I - 58.50 feet
J - 18.00 feet
P - 63.30 feet
E - 21.66 feet
Square footage:
Overall - 759 square feet
First reef - 613 square feet (~80%)
Second reef - 443 square feet (~60%)
Hawk also carries a trysail which is raised on a separate track
and will be discussed in detail when we cover storm sails.
Material: The sail is constructed of a laminate material consisting of
three inner layers of Spectra/Mylar sandwiched between outer skins of
Spectra or Dacron. Dimension Polyant Spectra Laminates SX 25 (9.0oz) was
used for 80% of the sail and SX 15 (8.0oz.) for the remaining 20%. This
means the material is constructed using 25,000 denier Spectra and 15,000
denier Spectra. The sail could have been easily built out of the SX 15
entirely but Evans and Beth liked the extra ruggedness the SX 25 offered
with the external taffetas being Spectra instead of Dacron.
I prefer the Dimension SX Spectra fabric over other choices because it
offers a great deal more strength for the weight and reduces the problem
of 'crimp' and 'creep'. The SX Spectra is a symbiosis of 5 components,
the 2 outer skins or taffetas are either Dacron or Spectra weave depending
upon the fabric style and weight. This gives the material chafe resistance
and aids in its ultimate durability but offers virtually no strength.
The inner sandwich is an X-ply scrim of Spectra fibers set at 22 degrees
off the warp to give the fabric better off-threadline load resistance.
This goes a long way toward producing a flat exit which is important for
sail shape especially when de-powering. The primary scrim is an X-Y grid
pattern of pre-tensioned, pre-impregnated Spectra yarns. This is where
the real strength of the fabric is. Pre-tensioned fibers means better
initial loading and less 'crimp' (stretching of the in and out weave of
a woven sail cloth) and 'creep' (the slow, slipping of fibers). The pre-impregnation
of adhesives to the scrim improves the lamination quality and decreases
the weight of the fabric. The final component is the Mylar film which
provides the material with the dimensional stability locking it all together.
Construction: Tri Radial panel layout, five full-length round battens
made of Vinylester and Fiberglass. Two reef points, Spectra chafe patches
at spreaders for full sail and first reef.
Hardware: BattSlide System 331-10 compression adjustable sail fittings.
Beth and Evans’ comments: We debated over sail material. We’d had good
experience with Dacron aboard Silk and worried about the longevity
of the laminate materials on an offshore boat. However, the equivalent
Dacron sail would have weighed 80 pounds more, making raising the sail
even more of a challenge than it is now. We were very concerned about
‘creep’ having heard that some of the early Spectra sails had to be re-cut
after two to three years. Bill recommended the Dimension SX Spectra to
minimize both ‘creep’ and ‘crimp.’ Over the course of the first 5,000
nautical miles, the Spectra has certainly retained its shape better than
Dacron would have. According to Yachting World, Spectra has proven
itself the material of choice aboard the Around Alone Open 60s, with minimal
durability problems, so we're hopeful the sail will prove long-lived.
We’ll keep reporting on how this sail holds up to the demands of offshore
sailing.
Linear Mode
