Importance

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Abstract

A composite sail (mainsail, jib, spinnaker) is provided which is fabricated from a series of panels each of whichis joined to an adjacent panel. The individual panels comprise laminates of two outer layers between which is an inner layer comprising a weft-free warp of strands of a stretch resistant polymer. One of the outer layers can itself be a laminate of at least two layers of material, one of which comprises a film and the other of which comprises non-woven, force-bearing thread material aligned along the principal stress lines experienced by the panel when incorporated in the sail. In a particular embodiment one outer layer is comprised of a plurality of individual segments joined together along abutting edges, each of the segments being formed from a reinforced sheet having a layer of weft-free warp of strands of a stretch resistant polymer. The individual segments in the panel may have differing strand denier density.

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First Claim