Appendices -- Useful Supplemental Information

ABOUT OCEANUS SAILCLOTH

In the l990s traditional sailmaker Nat Wilson teamed up with fiber experts at North Cloth to develop a polyester that would simulate the look and feel of cotton canvas sailcloth. After a few false starts, engineers developed spun polyester fibers that resulted in a cloth with a slightly fuzzy surface, a nice soft hand, and reasonable bias stretch -- Oceanus Ships Cloth. It has been used in lots of tall ships, replica ships, and traditional small craft.

Oceanus is particularly appropriate for square sails and four-sided sails like gaff, gunter, lug, and sprit, all of which can have their shape controlled to some extent by “peaking up” to stretch the cloth on the bias and flatten the sail for close-hauled work or stronger winds. Produced in 18” panels, it is most often used in vertical panel constructions.

Oceanus comes in weights starting at 7oz per sailmaker’s yard, and is right for this 300 sq ft gaff mainsail for a Muscongus Bay Sloop, but wouldn’t suit a 55 sq ft Nutshell Pram lugs'l. It’s softness compensates to some extent for its weight. Color is an off-white.

If a customer is seeking maximum traditional effect, hand roping and sewn brass rings are a practical (if slightly more expensive) choice, since passing the sailmaker’s needle through this fabric does not break fibers, as would be the case with the usual Dacron cloth.

Like all polyesters, Oceanus is subject to degradation by the UV in sunlight. Except when in use, Oceanus sails should be stowed inside, ashore, or covered with a lightproof cover.