Contender Stormlite is a tightly woven polyester fabric designed specifically for reaching asymmetrical spinnakers (gennakers) and cruising Code Zeros. While it looks and feels similar to traditional spinnaker nylon, Stormlite is made from woven polyester, giving it significantly lower stretch and higher strength. This makes it better suited to handling the higher apparent wind loads that come with close reaching and upwind angles. It furls cleanly and holds its shape more effectively than nylon, offering improved structure and control for cruising boats.
Who Should Use Stormlite
Stormlite is best suited for cruisers looking to add a reliable, easy-to-handle reaching sail to their inventory. It’s a great fit for day sailing and coastal cruising, where simplicity, durability, and clean furling matter more than absolute performance. Stormlite works well on continuous-line furlers, trims easily, and doesn’t require the careful tuning that laminate sails often demand. If you want a forgiving, low-maintenance code sail for casual cruising, Stormlite is an excellent entry-level choic.
What Are the Limitations of Stormlite?
Stormlite is a woven cloth, which means it lacks the shape-holding precision of laminate or membrane materials. As the sail loads up, it can stretch and deepen, especially when sailing at tight reaching angles. This limits how close to the wind the sail can be carried and reduces the overall range where it performs well. While it’s a great option for casual reaching in moderate conditions, its lack of structure means it won’t be as useful in a wide range of wind angles—particularly when trying to carry the sail closer to the breeze.
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