.minds-online.com/sty/
West Coast Sty: http://www.slonet.org/~tsulaiti/
Bill Crick
Just like the motorcycle industry. Started to cater to the
expert race level people only, and 5 years later, there
were no new riders to buy these superbikes because there hadn't been
any new riders in the last 5 years who had $7000.00 to spend on
a 140hp cafe racer. And all the old ones had killed themselves, or
scared themselves silly.
Ads like:
For sale: 1996 Kawasaki GSX 1100, Helmet, leathers,
Brand new. Only 70 miles. Leathers have slight brown
stain in crotch;-)
Now what did that guy do in the first 35 minutes that talked him into
selling a 35 minute old, $7000.00 bike, Cheap!
Bill Crick
Walter Clark
Tauras Sulaitis wrote:
>
> Hopefully the mono sails are a passing trend like the cut away
> phenomenon (sp).
> The mono sails injure too easily and it has screwed up the used sail
> market. Seems
> the industry is trying to price itself into oblivion with sails that
> barely
> last 50 days.
>
> Just say no to sara-wrap sails!
>
> Still havin fun on 1990 Neil Pryde Combat waves
>
> --
> Tauras
> tau...@lietuva.com
> East Coast Sty: http://www.minds-online.com/sty/
> West Coast Sty: http://www.slonet.org/~tsulaiti/
My favorite sailmaker in these parts, Jeff Brown, was totally against monofilm for
years. If truth be told I believe he started using it for a large percentage of his
race sail construction only because customers insisted on it. He also favors its use
for windows on some of his high wind sails for those of us who also use these to ice
sail in winter. You wouldnt believe what vinyl is like at 10 degrees F.
Walter
Tauras Sulaitis
> Just like the motorcycle industry. Started to cater to the
> expert race level people only, and 5 years later, there
> were no new riders to buy these superbikes because there hadn't been
> any new riders in the last 5 years who had $7000.00 to spend on
> a 140hp cafe racer. And all the old ones had killed themselves, or
> scared themselves silly.
>
> Ads like:
>
> For sale: 1996 Kawasaki GSX 1100, Helmet, leathers,
> Brand new. Only 70 miles. Leathers have slight brown
> stain in crotch;-)
NOTE: Never buy a used wetsuit ;-)
>
> Now what did that guy do in the first 35 minutes that talked him into
> selling a 35 minute old, $7000.00 bike, Cheap!
>
> Bill Crick
Sailboard industry is truely choking on its own downhaul. But the sailor
that buys Saran wrap sails is also to blame. Yes mono is lighter but it
doesn't last! The sport is degenerating into a performanced based
oblivion.
Everyone wants to be robbie nash... ohh I'm showing my age, I mean Jason
Polokow:-)
Wake up... if you need proof of your abilities, get somebody to video
your performance, then sit back, drain some brews and get ready to
laugh.
Sailboarding is fun, Competition breeds contempt and unhappiness
(remember there is only one winner and a bunch of whinners). Avoid the
hype perpetuated by an industry that try's to get into your wallet on a
yearly basis. Demand quality gear that lasts.
Gotta run sun's peaking out and the wind is picking up....
--
Tauras
praying for waves!
BrianM8888
I don't have much to ad to this thread except my hearty agreement! I'm an
intermediate recreational sailor trying to become an advanced recreational
sailor. I would gladly trade the unnoticeable performance gain (for me) of
monofilm for more durable sails that 1) let me make all the mistakes
associated with learning (falling into the sail, hard), and 2) grant me
the greater conveniences demanded by a busy schedule. I don't want to buy
a car cover to protect my rigged sail on the beach. I don't want to have
to search for the appropriate protectant that blocks those fatal UVs
without dissolving the seams. I don't want to have to carefully roll my
sail up only on a grassy surface being careful to never scratch or crease
it. I want to rig it as quickly as possible, sail 'till my body hurts,
then spend my last dregs of energy dragging it through the sand to go
search for another soggy sandwich.
I own a Multi Delta3. No question I would have opted for a non-monofilm
version had one been available.
Bill Crick
Tauras Sulaitis wrote:
SNIP......
> Sailboard industry is truely choking on its own downhaul. But the sailor
> that buys Saran wrap sails is also to blame. Yes mono is lighter but it
> doesn't last! The sport is degenerating into a performanced based
> oblivion.
>
> Everyone wants to be robbie nash... ohh I'm showing my age, I mean Jason
> Polokow:-)
>
> Wake up... if you need proof of your abilities, get somebody to video
> your performance, then sit back, drain some brews and get ready to
> laugh.
>
> Sailboarding is fun, Competition breeds contempt and unhappiness
> (remember there is only one winner and a bunch of whinners). Avoid the
> hype perpetuated by an industry that try's to get into your wallet on a
> yearly basis. Demand quality gear that lasts.
>
> Gotta run sun's peaking out and the wind is picking up....
>
> --
> Tauras
> praying for waves!
> East Coast Sty: http://www.minds-online.com/sty/
> West Coast Sty: http://www.slonet.org/~tsulaiti/
However, I was quite happy when they started to put model years on stuff.
One time a store was explaining how much better the 199x sail
was than the 199x-1. We rolled both out on the floor, and found
the battens had been moved a few mm, and the outline differed by a few
mm. There were probably only ten guys in the world that could have told
difference between these sails, and I wasn't one of them. So I bought
the hopelessly obsolete, and outdated last year's sail for 1/2 the price
of this year's sail. Of course I had to suffer the shame and degradation
of being seen on the water with last years colors;-(
Bill Crick
Jonathan M Richardson
On Monofilm:
It's funny. I don't think it's so bad. I have some 1993 Waddells and
my One Design sail, all mono. They have held up really well and are
not at all blown out. I often resort to rigging on the asphalt which
seems mostly hard on the boom and sail peak (which is nylon). I did
blow out an early Neil Pryde monofilm, but who didn't?
-Jonathan.
USWA Member #US233
Boards: Seatrend 9'0" and 8'6", Mistral One Design
Sails: Waddell
Spars: Fiberspar
______________________________________________________________________
| Jonathan M. Richardson, Ph.D. | |
| (Senior Research Scientist) | Phone: (617) 547-1122 |
| Science Research Laboratory, Inc.| FAX: (617) 547-4104 |
| 15 Ward St. | Email: jt...@world.std.com |
| Somerville MA 02143 | |
______________________________________________________________________
NLW TFW NM
My first Hurricane quiver looked good enough after 4 summers in da Gorge
and 4 springs in NM to bring $1,000 the first day on the market for 5
sails 3.2-5.2. Guess what me replacement quiver was? There's very little
monofim and only two cambers in my 7-sail quiver.
Mike \m/
Never Leave Wind To Find Wind
Patrick Johnson
I usually try to buy good, used stuff, maybe a couple of years old, from
the sailors who are trying to keep current with the technology. Almost
all of this stuff is monofilm. I've never been a big fan of monofilm,
from the day they came out. But, if you want to get a reasonably fast,
multi-cam, rangey, racy sail that can handle being overpowered ... who's
making a decent sail with non-monofilm materials ?
I think I recall someone telling me that Gaastra had tried to avoid
making monofilm sails for a while, and the market beat a path AWAY from
their door, until they were forced to follow the fashion.
Why can't somebody coat the stuff with a UV-blocker ?
Steve Andriese
You pretty much have to buy wave sails to avoid monofilm. If you weigh
>200 lbs and sail in fluky midwest wind, its hard to avoid buying a big, multicam race sail.
I've heard Northwave will optionally make your sail with material other
than monofilm. Does anyone know if this is accurate and how much weight
it would add to, say a 7.5?
Are weight and lack of stretch the main advantages to monofilm?
I have found that the heavy weight monofilm is actually less durable
because it has more of a tendency to crack.
Steve
Pete Burak
Hi,
I have a quiver of World Sails. They are monofilm. They are inexpensive and sail
great! I expect them to last 3 to 5 seasons and then hopefully I'll be in a
position to get a quiver of some high end sails. My sails are in varying stages of
scratches, creases, dents, mast sleeve abrasions, ect. I've rigged in gravel
parking lots(the hook), corse sand/rock beaches(Kalama), wherever. I just rig and
sail and throw 'em in the bag at the end of the day! I didn't realize that the
visual aspects of the sail had anything to do with how much fun I have while
sailing.
Out of curiosity I wiped a piece of monofilm with a acetone moistened rag. It
really cleared up a foggy area of mono. I wouldn't get any on the seams though.
I was thinking of clearing up a window of vision at eye level with the acetone and
then treating the cleared area with Rainex. I havn't tried it yet but after sailing
Kalama a few weeks back with barges, ocean going vessles, speed boats, yachts,
jetskis, and other windsurfers, I thought a clearer view through the sail would be
in my best intrest.
I know they sure looked pretty when they were new and clear...but since I joined the
ranks of this sport around 1990 it quickly became apparent that the game is to sail
hard, have fun, become a backyard windsurfing equipment repair guru, sail your gear
'till it is of no value to anyone, continuously keep watch for closeouts, team
riders dumping gear cheap, good deals at swaps and consignment racks, ect!
I guess my advise to the mono crowd is to sail the shit out of your mono sails and
don't worry what they look like! IMHO, the UV histeria is a crock too!
Keep in mind that my comments are based only on my own expierence. If the mono hits
the fan well...it sure wouldn't be the first time I've had to say "boy was I wrong
about that!"
Sail on,
Pete
Lee Lau
I really like being able to see through my sail when I am on the Oregon
Coast on a day when the waves close-out quickly so that I know when to
bail when I see the whole front section explode into white-water right
where I was thinking of bottom-turning.
Unfortunately, I don't get the opportunity to sail waves quite as much as
I'd like to but clear monofilm is really nice when you really need good
visibility, like in breaking waves.
For the record, I accidentally snipped out Pete's comments about liking
clear mono to be able to see and dodge jetskis, swimmers other
windsurfers etc.
------------------------
Lee T. Lau <lee...@wimsey.com> <l...@wedge.com> Phone: (604) 739-2110
Xtrsports
Did we all forget the reasons we went to monofilm in the first place.
1. lighter
2. no water absorbtion
3. better visability
4. no stretching
Anyway, you non-mono people will be happy. Hot Sails Maui has decided to
produce a non-mono construction on one of the 97's that's supposed to
solve all of the above and turn us back into cloth lovers!
Skip
Cape Cod-Maui-The Gorge-San Francisco
Neilpryde-Tiga-Fiberspar