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Re: Intensity sails?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 1:42 pm
by talbot
Chris:
Any estimate of hours of use? It seems to me that the only way to compare life of the sails is in "engine hours," like an airplane or car.
My sails are one year older than yours. We did exactly the same thing in terms of reef points and sail bag storage. I perceive a loss of shape in my jib; you say yours are fine. I reguesstimeated my usage as 120 short voyages over four seasons, with the sails pulling an average of 2 hours per trip, for total sail use of about 240 hours. If you have less use on your sails, then the difference may just be a matter of time. If you have as much or more use, then the difference might be due to use or storage.

By the way, the difference I note is that the jib creases across its foot when close hauled. It used to not do that. Also, my sails have definitely lost their crinkliness. I store my sails rigged under sail covers on the boat at dock all summer. They only live in the roller bags in winter and on road trips. That might have something to do with it.

Re: Intensity sails?

PostPosted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:08 pm
by ChrisB
I would say between 200 and 250 hours is probably fairly close. I've done the FL120 twice and that event is 4 days of sailing 8-10 hours/day. I moved to Florida in 2011 and since then my sailing season is more or less all year long.

I have noticed the jib is starting to crease as you descibe under close hauled conditions. I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it. My sails have not lost their crinkliness although they are not as stiff as they were when new. The only time they aren't in the roll bags is when I'm island camping with the boat. I do have a rust stain on the jib but that's my fault from not completely drying the sail before putting it in the bag.

cb

Re: Intensity sails?

PostPosted: Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:18 am
by GreenLake
For comparison, I paid a bit more than double what Chris mentioned for a set from Jotz six seasons ago (sail bags included). Mine see a bit less use per season, so my total might be at the low end of what was discussed here, and like what you guys report the fabric still feels stiff, but no loose stitching anywhere. The main is beginning to look like I can't quite trim it the way I want to, but I may not be able to get the mast bend needed -- fine details that I may not have appreciated six years ago. The jib seems unchanged.

Both are definitely fine for a few more season of cruising.