Black sails - dacron?

[DanishBagger]

I just had a thought - I'm well aware it isn't new by any stretch.

I'm thinking about black sails, propably dacron. Will it have a shorter life than cream sails?



I can think of only one disadvantage, unless it's life-span is much shorter, and that is that you cannot shine a light on it at night when a huge gin palace is bearing down on you.

How many disadvantages can you think of?

Andre

[kach22i]

I think if one side of the sail is black, and the other side is white, you will spin around in circles like a large radiometer.



Lunar light may rotate you the other way.

[DanishBagger]

Ha haha, if I go fast enough, it will seem grey, even

The reason I'm asking this is sort of "Will the cloth itself "rot" faster, than a light colour, just like epoxy goes soft at around 60 centigrades"?

And will it fade quickly/faster than cream or white dacron cloth?

[gonzo]

Black spinnaker cloth is common. Pigment in plastics make them more UV resistant. It prevents light from penetrating. Dacron is more heat resistant than epoxy resin.

[DanishBagger]

Very cool Gonzo - I didn't know that about the pigments.

How about black for the main and foresail? You think that would be an okay idea (disregarding people's taste, of course)?

[gonzo]

Dark brown sails to imitate the old tanbark dye are popular. I can't see anything wrong with black goth sails

[DanishBagger]

Nice, looks like I will be going for that, then

Heh, I can't wait. I haven't even found a place to build my small boat, but I figured I might get as much information as possible while looking.

I think it will be really neat. Dark mahogany and black sails. Unfortunately I can't afford carbon fibre for the spars, but that will come too

I don't want a black boom tent, though - getting up with the sun, all sweaty, isn't that nice to think of.

Btw, have you heard of using cordura-nylon for boom covers and the like? The reason I'm asking is that I can get hold of some, pretty cheap. I figured if I'd make some mesh in it, so the dampness can get out. Then again, it might be too rough on the sail(s).

[gonzo]

Cordura is excellent for covers and tarps.

[DanishBagger]

He he, things are getting better and better. Looks like my boat is set to become a _very_ dark-blooded girl

[safewalrus]

What you gonna call her "Turkish Coffee"

Strong as a horse
Sweet as love
Hot as Hell
BLACK AS NIGHT?

[DanishBagger]

Originally Posted by safewalrus

What you gonna call her "Turkish Coffee"

Strong as a horse
Sweet as love
Hot as Hell
BLACK AS NIGHT?

Hahaha, that's a great idea!!

But, I have always had a fondness for the name "Molly", for some odd reason. But that would mean I would have to make it all red, wouldn't it?

Nah, it will propably be Molly, as that translates well into danish, whereas "Tyrkisk Kaffe" sounds quite ridiculous in danish, and I don't want an english-only name on it.

Plus, I want to stick to traditions, on this, my first boat of my own. Well, when it comes to names anyway.