Liberty Sail And Canvas Loft

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Sail Cloth Definitions

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ASPECT RATIO

The luff length of a sail divided by foot length. High Aspect sails are tall and thin.

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BIAS

A diagonal across a piece of fabric at 45-degrees to the warp and fill.

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COUNT

The number of yarns per inch in the warp or fill of a cloth

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CREEP

The property of fibers to gradually stretch under a constant load.

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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.

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CROSS-CUT

A panel layout where seams run across the sail, perpendicular to the leech.

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DACRON

Dupont’s trade name for polyester fiber.

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DENIER

A system for coding filament yarns and fibers, with low numbers representing finer sizes and higher numbers representing heavier yarns.

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ELONGATION

The difference between the length of a stretched sample and its initial length; expressed in 1/100ths of an inch.

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FIBER

Strand of material used to spin into a yarn.

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FILL

The yarn or fiber running across the width of the fabric at right angles to the warp.

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FLEX-STRENGTH

The ability of a fiber to resist strength loss having been flexed back and forth

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GSM

Weight in grams of a square meter of cloth.

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HAND

Softness or firmness of a fabric

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KEVLAR

Dupont’s trade name for a family of high-strength aramid fibers.

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LAMINATE

A layered fabric made by bonding scrims and/or taffetas to one or two plies of film.

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LSP

Name for DIAX laminates using Pentex fibers.

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MODULUS

The measure of stretch or elasticity of a fabric. High Modulus = low stretch.

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PENTEX

Modified polyester with 250% less stretch

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POLYESTER

A strong, reliable and inexpensive fiber ideal for cruising and low-tech racing laminates, and woven sailcloth.

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PRIMARY YARN DIRECTION

The orientation (warp or fill) in which a fabric is the most stretch resistant.

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RADIAL

A panel layout where seams and panels radiate out from the corners of the sail.

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SAILMAKERS (S.M OZ) WEIGHT

Weight of a 36″ x 28.5″ sample.

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SCRIM

Non woven, formed sheet of yarns held together with resin.

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SPECTRA

A highly modified polyethylene fiber developed by Allied Corp

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TAFFETA

A light woven fabric used on laminates to add durability and abrasion resistance.

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TENACITY

The breaking strength of a yarn or fabric stated in force per unit of the cross-sectional area.

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TENSILE STRENGTH

The ability of a fiber, yarn or fabric to resist breaking under tension.

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THREADLINE

The direction of the yarns.

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VECTRAN

LCP fiber made by Hoechst Celanese.

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WARP

The yarn or fiber running the length of a fabric.