Stronger and lighter – thinner and softer too

Since its introduction in late 2024, continued development of Dimension-Polyant’s Tyra Technology has brought modern sailcloth into a new age never thought possible: materials that are not only stronger and lighter but thinner and softer as well. Until now sailcloth could only have one or two of these desirable qualities, not all four, so this represents a new game-changing era for sailmakers.

It all starts with the details of how Tyra Technology has been developed and improved to achieve these impressive results. The first step in the process is to identify which types of fibres are required to achieve the desired modulus in the sailcloth.

The fibres of this material are then split into individual filaments to fix onto a unidirectional monofilament layer tape in a previously unattainable homogeneous distribution. This is an important process to achieve minimal tape thickness and also uniformity of strength characteristics within that layer. The product is called Tyra UD Tape.

Dimension-Polyant’s production facilities for this tape are set up to be versatile to match the desired qualities in the cloth. Accordingly there are numerous types of fibres and multiple combinations of those fibres that can be used to form the structural basis of a Tyra UD Tape, along with various stabilising materials such as scrims, veils and adhesives.

The tapes are then assembled by laying on top of each other at varying angles of orientation to form the inner structural matrix of the cloth, now called Tyra PLY. In this way the structure can be customised in either unidirectional or multi axial orientations to meet the specific requirements in the application area of the sail. That puts the qualities of the fibres to work in the sail in the most efficient manner possible.

Maximum fibre purity
In developing laminates to be used in both cruising and performance sails, Dimension-Polyant has established a cornerstone of consistency in Tyra PLY construction: an inner matrix made from 100 per cent ultra-PE filaments (the bestknown brand of these is Dyneema).

An example of this increase in strength performance can be seen when making a standardised test of fabric elongation for Dimension-Polyant’s new TDC06 product compared with its DCX-M product, which is a traditional style of cruising sailcloth. For 0.16 inches in elongation in both lab and flutter tests, the TDC06 is around 50 per cent stronger than DCX-M.

‘This means that for the same type of boat for which sails of these materials are built, there can be a weight advantage of up to 20 per cent,’ says Ben Rogers, sales manager at Dimension-Polyant (UK).

‘The other main differences are the higher one per cent warp and fill figures as well as the fill having improved stretch resistance. You will notice the straighter exit on the TDC06 graph compared to the gently increasing upwards curve on the DCX-M graph, showing the TDC06 is not giving up as early.’

These improvements have very real benefits for Dimension-Polyant’s sailmaking customers and their clients, who can now enjoy not only lighter weight, but also equal or better strength and greater durability in their sails.

This can also have profound effects for boats that are equipped with headsail or mainsail furling systems where the new Tyra Tec products will allow for a much more compact physical footprint when furled. For mainsails that need to fit into a mast or a boom this can be especially significant: a thinner, softer material means the sail can be larger and thus deliver better performance for the boat while maintaining its ease of use.

Even on grand prix racing yachts, this feature of Tyra-Tec fabrics allows for easier handling of staysails, code zeros and flying headsails. Easy handling means less time on the foredeck and safer, more efficient sail handling for the team.

Here’s an overview that shows how the new generation of Tyra Tec materials can be used by Dimension-Polyant’s sailmaker customers to build sails for boats that are focused mainly on either racing or cruising:

Racing sailcloth range
Dimension-Polyant will soon be launching race cloth types with a blend of aramid and ultra-PE, with and without film. The filmless version is particularly lightweight for its performance specifications. Moreover, the versatility in construction ensures that applications for its use can be found for nearly any racing boat, from inshore keelboats and high-performance dinghies to club racers, offshore racers and superyachts.

Tyra PLY Pure PLUS
When it comes to racing, less can be more. That is why Dimension-Polyant developed Tyra PLY Pure PLUS, a material that delivers exactly what performance-oriented sailors need: a film-free, extremely lightweight and thin sailcloth fabric that is therefore easy to handle. At the same time, Tyra PLY Pure PLUS will also exhibit outstanding profile stability and tear resistance, which are essential qualities for the serious racing sailor who also wants some longevity in their sail inventory. While in offshore or even inshore use, sails can get a serious beating from multiple sets, drops, on-deck luff flakes or leech flakes, bricking for storage, reefing, un-reefing, etc, and Tyra PLY Pure PLUS is designed to deliver.

Headsails, staysails and code sails are particularly prone to this kind of continual abuse. The fabrics made from Tyra PLY Pure PLUS are designed to stand up well to this sort of punishment while still holding their shape and strength.

What ensures these qualities are Dimension-Polyant’s Tyra UD tapes, made of black aramid and ultra-PE filaments. These are laid out multiaxially along the main load paths, thereby providing enormous off-angle support. The functional surface without film is unique in this combination – and patented by Dimension-Polyant. It protects the material against abrasion and chafing damage.

This exceptional weight-to-performance ratio shows that Dimension-Polyant has succeeded in significantly improving the feel of the cloth too, so that it can be not only thinner, lighter and stronger, but now also softer too.

Tyra PLY LS
Previously a high-end product made by Dimension-Polyant for elite racers only, Tyra PLY LS is now also available in a version for club racers who want their sails to perform at the highest level. This ultra-thin material enables sailmakers to create sophisticated designs for a wide variety of applications in all sectors of the sail inventory. Tyra technology, the heart of the black Club Racing Composite, ensures a significant weight reduction of up to 20 per cent compared with classic laminates.

At the same time, the multi-axial use of Dimension-Polyant’s Tyra UD tapes provides enormous profile stability – even in high wind use. With a minimal addition of weight to the fabric, the new Lite Skin coating can ensure even greater resistance to abrasion and therefore improved durability. It also makes the material resistant to climatic influences such as high and low temperatures, high and low humidity, as well as any prolonged exposure to strong sunlight.

Cruising sailcloth range
There is an unfortunate perception that sails for non-racing sailors do not have the same performance features, and this is simply not true. While they may not be as strongly interested in some sailcloth properties, such as absolute shape retention and light weight, other qualities such as feel and durability for the physical longevity of the sail are vitally important.

Tyra DC – for boats up to 45ft
Tyra DC has already hit the market with wide acceptance. It uses filament-based warp sheet and 0°\90° traditional scrim for stability and handling off-angle loads. This represents a clever combination of state-of-the-art technology and traditional tried-and-tested methods for a cost efficient, high performing fabric. Tyra DYS – for boats over 45ft Building on the Tyra DC product line, TyraDYS made its debut at the BOOT show in Düsseldorf. This new sailcloth adds tried-and-tested ultra-PE ripstop taffetas that have been well proven on sails making round-the-world voyages. Using Tyra filament technology greatly reduces the weight and thickness compared with traditional laminates. This not only helps keep the weight of the sail down for handling and performance benefits, which is an important consideration on very large boats. It also allows safer clearances for in-mast furling systems and ensures the cloth is not underspecified just to fit in the mast cavity.

‘The combined Tyra DC and Tyra DYS product line form a smooth transition through the broad range of cruising boat sizes,’ Rogers says. ‘This is an important step forward because previously 45-55ft was a tricky size range where traditional polyester cruising sail laminates hit their natural limit and more advanced ultra-PE laminates proved to be too expensive. A decade ago this problem was easier since PEN (Pentex) was reasonably priced so it could be used to fill the gap, but now we have the Tyra DC and Tyra DYS product line to bring much better performance to this important market space.’