When buying sails the key criteria are performance, strength, durability and ease of handling.
Contender Sailcloth has launched Maxx2 , a patented technology sail laminate which claims to offer a refined solution to the key requirements of boat owners and sail makers alike.
Maxx2 is said to be the only sail laminate in the world to offer five fibres laid asymmetrically at specific angles throughout the cloth. With 22 years of sailcloth design and manufacturing expertise, the company says it has developed this laminate lay-up because it ensures the sail fabric fibres always meet the load requirements from any sail shape.
With the fibres laid at these five critical angles, when load requirements change, for example when sheeting in, trimming or due to mast bend, there is always a fibre running at that exact angle required to provide the strength to ensure high performance and minimal stretch.
For sailmakers, this fabric design enables the sail cloth to be cross cut, rather than radial cut, making it quicker and easier to make the most effective sails. This should also make them less expensive. For users, the Maxx2 laminate fabric is said to be easy to handle and extremely durable.
During manufacture, dry fibres are embedded within the flexible laminate. This means they do not crack or break when handled or folded, rolled or reefed, leading to sails that retain their strength and shape longer, says Contender. The multiple fibre angles also reduce the chances of the fabric being torn or punctured, the company claims.
Maxx2 sailcloth is available in three different options to suit the needs of different users. For racers where performance is critical, Maxx Film/Film is a dual-sided Mylar fabric encompassing Twaron and Twaron Black fibres. This fabric is designed to deliver the highest racing performance with minimum sail weight.
For classes or boats where the use of aramid is not allowed, Contender has developed Maxx Pen Film/Film. Maxx Club Racer is a fabric with Mylar film on one side and polyester taffeta on the other. This creates a medium weight fabric, with enhanced durability while still delivering racing performance.
For the performance oriented cruiser, and those who want good looking sails but rely on them continuing to deliver durability over many years, Maxx Voyager has been developed with polyester Taffeta on both sides of the fabric. This makes the sails more durable, as well as easier to handle, especially when rolling or reefing.
The new Maxx2 with five fibre angles is a development from Contender's successful Maxx fabric, which has been adopted by many sail makers and boat owners as a high performance, long lasting, durable and affordable sail fabric.
For more information visit www.contendersailcloth.com
