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Quantum Sails

Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: General
Forum Name: Chit Chat
Forum Description: Talk about anything to do with your boat
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12485
Printed Date: 28 March 2024 at 12:01
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com


Topic: Quantum Sails
Posted By: S&J
Subject: Quantum Sails
Date Posted: 22 January 2021 at 20:51
Just wondering if anyone who has taken ownership a new Hanse recently has any feedback on the change from Elvstrom to Quantum sails?
I had the FCL sails on the 385 and after 5 seasons I was very happy with them - still holding a good shape and no delamination.
How do the equivalent Quantum AC5 sails look/perform? 


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H458 #159 Primal Mediterranean cruising



Replies:
Posted By: Matt1
Date Posted: 22 January 2021 at 21:16
I suspect quantum will be quite a lot better tbh. I would say my FCL sails aren’t as good as the sails on my last boat....which is really odd as they too were from Elvstrom, were radial cut like FCL and used the same laminate cloth! I wonder if Elvstrom went “off the boil” with Hanse because it seems odd that a private buyer can be very happy with a new set of sails x yrs ago but essentially the same set yrs later, albeit more mass produced, don’t seem like the same sails or as good? Odd

Either way I’m envious of you new purchasers and your quantum sails ;)


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Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK



Posted By: Black Diamond
Date Posted: 24 January 2021 at 21:53
Its been a long time since your local loft could make a sail for you.    Most of the manufacturing (like Elvstrom) is by robots on tables with unbelievable CAD and computer models behind that.    Local lofts can usually only service and sell.  The actual sailmaking (except for a few things like spinakers or storm sails) is usually done in 2-3 places around the world tat have this kind of equipment.  My guess is Quantums 2-3 places are just as well set up as Elvstrom's.

The FCL sails were included on our boat (a 575).   I If you got a good set of FCL sails, then celebrate that.   had heard enough bad reports about delamination and mildew that I upgraded to the HPM membrane sails.   They've been great for 3 1/2 years now.   Elvstrom is a great sailmaker, but I suspect that the Quantum sails will be as good or close.   I had my spinaker made by quantum and its been great.  


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Rick
S/V Black Diamond
Hanse 575 Build #192, Hull# 161
Newport, RI


Posted By: S&J
Date Posted: 26 June 2021 at 22:34
After my first week sailing the new boat my thoughts on Quantum sails are mixed.
For the important things they work well, nice shape and certainly seem to give good boat speed.
As first glance the light grey/ silver fabric looks smart and certainly seems tough, but when they get wet they start to look very blotchy as the wetted areas turn darker grey.
I have also had problems with the mainsail bolt rope chattering loudly against the mast with beam winds.  IMG were unable to resolve this so they brought in the guys from Quantum who attempted o take up slack in the bolt rope but it hasn't made much difference.


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H458 #159 Primal Mediterranean cruising


Posted By: Matt1
Date Posted: 27 June 2021 at 12:59
Hi Stuart

I get a lot of flutter on my 418’s Elvstrom FCL mainsail which sounds similar to what you describe

If you scroll through to about 3m20 in this video you will see what I mean. Adjusting the leach line can normally eliminate it from the leach but the luff will still flutter / resonate despite adjusting the leach line or halliard tension. I’ve asked Elvstrom about it but they haven’t responded to date. I’d like to get it sorted after what others on here have posted about FCL delaminating!

https://youtu.be/JxVU_XAezpg" rel="nofollow - https://youtu.be/JxVU_XAezpg


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Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK



Posted By: grumpydatagit
Date Posted: 28 June 2021 at 16:49

Nice video in my home waters - I thought I spied Fawley tower in the background.  

Many fractional boats with a self- tacker will backwind the front main in heavy winds. It used to happen on my Hunter. It feels all wrong, but it is right. The test is boat speed.  Without a reef you can semi-control it with the flattener / outhaul – if you have one. I have my leach reef lines setup so I have a degree of flattening control.



Posted By: PabloR
Date Posted: 11 September 2021 at 17:09
Hi Matt,

Did you get the response from Elvstrom? I have the same problem with my FCL sails (H418).

/Pawel


Posted By: Matt1
Date Posted: 11 September 2021 at 20:04
No but I’ll give them a call on Monday and report back as it seems to be getting worse

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Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK



Posted By: PabloR
Date Posted: 15 September 2021 at 12:02
Hello Matt,

As I wrote before I have very similar issue: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DjSPFwmm5CjBueWJ6" rel="nofollow - https://photos.app.goo.gl/DjSPFwmm5CjBueWJ6

I 've contacted local sails makers here in Poland and this is what I heard from them:
- new main sail shouldn't behave like that
- it seems that the luff is not strong enough
- to fix that the rework is needed to strengthen the luff

This is an evaluation after only seeing the movie so it might not be 100% precise.

Did you manage to get some answers from Elvstrom?
Shouldn't we make a separate forum thread about that and see if there are others having same issues?

Regards, Pawel


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H418 #176 PLATIN - Gdynia, Poland


Posted By: Matt1
Date Posted: 15 September 2021 at 13:12
Hi Pawel - I had forgotten that it is the boat show so it is very difficult to get hold of anyone...unless you go to the show. I will try them again next week but my reaction is to agree with your sailmaker. My worry being that the luff and leach will have a very short life before delaminating

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Hanse 418 #64 EmBer. Hamble, UK



Posted By: Black Diamond
Date Posted: 03 August 2022 at 22:50
OK...   I can officially declare that the HPM Membrane sails (Elvstrom EPEX technology) do NOT last as long as they are touted.   The sail looked fine in May when we took our early sails, but between May and August the delamination progressed at a blinding speed.   In fact, this past week it failed catastrophically and we had a devil of a time getting it down as the delaminated cloth jammed in the luff extrusion along with the bolt rope.   So now we need a new sail.

This is the middle of year six.    We liked the sails performance wise,  but they promote them as being 8-10 year sails and that is just not the case.     Both the local ELVSTROM guy as well as my local QUANTUM guy tell me that 6 years for a membrane sail is " pushing it".  

I'm going back to a tri-radial hydranet sail.  They have some new dyneema (vs spectra) variants but its still a woven cloth that can be cut in a tri-radial pattern and needs no laminates and therefore no chance of delamination,  no chance of mildew between layers, and much better "repairability" than a membrane sail.   

Bottom line:  if you want a long lived sail,  I'd advise staying away from membrane technology.  It will perform well, but not age well.  Quantum or Elvstrom or North or whomever...

The hydranet sails I built for my prior boat in 2007 were still fine when I built the 575 in 2017.   The new owner has still got them on the boat 5+ years later and swears the main still looks and performs like new.

Going back to what works.


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Rick
S/V Black Diamond
Hanse 575 Build #192, Hull# 161
Newport, RI



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