A great looking set of Spectra Tape-Drive sails with carbon tapes on an Arcona 400. Photo courtesy of Arcona Yachts.

     The ultimate performance cruising sails that UK-Halsey makes are Tape-Drives using Spectra laminates. These sails are the most durable, strongest, lightest weight cruising sails available for boats 35-70 feet long. These sails have been tested daysailing, on local cruises, ocean passages and circumnavigations.

Kevlar Tapes are shown on this Farr 63’s Spectra Tape-Drive sails. Rick Tomlinson/BSI photo.

     Spectra laminates are true premier cruising cloths. Spectra yarns are lighter and more flexible than aramids such as Kevlar, Twaron and Technora, and they are much stronger than laminates with polyester yarns. Spectra doesn't break down from folding or flogging and Spectra stands up to UV radiation just as well as Dacron. Another benefit for cruising sailors is that Spectra yarns are white, which gives your sails a more traditional look.
     Spectra has an unfortunate characteristic called "creep", which means the yarns elongate when subjected to constant high loads over a period of time. But creep is not an issue when laminates with Spectra yarns are used as the skin fabric in a Tape-Drive sail because the grid of high strength tapes carry the high loads – not the Spectra yarns.

The Ultimate Cruising Sail
     Spectra does not break down from flogging, folding or the sun’s UV rays. Many boat owners use the same set of sails for their racing as well as cruising needs. Thus, they don't have to deal with the hassle of unrigging one set of sails and then re-rigging with another set. Others have reported Spectra Tape-Drives lasting up to 10 years. Spectra Tape-Drive sails are more expensive than sails made with aramid laminates, but they stand up to the rigors of cruising.

A Spectra Tape-Drive Testimonial

This photo shows the great aerodynamic shape of Phil Lever’s Oyster 68’s battenless furling main.

     “Our boat has just returned from the United States to Europe and, despite over two years exposure to harsh sunlight, there has been no deterioration at all in the sailcloth and they have retained their original shape perfectly. They are very easy to trim and fast in all wind conditions and points of sail. I confess that, at the time of ordering the sails from you, I did have some misgivings as to whether the extra cost could be justified on a very heavy, sixty-eight foot cruising boat. These misgivings proved totally without foundation and I have to report that after more than two years hard use, I have a set of sails that still look and perform like brand new. They have proved to be a very worthwhile investment and I would heartily recommend Tape-Drive sails to any cruising boat owner.”
— Phil Lever, owner, Oyster 68 ABSOLUTELY!!

Smaller Boat Alternative

For smaller boats, Spectra is overkill. A more reasonable alternative is to use base laminates with aramid or Pentex yarns. Shown above is an Alerion 28 with an aramid lamiate and carbon tapes. Notice how the sails take their shape even is the slightest of breeze.

     Smaller boats don’t need the extra strength, or cost, of Spectra laminates because the loads are much less. For boats under 35 feet UK-Halsey recommends Tape-Drive sails with laminates made with Pentex or aramid yarns. Both of these laminates cost the same. Aramid yarns are yellow and to protect them from the sun’s UV rays, the laminates are died a smoky gray color. Pentex yarns are not as low stretch as aramids, but the yarns are white and don’t need the smoke-colored UV inhibitor. The choice becomes one of aesthetics.