New Intensity Sail

CajunSunfish

New Member
Hi all. I recently replaced my old sail with a brand new Intensity sail. My old sail was like a an old pair of worn silk pajamas...smooth and silky feeling. My new Intensity sail is very rigid and "crinkly". I assume this is normal. Will the new Intensity Sail break in and become soft like my old sail or is this just the way they are made, and will remain?
 
New sails should be as you describe. For performance reasons you should hope it stays that way as long as possible.
 
Two years ago—on sale—I bought two new Intensity sails. One has been put aside for my second Sunfish.

The new sail really made a difference sailing against another Sunfish (a Viking) with its original "silk" sail. (We "race" every summer).

This sail is stored exposed to sun and wind and is used almost every day in the summer. It's not practical to roll the sail around the spars. The new crinkly sail resists folding or "flaking" on its spars.

Now in its second season and still performing well, I've noticed bright sunlight shining through pinholes. (The pinholes follow new creases in the sail). The sails have dark colors, so the pinholes are readily apparent.

I'd buy Intensity's sails again, but I'd select sails displaying more white coloring.

.
 
You don't need to roll the sail around the spars, and in fact you should not roll the sail around the spars as the sail will chafe on the hardware (blocks, cleats, gooseneck etc.) Instead,
lower the spars to the deck, pull the sail out to the port side (away from the mast), grab the doubled over sail at the mid-point on the leach and gently roll the sail toward the two booms. This will keep most of the sail out of the elements but also keep the cloth smooth when you hoist it the next time. Yes, "crackle" is good, soft is bad, but many sailors like their soft sails even though they do not perform as well.

Alan Glos
 
Wow. Thanks everyone for the comments. Like the old saying goes... "ignorance is bliss". I thought my old silky smooth pajama sail was the bomb! I sailed it for 2 seasons and had no idea it was inferior. I can't wait until the winds pick up this fall (in south Louisiana) to go test out my new "crinkly" sail! woohooooooooo
 
Wow. Thanks everyone for the comments. Like the old saying goes... "ignorance is bliss". I thought my old silky smooth pajama sail was the bomb! I sailed it for 2 seasons and had no idea it was inferior. I can't wait until the winds pick up this fall (in south Louisiana) to go test out my new "crinkly" sail! woohooooooooo
I haven’t tried intensity Sails yet, so this is a good thread for me. I’d like to try them out some time. I love the crisp and feel of new Sails, I keep mine indoors to help them keep their life as long as I can.
 
You don't need to roll the sail around the spars, and in fact you should not roll the sail around the spars as the sail will chafe on the hardware (blocks, cleats, gooseneck etc.) Instead,
lower the spars to the deck, pull the sail out to the port side (away from the mast), grab the doubled over sail at the mid-point on the leach and gently roll the sail toward the two booms. This will keep most of the sail out of the elements but also keep the cloth smooth when you hoist it the next time. Yes, "crackle" is good, soft is bad, but many sailors like their soft sails even though they do not perform as well.

Alan Glos

"Silk sails" were so easy to keep from sun damage. I used sections of vinyl gutter and Velcro straps to keep the sun off the sail.

GEDC0010-1.JPG


This approach is not possible with a new crinkly sail. :oops:

Because my Sunfish sail is kept outdoors and subject to very strong cross winds and thunderstorms, it's necessary to secure the leech from flapping. (Which is where "silk sails" have gotten their beating).

When through sailing for the day, I've taken to dropping the spars onto my opened PFD. The straps are then latched (loosely) on either side of the halyard, so the PFD doesn't take off. :confused:

The sail is "flake-rolled" as you've indicated, but wind (and sun) are a sail's "natural" enemies.

I sold my old sail here at the forum cheaply-enough, but got "bit" by shipping costs. :eek: The new Intensity sail outperformed the old sail so well, I should have kept the old sail to keep our "races" fair. :D
 
One tip with the Intensity sail is new is to use para-cord ties on the rear 2 rings of the boom and make each around 1/4" longer than the next. So the last 0ne at the outhaul has 1/2" slack more than the 3rd.
 
Hi, in general, paracord is not good for use on a sailboat. Paracord is designed to stretch, and in sailing you want no stretch if possible. These are short lines so stretch probably is not an issue, but it is best to avoid paracord on sailboats.

Why do you have the ties get longer towards the leech? On a North racing sail, you want all of the ties the same length - keeping them short keeps the leech tight. I am surprised you are trying to loosen the leech. What is the rationale?

BB
 
No stretch using a loop of paracord. I agree that for longer lines maybe not so good.

Using longer loops in the rear two rings is another way of tuning the sail to your
needs. Everything is a compromise so you set up your boat to where you want
a performance edge in one area at the expense of another. It's another way to
tune the sail pocket/airfoil shape of the sail.
 
Everything is a compromise so you set up your boat to where you want
a performance edge in one area at the expense of another.

My question is what performance area are you improving with a loose leech? With a North sail you’d be hurting pointing while not improving anything. I am wondering what aspect of performance this improves with an Intensity sail.
 
The longer 2 rear ties are because the luff of the Intensity sail is really tight when new and will have a reverse curl when tight. It actually looks like a rear spoiler from a 1970's Camero.
 
My question is what performance area are you improving with a loose leech? With a North sail you’d be hurting pointing while not improving anything. I am wondering what aspect of performance this improves with an Intensity sail.
My latest Sunfish has a fairly new North sail.

How can I tell if it's a North "racing" sail?

(Now I own five Sunfish—somebody stop me!) :confused:

.
 
North race sails are white unless you get a worlds sail that would be colored. Thre has not been a blue and white worlds race sail.
 

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