Rick, Tri-Radials are just sexier.
There. I had to say it. Seriously though, I’m a big fan of tri-radial sails. I have an old 140% tri-radial on Ronin that has well withstood the test of time in terms of keeping its shape and performance. It hasn’t been used for years and is in the attic but if I were to bend it back on when she goes back in the water I would not be displeased. I look at the extra expense amortized over the life-time of the sail as opposed to the initial cost and for me it’s worth the uptick. I guess I would ask myself how much will it be up and sailing. If I were not sailing constantly then I would think that a cross-cut sail will save me money and give me a great sail for a long time. If I were sailing a lot and in challenging conditions, then I would probably opt for the tri-radial. OT: Interesting choice of a 135%. When Ronin goes back in the water I’m probably going to go with a 110% max. After wrestling with the 140% it will be a relief. Our racing-style days are over with. My $0.02. Best, Dave Godwin 1982 C&C 37 - Ronin Reedville - Chesapeake Bay Ronin’s Overdue Refit <http://roninrebuild.blogspot.com/> > On Aug 15, 2016, at 7:05 PM, Rick Brass via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: > > As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’m in the process of getting a new set of > sails for Imzadi. Thank you to the listers who recommended lofts and > commented on their experiences. > > The specs for the new main are pretty well set. All the quotes so far have > recommended cross cut, loose foot, full batten sails (using my existing > Strong Track hardware), made from Challenge sailcloth. > > But there seems to be a range of opinion about the 135% roller reefing > headsail. I’m looking for a 135% sail that can be reefed down to about 100%, > with a balance of durability and good performance – and performance is > probably worth some extra money to me. The quotes I’ve gotten all recommend a > cross-cut sail made from Challenge High Mass Fiber sailcloth between 8.88 and > 9.1 oz. > > I’ve always understood that tri-radial construction offered superior > performance and shape over cross-cut construction. > > But one of the sailmakers has commented that both his cross-cut and > tri-radial headsails would be designed using the same (virtual) mold so there > would be little performance difference – not enough to justify the increased > cost for a cruising sail. A second sailmaker says the tri-radial sail will > “hold its shape better over the long term”, but said the significant > increased cost (about 15% for tri-radial construction) make cross-cut a > better option. > > So what is the experience (or opinion) of the list about the value of > tri-radial construction? Give me some guidance. > > Rick Brass > Imzadi C&C 38 mk 2 > la Belle Aurore C&C 25 mk1 > Washington, NC > > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like > what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions > are greatly appreciated!
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