Sail Making with icarex polyester ripstop?

[bellsrb]

Hi I need some advice, can I use icarex PC20, a lightweight polyester ripstop to make a jib for my A rig

It's a single ply that is used for banners and kite making.

Actually It's the same material that is used for the luff tape on most IOM sails.

Sorry if its been asked before!

 

[John949]

You could but I wouldn't.  Ripstop is used for spinnakers because they have to be scunched up and generally mis-handled.  Ripstop is a bit stretchy and not entirely windproof.  Mylar makes a much better sail but you have to look after it and not crease it.

[bellsrb]

Thanks for responding John, I have made a quite a few sails in this material and they work very well for the Victoria class yachts.

I am only interested in making the foresail from Ripstop, keeping the main in mylar.

 

As before I can't get the photo to go the right way up!

 

[GaRRy]

On 13/07/2021 at 09:24, John949 said:

You could but I wouldn't.  Ripstop is used for spinnakers because they have to be scunched up and generally mis-handled.  Ripstop is a bit stretchy and not entirely windproof.  Mylar makes a much better sail but you have to look after it and not crease it.

John Icarex PC20 is not as far as I am aware used for Spinnakers. Its main use is for high end stunt/trick kites,parakites and parasails. It does not stretch anywhere as much as Nylon ripstop. Having said that I would not want to use for anything but top suite and it doos need to be handled with some care.

I think the bigger issue here is that I believe the rules say both sails need to made out of the same material ?

[John Ball]

12 hours ago, GaRRy said:

I think the bigger issue here is that I believe the rules say both sails need to made out of the same material ?

Not quite - the IOM class rules require that the panels of an individual sail be of the same material (ply) , but you may use different material for main and jib.

John

 

Edited August 18, 2021 by John Ball
added term ply