Our original Passagemaker II came from our experience with Tape-Drive racing sails. These original load path sails had proven themselves to be the most durable high tech sails on the market. They are light, strong and reasonably priced.
To make the Tape-Drive Passagemaker II even better, we now offer an option of a Dacron chafe guard. Pictured above, this chafe guard, covers the after part of the sail that comes in contact with the mast and rigging and the lower part of the sail that comes in contact with the lifeline stanchions and the bow pulpit.
It can be installed on both sides of the sail as in the picture or on one side when the sail is made of a laminate that has a Dacron taffeta on the opposite side. In either case, the laminate film is completely covered by a woven material that is far better at absorbing the punishment the sail receives with each tack.
The new Passagemaker II also offers a number of options for combating the sun. Besides the old standby Sunbrella sewn to the exposed areas of the leech and foot, a recently introduced fabric called WeatherMax offers a lighter version with roughly the same protection. Both Sunbrella and Weathermax are available in a wide variety of colors. Even better from a weight point of view is a UV treated Dacron which is stuck to the sail using a pressure sensitive adhesive. The makes a lighter, smoother cover but one with a shorter life span than those mentioned above.
Finally for those cruising sailors who want maximum performance, we offer a furling sock that is pulled up over a furled sail using a different halyard. The socks are slightly more expensive than a sewn on cover and are a little more bother in that they have to be hoisted and secured in place but they offer the ultimate in protection and allow your headsail to offer the ultimate in performance. The socks are made in colors that can match your mainsail cover.
UK-Halsey
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