The design and manufacture of sail fabrics is part science and
part art. Like all such activity it is surrounded by jargon. We hope the following glossary helps
dispel some of the mist:
AIRX: Bainbridge's brand name for a new superior range of
spinnaker nylons.
ASPECT RATIO:
The luff length of a sail divided by foot length. High Aspect sails are tall and thin.
BIAS: A diagonal across a piece of fabric at 45-degrees to
the warp and fill.
CARBON: An extreme performance fibre used extensively in composite engineering.
COUNT:
The number of yarns per inch in the warp or fill of a cloth.
CREEP: The property of fibres to gradually
stretch under a constant load.
CRIMP: Length or waviness added to
a yarn when it is woven over-and-under in a piece of fabric. Crimp can
contribute to the elongation of a fabric under load.
CROSS-CUT:
A panel layout where seams run across the sail, perpendicular to the leech.
DACRON: DuPont's trade name for polyester
fibre.
DENIER: A system for coding filament
yarns and fibres, with low numbers representing finer sizes and higher
numbers representing heavier yarns.
DIAX: Bainbridge's brand name for
racing laminates with a 45-degree diagonal scrim.
END: An
induvidual warp yarn
ELONGATION: The difference between the length of a stretched
sample and its initial length; expressed in 1/100ths of an inch.
FATIGUE:
They weakening or loss of stretch resistance of a fabric due to flutter
or fabric testing
FIBRE: Strand of material used to spin into a yarn.
FILL: The yarn or fibre running across
the width of the fabric at right angles to the warp.
FLEX-STRENGTH:
The ability of a fibre to resist strength loss having been flexed back
and forth
GREIGE: Woven
fabrics in unfinshed state
GSM: Weight in grams of a square metre of cloth.
HAND: Softness or firmness of a fabric.
KEVLAR: DuPont's trade name for a
family of high-strength aramid fibres.
LAMINATE: A layered fabric made by
bonding scrims and/or taffetas to one or two plies of film.
LSP: Name for DIAX laminates using
Pentex fibres.
MODULUS: The measure of stretch or
elasticity of a fabric. High Modulus = low stretch.
MP-70: A range of multi-purpose spinnaker fabrics designed specifically for the cruising and club race market.
PICK:
An individual filling yarn
PENTEX: Modified polyester with 250%
less stretch.
POLYESTER: A strong, reliable and
inexpensive fibre ideal for cruising and low-tech racing laminates, and
woven sailcloth.
PRIMARY YARN DIRECTION: The orientation
(warp or fill) in which a fabric is the most stretch resistant.
RADIAL:
A panel layout where seams and panels radiate out from the corners of
the sail.
RECOVERY: The ability of a yarn
or fibre to return to its original length after it has been stretched
SAILMAKERS (S.M OZ) WEIGHT: Weight of a 36" x 28.5" sample.
SCRIM: Non woven, formed sheet of
yarns held together with resin.
SELVAGE:
The edge of a piece of fabric
SPECTRA: A highly modified polyethylene
fibre developed by Allied Corp and used in Bainbridge SCL-S laminates.
TAFFETA: A light woven fabric used
on laminates to add durability and abrasion resistance.
TENACITY: The breaking strength of
a yarn or fabric stated in force per unit of the cross-sectional area.
TENSILE STRENGTH: The ability of a
fibre, yarn or fabric to resist breaking under tension.
THREADLINE: The direction of the yarns.
TWARON: Family of aramid fibres made
by Akzo and used in Bainbridge DIAX-HMT racing laminates.
WARP: The yarn or fibre running the
length of a fabric.