Sail Cloth Definitions
ASPECT RATIO:
The luff length of a sail divided by foot length. High Aspect sails are tall and
thin.
BIAS: A diagonal across a piece of fabric
at 45-degrees to the warp and fill.
COUNT:
The number of yarns per inch in the warp or fill of a cloth.
CREEP: The property of fibers to
gradually stretch under a constant load.
CRIMP:
Length or waviness added to a yarn when it is woven over-and-under in a piece of
fabric. Crimp can contribute to the elongation of a fabric under load.
CROSS-CUT:
A panel layout where seams run across the sail, perpendicular to the leech.
DACRON: Dupont’s trade name for
polyester fiber.
DENIER: A system for coding filament
yarns and fibers, with low numbers representing finer sizes and higher numbers
representing heavier yarns.
ELONGATION:
The difference between the length of a stretched sample and its initial length;
expressed in 1/100ths of an inch.
FIBER: Strand of material used to spin
into a yarn.
FILL: The yarn or fiber running across
the width of the fabric at right angles to the warp.
FLEX-STRENGTH:
The ability of a fiber to resist strength loss having been flexed back and forth
GSM: Weight in grams of a square meter of
cloth.
HAND: Softness or firmness of a fabric.
KEVLAR: Dupont’s trade name for a
family of high-strength aramid fibers.
LAMINATE: A layered fabric made by
bonding scrims and/or taffetas to one or two plies of film.
LSP: Name
for DIAX laminates using Pentex fibers.
MODULUS:
The measure of stretch or elasticity of a fabric. High Modulus = low stretch.
PENTEX:
Modified polyester with 250% less stretch.
POLYESTER:
A strong, reliable and inexpensive fiber ideal for cruising and low-tech racing
laminates, and woven sailcloth.
PRIMARY YARN DIRECTION:
The orientation (warp or fill) in which a fabric is the most stretch resistant.
RADIAL:
A panel layout where seams and panels radiate out from the corners of the sail.
SAILMAKERS (S.M OZ) WEIGHT: Weight of a
36" x 28.5" sample.
SCRIM: Non woven, formed sheet of yarns
held together with resin.
SPECTRA: A highly modified polyethylene
fiber developed by Allied Corp
TAFFETA:
A light woven fabric used on laminates to add durability and abrasion
resistance.
TENACITY: The breaking strength of a yarn or fabric stated in
force per unit of the cross-sectional area.
TENSILE STRENGTH: The ability of a fiber,
yarn or fabric to resist breaking under tension.
THREADLINE:
The direction of the yarns.
VECTRAN:
LCP fiber made by Hoechst Celanese
WARP: The yarn or fiber running the length of a fabric.
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