| Polykote |
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 For the racing sailor, Contenders range of performance Polykote woven fabrics features our quality woven constructions coated with our proprietary hard-urethane chemistry for the ultimate in low-stretch performance and fabric durability. Polykote materials are available in a wide range of weights designed to meet the performance needs of a variety of one-design, international and Olympic classes where Polykotes have won more medals than any other fabric.POLYKOTE PLAINWEAVE  POLYKOTE RIPSTOP  POLYKOTE RS   CARE AND HANDLING OF POLYKOTE SAILSSails made of Polykote will stay in top form when properly handled and cared for. Certain weather conditions, such as excessive winds, shorten the life-span of the sails, and so does abuse. Please follow the advice below to keep your sails in good and competitive shape: ♦ Rolling Rather than folding the sail you should roll it. This way the sail remains smooth and the Polykote finish in the cloth is preserved. To roll the mainsail properly fold the top of the sail at approximately one-third down from the top and start rolling along this line. In doing so the head patch and top of the sail stay free of rolling wrinkles. Battens can stay in the sail but make sure that you roll down the sail in a direction parallel to them. If you have to fold your sail for transport, never fold it in the same place. Try at least to roll it during regattas. ♦Raising and Lowering Sails made of Polykote should be raised and lowered carefully due to the extremely-stiff Polykote finish which is so essential for the good performance of your sail. It should be your aim to keep the cloth from getting creased. If it gets creased and wrinkled anyway make sure to unfold the cloth before futher use. Sometimes bad creases turn into knots in the sail which may cause small fractures in the cloth when disentangled. However, they never turn into rips and do not affect sail shape. Never try to crunch your sail in order to make it easier to carry or store. ♦Luffing Luffing the sails is part of the depowering process of the boat when you are racing. Luffing is probably the main cause of sails wearing out too quickly as the flogging breaks down the finish of the sail. When you are not racing and it is not imperative to control your speed, keep your sails sheeted-in to prevent them from wearing out. When coming alongside you should lower your main and jib. ♦Washing Salt water is an enemy of sailcloth. Wash your sails whenever they get sprayed. Scrub your sails only when you have to remove a particular stain. A mild detergent and a soft scrubbing brush will do for this purpose and should be used solely on the stain spot itself. ♦Maintenance Check your sails on a regular basis. Areas of the mainsail to be checked are the batten pockets and, if you have runners, the middle of the foot. In the jib you should pay extra attention to the clew and the leech area. |