The Expected Lifespan Of Sails And 8 Tips To Make Them Last Longer

Most sailors have asked themselves, “How long do sails last?” Quality sails are expensive, and regardless of the material used during manufacturing, all sails will eventually fail and need repair or replacement. Luckily, there has never been a greater selection between durable sailcloth materials and production methods than we have today, and we get to choose from an extensive selection when we shop for new sails.

I recently replaced Ellidah’s old sails and spent much time researching materials and construction methods, as my top priority was durability for a circumnavigation.

I contacted the top experts in the biggest sail lofts like Quantum Sails, UK Sails, Precision Sails, North Sails, Elvstrøm, and several others and asked them about the lifespan I could expect to get out of the different sail materials.

This was their response:

• Laminate sails typically last 5-7 years before they start to de-laminate and need replacement.
• Dacron sails typically last 10-12 years, depending on material quality and use.
• Ultra PE sails like Vectran and Hydranet can last up to 20 years if they are well cared for.

Ultra PE sails come at a high price tag and may not be available for everyone. Dacron sails have high durability but aren’t necessarily the ones that will bring you adequate performance for the longest time. Laminates give you outstanding performance but might not be what you want to buy if you need durable sails for many years.

Let us dig a bit deeper into the different materials and production methods to understand how long we can expect each type of sail to last and how we can improve their lifetime.

Comparing the Most Common Sail Materials

The most common sails seen today are cross-cut, or tri-radial cut Dacron sails, followed by CDX laminate sails due to their relatively affordable price. Continuing the range, we find woven hybrids like Hydranet, Vectran, Radian, and other brands.

Then, we have advanced laminates with Aramids, carbon, and more exotic materials. At the top of the spectrum, we find the latest technology in DFi membrane sails like Elvstrøms EPEX or North Sails 3Di, which comes at a premium price tag.

We will focus on the average cruiser’s most common choices and leave the racers with the most exotic options. The numbers used are based on the assumption that the average cruiser sails 2500 nautical miles a year, which is the average on my journey so far. I have broken this comparison into the following:

• Woven Polyester sails – Dacron
• Woven Hybrid sails – Ultra PE
• Laminate sails

Common for woven sails is that they can be easily repaired and patched worldwide. The ease of repair, high durability, and excellent UV resistance make these sails a popular and safe choice for cruisers. However, the traditional Dacron cloth is prone to stretching, which is negative for sailing performance.

Explaining the Difference Between Cross-cut and Radial-cut Sails

Cross-cut and radial-cut are terms that indicate the way the panels of the sail are cut and manufactured together. A cross-cut sail uses panels of sailcloth stacked on top of each other horizontally, spreading the load along its stronger fill yarn. You will find that cross-cut sails are the most reasonably priced but have the lowest ability to keep their sail shape over time.

A radial cut sail has a higher number of panels put together radiating from its three corners, effectively spreading the load across the sail. We used to see only laminated and membrane sails in a tri-radial cut.

These days, modern technology has given us warp-oriented woven cloth, making it a good option due to its increased ability to keep shape over time without stretching as much as traditionally cross-cut sails. ProRadial, made by Contender and Dimension Polyant, is a good example.

Lauren and Kirk from Sailing Soulianis made an excellent video explaining the difference:

The Expected Lifespan of Dacron Sails

The most common and affordable sailcloth has been used since the early 50s when DuPont introduced it under the name Dacron. There are several manufacturers of what we refer to as Dacron, as the name merely indicates that the cloth is vowed by polyester fibers.  

North Sails advises that good-quality Dacron sails typically last for one circumnavigation. The World ARC route is 26.000 nautical miles as a reference.

The Expected Lifespan of Ultra PE Sails

Technology has brought us hybrid options where the yarn is reinforced with Ultra PE fibers (Dyneema/Spectra) to make them stronger and more stretch-resistant. Contender and Dimension Polyant has a selection of hybrid clothes like Hydranet and Vectran that last longer than traditional Dacron.

Speaking of extreme durability:
Dimension Polyant has a Hydranet sail they claim to have sailed 240.000 nautical miles with! They also completed a circumnavigation of 27.000 nautical miles, and the Hydranet sails were still in peak condition. It is safe to claim that the Hydranet’s can last longer than 50.000 nautical miles with proper care.

The Expected Lifespan of Laminate Sails

Laminate sails are typically made by attaching woven fibers, aramids, or carbon panels to a Mylar base layer and are much more lightweight than Dacron and Ultra PE sails. Unlike Dacron sails that become worn out over time, laminate sails often fail suddenly and explosively. Repairing a laminate sail is difficult. When it dies, it means replacing the sail with a new one.

Racing laminate sail generally lasts 2-5 years or 5,000 – 12,500 nautical miles due to the lack of UV protection. The extra weight of a protective taffeta is unwanted when performance is the priority.

With the latest technology, DFi membrane sails last longer than traditional laminates and close some of the durability gaps between laminate and Dacron sails. A few examples are North Sails 3Di, Elvstrøms EPEX, and Quantum’s Fusion series.

8 Tips to Make Your Sails Last Longer

Giving the sails proper care is essential to make them last as long as possible. We can achieve this by servicing the sails regularly and caring for them while sailing.

6 Signs Showing That a Sail Needs Replacement

My old Dacron sails from Quantum were about 15 years old when they needed replacement. The fully battened mainsail was blown out to the point where the battens kept falling out of the pocket under sail. The genoa didn’t have UV protection and was basically falling apart. The sail was cross-cut and looked like a big bag at the end! Those are definitive signs that the sails need replacement.

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How did it go with my sails?

As I mentioned earlier, I was in contact with many sailmakers and ended up ordering from Elvstrøm Sails. I bought a tri-radial cut 120% genoa made with Dimension Polyants ProRadial cloth and a Sunbrella UV protection strip along the foot and leech.

The mainsail was also made with Dimension Polyant’s Dacron, but I chose cross-cut because the battens help keep the shape for a longer time. These sails are now only one year old and still look like new without any sign of stretch.

I expect the genoa to hold up better than the mainsail over time, but they will both hopefully survive a circumnavigation. As a cruiser, I am not obsessed about speed, and sail conservatively, which significantly helps the lifespan of the sails. And even when they lose their shape, I am happy with a bit of reduced performance, knowing that the sails can easily be repaired anywhere in the world.

As with everything else sailing-related, sails are a compromise, and we want to find the right tool for the right job in our price range. A racer will choose very differently than a full-time cruiser, and a weekend cruiser will have its own priorities.

Summarizing what we have learned

It isn’t easy to decide the lifespan of sails based on the type of material they are made of. Some Dacron fabrics are much more durable than other Dacron fabrics. Modern DFi membranes stand better up against time than classic laminates. Ultra PE sails have proven highly durable but are also very expensive compared to the other options and may not be available to everyone.

The key factor to making any sails last as long as possible is to use them with care. Sails should be protected from UV and moisture to prevent mildew, which causes rot or delamination. The harder you push the sails at sea, the sooner they need replacement.

You want to give your sails a good service every year and keep them stored away from the sun when they are not in use. A UV strip on the genoa is worth the investment, and so is a lazy bag for the mainsail unless you have in-mast-furling.

Sources: Dimension Polyant, Sailing Today, North Sails, Elvstrom Sails, Precision Sails

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