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PRODUCTS: SAIL CLOTH SUPPLIERS
A Great Combination:
Challenge Sailcloth and Neil Pryde Sails
Dacron Fabrics:
We work closely with Challenge Sailcloth in developing the
fabrics that will represent the best performance, longevity and
value to our customers. All of our woven fabrics
that we use in our sails, with the exception of our 3.8oz which
is manufactured by Tejin, come from Challenge. The fabrics listed
below represent our latest thinking on both constructions and
finishes.
Through an aggressive manufacturer
quality control system, and then through our own in-house ISO
9002 certified testing procedures, which include INSTRON (see
image, right) strip testing and visual testing for flatness, the
fabric we use day to day is consistently the best we can buy.
High Modulus Dacron ®:
 Challenge Dacron is finished 100% in-house (the largest U.S.
based sailcloth manufacturer to do so). The fabric is heat-set,
shrinking up to 20%. The Challenge durable Stabilized finish
is achieved by immersing the fabric in a bath of suspended resin.
The resin is absorbed by the fiber. The cloth is then fed into a
long oven where the liquids are driven off, leaving the resin
solids bonded to the fibers. The result is the tightest possible
weave, lowest bias stretch, and maximum durability.
The Neil Pryde standard for resinated finishes on our
fabrics is to a "medium-firm" finish or
"hand". On an Instron test, this firmness would be
represented by a 10lb. bias number between 9 and 12 pounds.
The Application:
Highest Performance Cruising mainsails, jibs, and genoas of
all weights. This is Challenge's top of the line cruising range
of sailcloths. Re-engineered continually to take advantage of new
weaving and finishing technology, High Modulus Dacron Fabrics
have large fill yarns to counter leech loads but tight weaves to
resist genoa bias loads.
The Fiber:
High Modulus fabrics use almost exclusively Dacron yarn.
(Challenge have and will weave other brands of fiber where
performance or value is enhanced.) Type 52 High Tenacity High
Modulus Dacron is used wherever possible, as we consider it the
best sailcloth yarn in the world, due to its low stretch (for
strong leeches), and high shrinkage (translates into lowest bias
stretch and best durability) Type 52, made for sailcloth, is only
available in 220, 350, and 440 deniers. In heavier fabrics we
discovered High Tenacity Dacron made for tire cords! In yarn
diameters where high tenacity is unavailable, standard Dacron is
used in order to maintain the precisely engineered density ratios
necessary to achieve maximum fill yarn efficiency, and lowest
stretch.
The Weave:
Moderately large fill (width direction) yarns, generally about
twice the size of the warp (length) yarns are used in the light
and medium weight cloths. In heavier weights where loads are
higher, the ratio is 3:1, or more. The purpose of the weave
design is first to keep the high load bearing fill yarns
straight, (bending or "crimping" results in stretch as
the yarns straighten out under load) and to force the warp yarns
to bend acutely over and under them). High counts of warp yarns
("high sleys") accomplish this, as there is no space
between warp yarns into which fill yarns can bend. The warp yarns
effectively create tunnels which encapsulate the straight fill
yarns. Second, the loom is geared up to a "high
beat-up" level (high "pick" or fill yarn count) in
order to obtain a tight weave and high number of yarn interlacing
to resist bias loads, prolong sail life, and to keep the sail
shape from blowing aft.
The Company Focus:
Challenge Sailcloth, founded in 1986, now has the largest line
of woven sailcloth in America, and possibly the world. Challenge
concentrates in R&D on the development of the most
sophisticated, highest quality Dacron, and nylon woven fabrics.
Owned by Bob Bainbridge, former owner of Bainbridge Sailcloth,
and Dr. Terry Cronburg, former R&D director and "The
brains behind Bainbridge Sailcloth" (Sailor Magazine, 1985),
the company boasts two of the best sailcloth minds in the world.
Its designers focus their energies on bringing out new concepts
in racing and cruising durable woven sailcloth. Challenge is the
only of the top three U.S. sailcloth maker to process all its
woven sailcloth in-house in the U.S.
From start to finish, Challenge personnel precision-monitor
the critical heats, tensions, speeds, pressures, and chemical
formulations necessary to produce woven sailcloth with highest
performance, and measured consistency.
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http://challengesailcloth.com
| The
Neil Pryde Woven Fabric Line |
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| Fabric Style (and true weight)
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Warp Yarn Denier |
Fill Yarn Denier |
| 3.8 oz.
|
140 |
250 |
| 4.9 oz. High Modulus |
150 Dacron |
250 Dacron |
| 5.9 oz. High Modulus |
150 Dacron |
350 High Tenacity Dacron |
| 6.62 oz. High Aspect |
150 Dacron |
440 High Tenacity Dacron |
| 7.3oz. High Modulus |
250 Dacron |
500 High Tenacity |
| 8.3oz. High Modulus |
250 Dacron |
840 High Tenacity Dacron
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| 9.3 oz. High Modulus |
250 Dacron |
1000 High Tenacity Dacron |
| 10.3 oz. High Modulus |
300 Dacron |
1300 High Tenacity Dacron |
| 11.9 oz. High Modulus |
500 Dacron |
1300 High Tenacity Dacron |
| 13.9 oz. High Modulus |
500 Dacron |
1800 High Tenacity Dacron |
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