Neil Pryde vs. Intensity Sails

Sunfish65

Member
Hi,

I want to purchase a new sail for my sunfish. I noticed the NP sail is made from polyester, and the Intesity sail is made from dacron. Which material and sail is more durable, and long lasting?

Thanks in advance.
 
Re: Neil Pryde Vs. Intesity Sail

Hi - I noticed that Neil Pryde recently redid the Sunfish section of his website, and that he gives an explanation on the website as to the fact that that Dacron was just Dupont's version of polyester yarns. His website also states that DuPont is no longer making Dacron...

Additionally, I noticed that Neil Pryde has since removed the Sunfish logo from the product illustrations; if you do go with Neil Pryde, perhaps you might want to check and see if his sails are still manufactured with the Sunfish logo. I purchased a Sunfish sail from Neil Pryde at the end of last summer, and at that time, it did come with the Sunfish logo (and at that time, the Neil Pryde website did have the markings of a Sunfish-looking logo up on their product illustrations).

Also, a heads up as to the fact that the actual colors of the Neil Pryde Sunfish sails tend to be very "pastel-like", and that they are not as "strong-colored" as is implied on those website illustrations. Your best bet to see the actual colors is to go up on Ebay and Google "Sunfish sails" or 'Neil Pryde sails". There are always some jimmokes up on EBay claiming to be selling real Sunfish OEM sails when in fact those sails are just Neil Pryde non-OEM sails. Anyway, those jimmokes always give an actual picture of the Neil Pryde sail in question, and those pictures present a much better visual of the true colors of the sails.

I actually purchased the "Primary" color combination from Neil Pryde. After poking around Ebay and the internet, it appeared "Primary" was one of the few non-pastel like color combinations in the Neil Pryde Sunfsih sail line.

Anyway, an FYI.

Also, Neil Pryde Sunfish sails are made in China, not Connecticut...

Link: http://www.neilprydesails.com/store/sun.htm
 
Re: Neil Pryde Vs. Intesity Sail

Go with the Intensity sail - you will not be sorry.
The "I" sail is the same as the legal race sail at half the price and super quality.
Who needs a colored sail anyway?
 
All good responses so far.
Color is subjective of course. It's commonly stated that the racing sails are white because panels made of differently dyed polyester fabric (Dacron) shrink a bit differently with time.

Finally, a well maintained sail can last a long, long, time (10 years +). It may not be performing as well anymore after a few years, but to the casual sailor, this hardly matters.

I guess you are aware that Neil Pryde and Intensity sails are not class legal. But this only matters if you intend to compete in higher-level regattas (Regional and National Championships etc.).
 
Re: Neil Pryde Vs. Intesity Sail

Hi - I noticed that Neil Pryde recently redid the Sunfish section of his website, and that he gives an explanation on the website as to the fact that that Dacron® was just Dupont's version of polyester yarns. His website also states that DuPont is no longer making Dacron®...
DuPont developed the original polyester fiber in the 1950's and trade-named it Dacron®. Type 52 high modulus polyester fiber is the yarn spun specifically for sailcloth. In 2004 DuPont sold its textiles division and the Dacron brand-name.

Over the course of polyester's popularity, advancements by Allied Signal - Polymers Engineering Group produced a fiber called 1W70 polyester that has a 27% higher tenacity than Type 52. Other quality polyester trade names used for sailcloth include Terylene®, Tetoron®, Trevira® and Diolen®. So, though Dacron has been a mainstay in the sailcloth industry, many other trade-name polyester derivatives have been widely and successfully used by different sailmakers for many years.

saturday-night-fever-costume_th.jpg

...that ain't sailcloth, but it is polyester
196519.1000.a.jpg




Additionally, I noticed that Neil Pryde has since removed the Sunfish logo from the product illustrations; if you do go with Neil Pryde, perhaps you might want to check and see if his sails are still manufactured with the Sunfish logo.
I suspect this has to do with Laser Performance owning the Sunfish trademark and only officially licensing North Sails to use it on new sails. No problem, just cut your own insignia from emblem cloth (the stuff sail numbers are made from) found at Sailrite or Sailmakers Supply.
 
as dinghyone alluded to - the 2 sails are different cuts.

the neil pryde sail is the "recreational" cut.

the intensity sail is the "race" cut, which means it's 3 side dimensions are the same, but it has a camber built into it, making it a more powerful sail.

tag
 
I decided to retire my 30 year old sail last year and ordered an intensity sail. They took my order and then informed me that they were minimum 4 weeks back ordered:mad: yet still listing on eBay saying 10 or more available. Intensity told me were is transit from where I do not know? I canceled the order with no problem but I did not like the fact that they would keep a listing active when items are out of stock.
Ended up with 2 Neil Pryde and 1 ****** sail.
Ordered with windows in the 2 Neil Pryde and they are a wast of money at $25 each as were located to far aft and the windows have a scrim in them that cuts visibility to 6 feet. I was expecting a race style window, and did not ask. Lesson, assume nothing.
The Neil Pryde sails were ' Islands' and 'Primary' beautiful colours and sails were double stitched unlike the ****** sail that only had single stitching.
Both Niel Pride and ****** Sails were good to deal with and Niel Pride gave a multiple discount and shipped fast for low price and told me up front that some sail colours were back ordered.
Dacron and Polyester same thing as others have already addressed.
Informative to here about the differences in cuts of sails.
Hope this helps.
><> Don <><
 

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Sorry don't know what happened ***** sails is Kavane Sails and I delt directly with each company and not through eBay on the transactions.
<>< Don ><>
 
Yes the 2 Neil Pryde sails did come with logos on both sides of sail.
The Kavane sail, it was the classic red and white, did not come with a logo on sail.
The Neil Pryde sail is " Islands "
><> Don <><
 

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It's a Canadian flag on a fiberglass rod that is zip tied to the mast. There was someone selling a Canadian flag style Sunfish sail last year on eBay.
><> Don <><
 
Ordered with windows in the 2 Neil Pryde and they are a wast of money at $25 each as were located to far aft and the windows have a scrim in them that cuts visibility to 6 feet. I was expecting a race style window, and did not ask. Lesson, assume nothing
I think Neil Pryde needs your feedback.

Seeing how the Sunfish emblem is a Trade Mark, sounds like Laser Performance may have fired up their legal dept since your purchase.

.
 
Thanks Wayne you are right that they can not address what they do not know so I contacted Neil Pryde and expressed my feelings on the size, material and placement of the window. I talked about the window deficiency all last season but not to the right people so now I have written them and I await the response.
><> Don <><
 
Thanks Wayne you are right that they can not address what they do not know so I contacted Neil Pryde and expressed my feelings on the size, material and placement of the window. I talked about the window deficiency all last season but not to the right people so now I have written them and I await the response.
><> Don <><
I applaud your move. Hopefully that will help improve the window for the next buyer.

.
 
I have visited the Neil Pryde Sunfish sail website 2010 and they have updated the specifics of the sails with diagrams and text. My dealings with them were in June of 2009 so good to see all the improvements to web site description of sail features.
I would like to use the Intensity sail to compare quality and cut with the Neil Pryde sail. I have pre 72 hull that is all dried out and is waiting for complete restoration (foam flotation) but I have not picked up the spars and sails for it yet, so if it needs a new sail I will try the Intensity sail.
Perhaps I should start a new thread "Grew Sunfish"
><>Don<><
 

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I think Neil Pryde needs your feedback.
.
I contacted Neil Pryde via email over the course of 2 days and they were very responsive to the issue of sail window material size and placement that I expressed earlier in this thread. With permission from Neil Pryde I am posting there response to this thread as it is where it all got started although it is off topic of original question Neil Pryde vs. Intensity Sails.
Hi Don,
Thanks for your suggestions.
We have updated our site to show the location of the optional window and the size of it as well.
FYI: We also in the last update, placed a photo of the colors...in response to another buyers desire...though this is more difficult to make clear as monitors and printers all seem to show colors a bit differently. But I think the photo of the colors more representative than the drawings.

As for the window material, we as a company stopped using the vinyl material for view windows about 10 years ago...as we found the mylar xply to be a much more stable material, both in terms of stretch and resistance to cold and hot. This is the material we use in our racing and club sail windows.
Both have their pros/cons. The mylar is more reflective of sunlight and has the yarns laminated inside, while the vinyl clouds up due to sunlight exposure and it clearness diminishes as time goes on.
The vinyl will crack and split in low temps and this was an ongoing problem for us in this type of application (frost biting sailors for instance) and it gets very stretched out of from heat and use giving it a 'bagginess' over time. So in the end we moved away from vinyl.

As to your points below:
1. We don't use vinyl so it won't be an option
2. We don't suggest that this sail is race sail (clearly just and aftermarket, non licensed recreational product for whole host of different lateen rigs including the Sunfish that use this size sail) and as such we are not inclined to offer a 'racing placement and size' window. So hopefully and because of your suggestion, folks can now see where the window will be located and the size of it...and then make the decision themselves if it is adequate for their needs.

Best regards,

Bob Pattison

moz-screenshot.png
What else can I say? Bravo Sunfish Forum
><>Don<><
 

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